Rivals.com 2007 All-American team
The top-ranked team in the nation also has the top number of selections on the Rivals.com All-America teams.
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Missouri has five All-Americans to tie Ohio State for the most of any school. Missouri's representatives include all-purpose player Jeremy Maclin and free safety William Moore on the first team, quarterback Chase Daniel and tight end Martin Rucker on the second team and center Adam Spieker on the third team.
Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was named the Rivals.com national offensive player of the year after becoming the first I-A player ever to have at least 20 rushing touchdowns and 20 touchdown passes in the same season.
LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey is the Rivals.com national defensive player of the year. Dorsey has collected 61 overall tackles and six sacks for a defense that was ranked among the nation's best all season long.
Kansas' Mark Mangino was selected as the Rivals.com national coach of the year for leading the Jayhawks to an 11-1 record in the regular season. Kansas won its first 11 games, which marked the program's longest winning streak since it won 18 in a row from 1907-09.
Rivals.com 2007 All-America First Team Offense
QB Tim Tebow, Florida, Soph., 6-3/235
VideoClick HIGH SCHOOL: Ponte Vedra Beach (Fla.) Nease | Here to view this Link.
BUZZ: Tebow entered his first year as a starter amid an avalanche of hype, yet managed to exceed expectations. He is the first Division I-A player to deliver 20 rushing touchdowns and 20 passing touchdowns in the same season. He has one game remaining and has run for 22 TDs, which ties the I-A mark for rushing touchdowns by a QB. He has accounted for 51 TDs this season, and set the UF single-season record with 3,970 total yards.
RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas, Jr., 6-2/215
VideoClick HIGH SCHOOL: North Little Rock (Ark.) Oak Grove | Here to view this Link.
BUZZ: The 2006 Heisman Trophy runner-up was equally effective this season. He set a Southeastern Conference single-season record with 2,172 all-purpose yards. McFadden set a single-season school record with 1,725 rushing yards and is third on the SEC career rushing list, behind only Herschel Walker and Kevin Faulk.
RB Ray Rice, Rutgers, Jr., 5-9/205
HIGH SCHOOL: New Rochelle (N.Y.) High
BUZZ: Rice already owns a school record and ranks second in Big East history with 4,256 career rushing yards. He has rushed for 1,612 yards this season to rank third in the nation and has rushed for at least 100 yards in six consecutive games. He leads all active players with his career average of 125.7 rushing yards per game.
WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech, Fr. (RS), 6-3/222
HIGH SCHOOL: Dallas Carter
BUZZ: Crabtree leads the nation in catches (125), receiving yards (1,861) and TD receptions (21); each of those numbers also is a freshman record. Crabtree has scored three touchdowns in five different games. He has amassed at least 100 receiving yards in 10 games this season and can tie former Pacific receiver Aaron Turner's 16-year-old record by going over the century mark for an 11th time in the Red Raiders' bowl game.
WR Jordy Nelson, Kansas State, Sr., 6-3/217
HIGH SCHOOL: Riley (Kan.) Riley County
BUZZ: Nelson has 122 catches for 1,606 yards to rank second in the nation in both categories. The former walk-on also has 11 touchdown catches. Nelson has eight 100-yard games and two 200-yard games this season. He also returned five punts this season – and scored on two of them.
TE Travis Beckum, Wisconsin, Jr., 6-4/224
HIGH SCHOOL: Milwaukee Oak Creek
BUZZ: Beckum leads all tight ends with 960 receiving yards and ranks second among all tight ends with 73 catches. He needs two more catches to tie Lee Evans' single-season school record. He also has a chance to become the fourth player in Wisconsin history to compile 1,000 receiving yards in a season.
OT Anthony Collins, Kansas, Jr., 6-6/300
HIGH SCHOOL: Beaumont (Texas) Central
BUZZ: After playing right tackle last season, Collins moved to left tackle this year and developed into one of the nation's top offensive linemen. The Outland Trophy finalist anchored a line that helped Kansas rank second in the nation with 44.3 points per game.
