1987 All-America college football team

The 1987 All-America college football 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