The 1987 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1987. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes five selectors as "official" for the 1987 season. They are: (1) the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA); (2) the Associated Press (AP) selected based on the votes of sports writers at AP newspapers; (3) the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA); (4) the United Press International (UPI) selected based on the votes of sports writers at UPI newspapers; and (5) the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WC). Other notable selectors included Football News the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), Scripps Howard (SH), and The Sporting News (TSN).

Consensus All-Americans

The following charts identify the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans for the year 1987 and displays which first-team designations they received.

Offense

Defense

Special teams

Full selections - offense

Quarterbacks

  • Don McPherson, Syracuse (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
  • Troy Aikman, UCLA (CFHOF) (AP-2, UPI-2, NEA-2)
  • Steve Taylor, Nebraska (AP-3, FN)

Running backs

  • Lorenzo White, Michigan State (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN, NEA-1, SH)
  • Craig Heyward, Pittsburgh (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, SH, TSN)
  • Gaston Green, UCLA (AFCA, UPI-2, WC, FN, NEA-1)
  • Bobby Humphrey, Alabama (AP-3, WC, NEA-2, TSN)
  • Thurman Thomas, Oklahoma State (CFHOF) (AP-1, UPI-2)
  • Lydell Carr, Oklahoma (NEA-1 [FB])
  • Eric Metcalf, Texas (AP-2)
  • Jamie Morris, Michigan (NEA-2)
  • Mel Bratton, Miami (FL) (NEA-2 [FB])
  • Blair Thomas, Penn State (AP-3)

Wide receivers

  • Tim Brown, Notre Dame (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1 [return specialist], FWAA [KR/WR], UPI-1, WC, FN, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
  • Wendell Davis, LSU (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, SH, TSN)
  • Sterling Sharpe, South Carolina (CFHOF) (AP-3, FWAA, UPI-2, TSN)
  • Ernie Jones, Indiana (AP-1)
  • Marc Zeno, Tulane (AP-1, UPI-2)
  • Guy Liggins, San Jose State (AP-2)
  • Michael Irvin, Miami (FL) (NEA-2)
  • Terance Mathis, New Mexico (AP-3)

Tight ends

  • Keith Jackson, Oklahoma (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN, NEA-2, SH)
  • Pat Carter, Florida State (AP-2, UPI-2, NEA-1, TSN)
  • Ferrell Edmunds, Maryland (AP-3)

Centers

  • Nacho Albergamo, LSU (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, SH, TSN)
  • Chuck Lanza, Notre Dame (AP-2, UPI-2, FN, NEA-1)
  • Jake Young, Nebraska (NEA-2)
  • Matt Wilson, Texas A&M (AP-3)

Offensive guards

  • Mark Hutson, Oklahoma (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN, NEA-1, SH)
  • Randall McDaniel, Arizona State (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, SH)
  • John Phillips, Clemson (AP-2, NEA-1)
  • Steve Wisniewski, Penn State (TSN)
  • Harry Galbreath, Tennessee (AP-3, UPI-2, NEA-2, TSN)
  • Larry Rose, Alabama (NEA-2)
  • Eric Andolsek, LSU (AP-3)

Offensive tackles

  • Dave Cadigan, USC (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
  • Jumbo Elliot, Michigan (AFCA, FWAA, UPI-1, WC)
  • John McCormick, Nebraska (AFCA, AP-1 [OG], UPI-2 [OG], FN)
  • Paul Gruber, Wisconsin (UPI-2, NEA-1, TSN)
  • Stacy Searels, Auburn (AP-1, FN)
  • Dave Richards, UCLA (SH)
  • Greg Johnson, Oklahoma (AP-2, UPI-2, NEA-2)
  • Tony Mandarich, Michigan State (AP-2, FN)
  • Louis Cheek, Texas A&M (AP-3)
  • Pat Tomberlin, Florida State (AP-3, NEA-2)

Full selections - defense

Defensive linemen

  • Chad Hennings, Air Force (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1 [DT], FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN, NEA-1 [DT], SH, TSN)
  • Danny Stubbs, Miami (AFCA, AP-1 [DT], FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN, NEA-1 [DE], SH, TSN)
  • Tracy Rocker, Auburn (CFHOF) (AP-3 [DT], FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN, SH)
  • Ted Gregory, Syracuse (UPI-1, FWAA, FN, NEA-1 [NG], TSN)
  • Neil Smith, Nebraska (AP-2 [DT], NEA-1 [DT], TSN)
  • Tony Cherico, Arkansas (AFCA, UPI-2, SH)
  • Broderick Thomas, Nebraska (AP-2, UPI-2, WC, NEA-1 [DE])
  • Michael Dean Perry, Clemson (FWAA, UPI-2, NEA-2 [DT])
  • Darrell Reed, Oklahoma (AP-1 [DE], UPI-2, FN, NEA-2 [DE])
  • Mark Messner, Michigan (AP-2 [DT], TSN)
  • Roy Hart, South Carolina (AP-2 [NG])
  • Burt Grossman, Pittsburgh (NEA-2 [DE])
  • Carlton Bailey, North Carolina (NEA-2 [NG])
  • Kyle Rappold, Colorado (AP-3 [NG])

