# 1987 College Football All-America Team

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

| Name | Position | School | Number | Official | Other |
| Tim Brown | Wide receiver/return specialist | Notre Dame | 5/4/9 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC | FN, NEA, SH, TSN |
| Mark Hutson | Offensive guard | Oklahoma | 5/3/8 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC | FN, NEA, SH |
| Don McPherson | Quarterback | Syracuse | 5/3/8 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC | NEA, SH, TSN |
| Keith Jackson | Tight end | Oklahoma | 5/2/7 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC | FN, SH |
| Nacho Albergamo | Center | LSU | 5/2/7 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC | SH, TSN |
| Dave Cadigan | Offensive tackle | USC | 4/3/7 | AP, FWAA, UPI, WC | NEA, SH, TSN |
| Lorenzo White | Running back | Michigan State | 4/3/7 | AFCA, FWAA, UPI, WC | FN, NEA, SH |
| Wendell Davis | Wide receiver | LSU | 3/3/6 | AFCA, FWAA, UPI | FN, SH, TSN |
| Randall McDaniel | Offensive guard | Arizona State | 4/1/5 | AFCA, FWAA, UPI, WC | SH |
| Craig Heyward | Running back | Pittsburgh | 3/2/5 | AP, FWAA, UPI | SH, TSN |
| Jumbo Elliott | Offensive tackle | Michigan | 4/0/4 | AFCA, FWAA, UPI, WC | -- |

### Defense

| Name | Position | School | Number | Official | Other |
| Bennie Blades | Defensive back | Miami | 5/4/9 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC | FN, NEA, SH, TSN |
| Chad Hennings | Defensive line | Air Force | 5/4/9 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC | FN, NEA, SH, TSN |
| Deion Sanders | Defensive back | Florida State | 5/4/9 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC | FN, NEA, SH, TSN |
| Chris Spielman | Linebacker | Ohio State | 5/4/9 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC | FN, NEA, SH, TSN |
| Danny Stubbs | Defensive line | Miami | 5/4/9 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC | FN, NEA, SH, TSN |
| Aundray Bruce | Linebacker | Auburn | 3/2/5 | AFCA, UPI, WC | SH, TSN |
| Tracy Rocker | Defensive line | Auburn | 3/2/5 | FWAA, UPI, WC | FN, SH |
| Ted Gregory | Defensive line | Syracuse | 2/3/5 | FWAA, UPI | FN, NEA, TSN |
| Chuck Cecil | Defensive back | Arizona | 3/1/4 | AFCA, UPI, WC | FN |
| Rickey Dixon | Defensive back | Oklahoma | 3/1/4 | AP, FWAA, UPI | SH |
| Dante Jones | Linebacker | Oklahoma | 2/1/3 | AFCA, AP | SH |
| John Roper | Linebacker | Texas A&M | 2/0/2 | AP, FWAA | -- |

### Special teams

| Name | Position | School | Number | Official | Other |
| David Treadwell | Placekicker | Clemson | 4/4/8 | AFCA, AP, UPI, WC | FN, NEA, SH, TSN |
| Tom Tupa | Punter | Ohio State | 5/2/7 | AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC | NEA, SH |

## 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