OT Jake Long, Michigan, Sr., 6-7/313
HIGH SCHOOL: Lapeer (Mich.) East
BUZZ: You know you're an outstanding lineman when your school goes out of its way to find statistics that reflect your dominance. UM officials have pointed out that the Wolverines averaged 6 yards per carry and rushed for 1,100 yards when it ran the ball directly behind Long. The left tackle is the first Michigan player to be named the Big Ten's top offensive lineman in two seasons. He is a finalist for the Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy.
OG Duke Robinson, Oklahoma, Jr., 6-5/352
HIGH SCHOOL: Atlanta Washington
BUZZ: One year after earning third-team All-America honors from Rivals.com, Robinson matured enough to earn a spot on the first team. The left guard has stood out on a line that is on pace to allow the fewest sacks per game in school history. He also has helped the Sooners average 4.8 yards per carry.
OG Martin O'Donnell, Illinois, Sr., 6-5/322
HIGH SCHOOL: Downers Grove (Ill.) South
BUZZ: O'Donnell started at left guard all season for an Illinois team that led the Big Ten and ranked fifth in the nation with 266.2 rushing yards per game. He also helped the Illini allow just 11 sacks all season. Only four schools in the country surrendered fewer sacks.
C Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas, Jr., 6-4/307
VideoClick HIGH SCHOOL: Little Rock (Ark.) Pulaski Academy | Here to view this Link.
BUZZ: Someone has to open up all those holes for 1,000-yard rushers Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. Luigs' outstanding run blocking has helped the Razorbacks rush for 296.8 yards per game. He also scored a perfect 100 percent grade in pass blocking in six of his first 11 games this season.
Rivals.com 2007 All-America First Team Defense
DE George Selvie, USF, Soph., 6-4, 242
HIGH SCHOOL: Pensacola (Fla.) Pine Forest
BUZZ: Selvie, who has great speed off the edge, has an NCAA-leading 31.5 tackles for loss and ranks second in the nation with 14.5 sacks. He needs just two more tackles for loss in USF's Sun Bowl appearance to set the NCAA single-season record.
DE Chris Long, Virginia, Sr., 6-4/284
HIGH SCHOOL: Charlottesville (Va.) St. Anne's-Belfield
BUZZ: The son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie Long has made a name for himself by collecting 13.5 sacks to rank third in the nation. He also has seven pass breakups and an interception. Long is a finalist for the Lombardi Award and Nagurski Trophy.
DT Sedrick Ellis, USC, Sr., 6-2/305
HIGH SCHOOL: Chino (Calif.) High
BUZZ: Ellis has 52 tackles – 12.5 behind the line – and 8.5 sacks while helping USC limit opponents to 2.5 yards per carry. Ellis has been the most consistent performer for a USC defense that ranks fourth against the run and second in overall yards allowed.
DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU, Sr., 6-2/303
HIGH SCHOOL: Gonzales (La.) East Ascension
BUZZ: Dorsey earns first-team All-America honors from Rivals.com for the second consecutive season after collecting 61 tackles – 11.5 for loss – and six sacks during the regular season. Dorsey is a finalist for the Outland Trophy, Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award and Nagurski Trophy.
LB Dan Connor, Penn State, Sr., 6-2/233
HIGH SCHOOL: Wallingford (Pa.) Strath Haven
BUZZ:Connor surpassed Paul Posluszny as Penn State's leading career tackler this season with his 410 career stops. He leads the Big Ten and ranks ninth in the nation with 136 tackles this season. Connor is a finalist for the Butkus Award and Bednarik Award.
LB Jordon Dizon, Colorado, Sr. 6-0/225
HIGH SCHOOL: Kauai (Hawaii) Waimea
BUZZ: Dizon leads the nation in solo tackles per game and ranks second in total tackles per game. He finished the regular season with 149 tackles and three interceptions. Dizon was named the Big 12 defensive player of the year and is a finalist for the Butkus Award.
LB James Laurinaitis, Ohio State, Jr., 6-3/244
HIGH SCHOOL: Plymouth (Minn.) Wayzata
BUZZ: Laurinaitis has earned Rivals.com first-team All-America honors for the second consecutive season for his role as the leader of the nation's top-ranked defense. He has compiled 103 tackles – 8.5 for losses – five sacks and two interceptions. He's a finalist for the Lombardi Award, Butkus Award, Bednarik Award and Nagurski Trophy.