Linebackers

  • Chris Spielman, Ohio State (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
  • Aundray Bruce, Auburn (AFCA [DL], UPI-1, WC, NEA-2, SH, TSN)
  • Dante Jones, Oklahoma (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-2, SH)
  • John Roper, Texas A&M (AP-1 [DE], FWAA, UPI-2)
  • Ken Norton Jr. UCLA (AP-3, UPI-1, WC, FN, TSN)
  • Paul McGowan, Florida State (AP-1, FN, NEA-1)
  • Kurt Crain, Auburn (AP-1)
  • Marcus Cotton, USC (NEA-1)
  • Chris Gaines, Vanderbilt (AFCA, AP-2)
  • Clifford Charlton, Florida (TSN)
  • Ezekial Gadson, Pittsburgh (FWAA)
  • Carnell Lake, UCLA (AP-2)
  • Ned Bolcar, Notre Dame (AP-2, NEA-2)
  • Van Waiters, Indiana (AP-3, UPI-2)
  • Bill Romanowski, Boston College (AP-2)
  • Jethro Franklin, Fresno State (AP-3)
  • John Brantley, Georgia (NEA-2)
  • Pete Curkendall, Penn State (AP-3 [DT])
  • George Mira Jr., Miami (FL) (AP-3)
  • Galand Thaxton, Wyoming (AP-3)

Defensive backs

  • Bennie Blades, Miami (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
  • Deion Sanders, Florida State (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
  • Rickey Dixon, Oklahoma (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, SH)
  • Chuck Cecil, Arizona (AFCA, AP-2, UPI-1, WC, FN)
  • Donnell Woolford, Clemson (AFCA)
  • Todd Krumm, Michigan State (UPI-2, SH)
  • Jarvis Williams, Florida (WC)
  • Gordon Lockbaum, Holy Cross (NEA-1)
  • Louis Oliver, Florida (AP-3, UPI-2, TSN)
  • Mickey Pruitt, Colorado (AP-2, TSN)
  • Brad Edwards, South Carolina (AP-3, UPI-2)
  • David Vickers, Oklahoma (AP-2)
  • Riccardo Ingram, Georgia Tech (UPI-2, NEA-2)
  • Terry McDaniel, Tennessee (NEA-2)
  • Gary Richard, Pittsburgh (NEA-2)
  • Kip Corrington, Texas A&M (AP-3)

Full selections - special teams

Placekickers

  • David Treadwell, Clemson (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, WC, FN, NEA-1, SH, TSN)
  • Marty Zendejas, Nevada-Reno (FWAA)
  • Gary Gussman, Miami (OH) (AP-2)
  • Derek Schmidt, Florida State (AP-3, UPI-2, NEA-2)

Punters

  • Tom Tupa, Ohio State (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, NEA-1, SH)
  • Scott Tabor, California (AP-3, NEA-2, TSN)
  • Barry Helton, Colorado (AP-2)
  • Greg Montgomery, Michigan State (UPI-2, FN)

Returners

  • Tim Brown, Notre Dame (CFHOF) (AP-1, FWAA [KR/WR])
  • Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State (AP-2, TSN)
  • Alan Grant, Stanford (AP-3)

Key

  • Bold – Consensus All-American
  • -1 – First-team selection
  • -2 – Second-team selection
  • -3 – Third-team selection
  • CFHOF = College Football Hall of Fame inductee

Official selectors

  • AFCA – American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), selected by the members of the AFCA for the Kodak All-America team
  • AP – Associated Press
  • FWAA – Football Writers Association of America
  • UPI – United Press International
  • WC – Walter Camp Football Foundation, selected by the nation's college coaches and sports information directors

Other selectors

  • FN – Football News
  • NEA – Newspaper Enterprise Association, the NEA/World Almanac team, "chosen by a sports panel representing the World Almanac, its 140 co-sponsoring newspapers and its publisher"
  • TSN – The Sporting News
  • SH – Scripps Howard

See also

  • 1987 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team
  • 1987 All-Big Eight Conference football team
  • 1987 All-Big Ten Conference football team
  • 1987 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team
  • 1987 All-SEC football team

References


College Football Program NC State Wolfpack vs. East Carolina Pirates

College Football All America Team Alchetron, the free social encyclopedia

BOXTOROW with Donal Ware The HBCU college football AllAmerica team

UVA Football 1987 All American Bowl Photo Gallery

College Football Media Guide Florida State Seminoles (1987