ACC Well Represented on FWAA 75th Anniversary AA Squad

The Football Writers Association of America released its 75th Anniversary All-American team this week and many ACC schools have players on the list. Nebraska led the way with six total selections, but Pittsburgh tied for second with Ohio State with five picks to lead all ACC schools.

The first team has Pittsburgh wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, Miami defensive end Ted Hendricks, Florida State defensive back Deion Sanders and Notre Dame defensive end Leon Hart who won the 1949 Heisman Trophy and was selected No. 1 overall in the 1950 NFL Draft.

The second team includes the No. 1 overall selection in the 1985 NFL Draft and Virginia Tech’s all-time sacks leader Bruce Smith, Florida state receiver Fred Biletnikoff, Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly, Miami defensive back Ed Reed, Notre Dame’s Raghib Ismail as a return man as well as four Pittsburgh alums; running back Tony Dorsett, defensive end Hugh Green, tight end Mike Ditka and offensive lineman Bill Fralic.

North Carolina’s Dre Bly made the cut as a third-teamer along with Florida State punter Rohn Stark, NC State center Jim Ritcher and Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson.

The FWAA was founded in 1941 and has picked an All-America team every year since the 1944 season, making it the second-longest continuously selected team in major college football. The entire list of selections is below.

75th ANNIVERSARY FWAA ALL-AMERICA TEAM

FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE

QB Roger Staubach, Navy
RB Archie Griffin, Ohio State
RB Herschel Walker, Georgia
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh
WR Jerry Rice, Mississippi Valley State
TE Keith Jackson, Oklahoma
OL John Hannah, Alabama
OL Orlando Pace, Ohio State
OL Will Shields, Nebraska
OL Ron Yary, USC
C Dave Rimington, Nebraska

FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE

DT Lee Roy Selmon, Oklahoma
DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
DE Leon Hart, Notre Dame
DE Ted Hendricks, Miami (Fla.)
LB Tommy Nobis, Texas
LB Mike Singletary, Baylor
LB Derrick Thomas, Alabama
DB Ronnie Lott, USC
DB Deion Sanders, Florida State
DB Jack Tatum, Ohio State
DB Charles Woodson, Michigan

FIRST-TEAM SPECIALISTS

P Ray Guy, Southern Miss
K Kevin Butler, Georgia
RS Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska

SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE

QB Tim Tebow, Florida
RB Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh
RB Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State
WR Fred Biletnikoff, Florida State
WR Randy Moss, Marshall
TE Mike Ditka, Pittsburgh
OL Bill Fralic, Pittsburgh
OL John Hicks, Ohio State
OL Calvin Jones, Iowa
OL Jonathan Ogden, UCLA
C Chuck Bednarik, Penn

SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE

DT Merlin Olsen, Utah State
DT Randy White, Maryland
DE Hugh Green, Pittsburgh
DE Bruce Smith, Virginia Tech
LB Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma
LB Dick Butkus, Illinois
LB Luke Kuechly, Boston College
DB Champ Bailey, Georgia
DB Kenny Easley, UCLA
DB Jerry Gray, Texas
DB Ed Reed, Miami (Fla.)

SECOND-TEAM SPECIALISTS

P Russell Erxleben, Texas
K Mason Crosby, Colorado
RS Raghib Ismail, Notre Dame

THIRD-TEAM OFFENSE

QB Tommie Frazier, Nebraska
RB Bo Jackson, Auburn
RB Doak Walker, SMU
WR Anthony Carter, Michigan
WR Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech
TE Gordon Hudson, BYU
OL Barrett Jones, Alabama
OL Willie Roaf, Louisiana Tech
OL Jerry Sisemore, Texas
OL Dean Steinkuhler, Nebraska
C Jim Ritcher, N.C. State

THIRD-TEAM DEFENSE

DT Steve Emtman, Washington
DT Reggie White, Tennessee
DE Bubba Smith, Michigan State
DE Jack Youngblood, Florida
LB Jack Ham, Penn State
LB Lee Roy Jordan, Alabama
LB Chris Spielman, Ohio State
DB Dré Bly, North Carolina
DB Dave Brown, Michigan
DB Troy Polamalu, USC
DB Roy Williams, Oklahoma

THIRD-TEAM SPECIALISTS

P Rohn Stark, Florida State
K Tony Franklin, Texas A&M
RS Derek Abney, Kentucky