CB Antoine Cason, Arizona, Sr., 6-0/185
HIGH SCHOOL: Los Alamitos (Calif.) High
BUZZ: Cason has picked off five passes and has a knack for delivering in clutch situations. He had a game-clinching interception in the final minute against Washington and scored the go-ahead touchdown against Oregon on an interception return. The Jim Thorpe Award finalist owns the school record for career interception return yardage.
CB Aqib Talib, Kansas, Jr., 6-2/180
HIGH SCHOOL: Richardson (Texas) Berkner
BUZZ: Talib has picked off four passes and leads the Big 12 with 13 pass breakups. As one of the nation's top multi-purpose threats, Talib also has caught four touchdown passes on offense. Talib is a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy.
SS Craig Steltz, LSU, Sr., 6-2/209
HIGH SCHOOL: New Orleans Archbishop Rummel
BUZZ: This Jim Thorpe Award finalist is tied for the SEC lead with six interceptions and ranks third among all defensive backs in the conference with 89 tackles. He had three interceptions against Mississippi State, two more against Ole Miss and also clinched a victory over Alabama with a fourth-down hit that forced an incompletion.
FS William Moore, Missouri, Jr., 6-1/220
HIGH SCHOOL: Hayti (Mo.) High
BUZZ: Missouri strong safety Pig Brown was playing at an All-America level before suffering a season-ending injury. As soon as Brown got hurt, Moore picked up right where his teammate had left off. Brown has picked off five passes in his past six games and now has seven interceptions to go along with 89 tackles. He needs one more interception to tie Roger Wehrli's 39-year-old single-season school record.
Rivals.com 2007 All-America First Team Specialists
K Louie Sakoda, Utah, Jr., 5-10/178
HIGH SCHOOL: San Jose (Calif.) Branham
BUZZ: Sakoda is 19 of 22 on field-goal attempts, including 10 of 13 from at least 40 yards away. All three of his misses have been from at least 45 yards. But he makes this team primarily because of his versatility. Sakoda also happens to be one of the nation's top punters. He averages 44.8 yards per punt – eighth in the nation – and has placed 27 of his 69 attempts inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
P Durant Brooks, Georgia Tech, Sr., 6-0/202
HIGH SCHOOL: Macon (Ga.) Tatnall Square Academy
BUZZ: The Ray Guy Award finalist is ranked fourth in the nation with an average of 45.5 yards per punt and has placed 30 of his 61 attempts inside the opponent's 20. Tech is third in the nation in net punting. Brooks has the highest career punting average (45.6) in school and ACC history.
KR Felix Jones, Arkansas, Jr., 6-0/207
VideoClick HIGH SCHOOL: Tulsa (Okla.) Washington | Here to view this Link.
BUZZ: Jones has scored on a kickoff return in each of his three years at Arkansas. He has two kickoff returns for touchdowns this season while leading all BCS players and ranking third in the nation overall with an average of 31.3 yards per return. Jones also has rushed for 1,117 yards as a backup tailback, averaging 9.1 yards per carry.
PR Leodis McKelvin, Troy, Sr., 5-11/190
HIGH SCHOOL: Waycross (Ga.) Ware County
BUZZ: McKelvin is the only player in the nation to return three punts for touchdowns this season. He ranks third in the nation with an average of 18.3 yards per return; that includes a 74-yard touchdown against Oklahoma State, an 84-yard score against Florida International and a 52-yard touchdown against North Texas.
ALL-PURPOSE Jeremy Maclin, Missouri, Fr. (RS), 6-1/185
HIGH SCHOOL: Kirkwood (Mo.) High
BUZZ: Maclin has set an NCAA freshman record with 2,509 all-purpose yards. He has 954 receiving yards and ranks second in the nation in all-purpose yards with 209.1 per game. Maclin also is the only player in the nation to score touchdowns on a reception (nine), run from scrimmage (four), punt return (two) and kickoff return (one).