Tim Tebow, Deion Sanders headline AP’s list of top-100 All-Americans from the last 100 years

In the last 100 years of college football, no quarterback has been more dominant than Tim Tebow. The Florida star broke the game for three seasons, passing with deadly efficiency and pounding in at least a dozen rushing touchdowns each year.

That dominance led to Tebow placing in the top-5 in Heisman voting in three straight seasons, including a first-place finish in 2007. It also resulted in Tebow winning the national championships twice during his college career.

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Though his days at Florida are long gone, Tebow is still getting accolades for his performance there. The Associated Press on Thursday named Tebow as its first-team quarterback on its list of the top-100 All-Americans from the past 100 years.

The AP tabbed 12 writers to vote on the best All-Americans over the last century. Voters had a few rules to consider before casting their votes. Players needed to be an AP first-team All-American at least once over their college careers. A player’s professional career did not factor into the voting.

Quarterback was, as you might expect, going to be a crowded position. Tebow ultimately won out over Texas great Vince Young, who was named to the AP’s second team on its all-century list.

Here’s how the rest of the team came together:

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AP All-America first-team offense

• Quarterback: Tim Tebow, Florida

• Running back: Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State

• Running back: Herschel Walker, Georgia

• Wide receiver: Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh

• Wide receiver: Randy Moss, Marshall

• Tight end: Brock Bowers, Georgia

• Tackle: Orlando Pace Ohio State

• Tackle: Bill Fralic, Pittsburgh

• Guard: John Hannah, Alabama

• Guard: Jim Parker, Ohio State

• Center: Chuck Bednarik, Penn

• All Purpose: Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska

• Kicker: Sebastian Janikowski, Florida State

AP All-America first-team defense

• Defensive end: Hugh Green, Pittsburgh

• Defensive end: Randy White, Maryland

• Defensive tackle: Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska

• Defensive tackle: Bronko Nagurski, Minnesota

• Linebacker: Dick Butkus, Illinois

• Linebacker: Derrick Thomas, Alabama

• Linebacker: Chris Spielman, Ohio State

• Cornerback: Charles Woodson, Michigan

• Cornerback: Deion Sanders, Florida State

• Punter: Tory Taylor, Iowa

On the defensive side, both Deion Sanders and Ed Reed headline a dominant secondary, which also features Charles Woodson. While the AP’s list skewed more recent, Dick Butkus, Randy White and Bronko Nagurski represent some of the older players named to the team. Nagurski was an All-American back in 1929.

AP All-America second-team offense

• Quarterback: Vince Young, Texas

• Running back: Archie Griffin, Ohio State

• Running back: Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh

• Wide receiver: DeVonta Smith, Alabama

• Wide receiver: Desmond Howard, Michigan

• Tight end: Keith Jackson, Oklahoma

• Tackle: Jonathan Ogden, UCLA

• Tackle: Bryant McKinnie, Miami

• Guard: John Smith, Notre Dame

• Center: Dave Rimington, Nebraska

• All Purpose: Tim Brown, Notre Dame

• Kicker: Martin Gramatica, Kansas State

AP All-America second team defense

• Defensive end: Bubba Smith, Michigan State

• Defensive end: Bruce Smith, Virginia Tech

• Defensive tackle: LeeRoy Selmon, Oklahoma

• Defensive tackle: Warren Sapp, Miami

• Linebacker: Jerry Robinson, UCLA

• Linebacker: Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma

• Linebacker: Lawrence Taylor, North Carolina

• Cornerback: Champ Bailey, Georgia

• Cornerback: Tyrann Mathieu, LSU

• Safety: Bennie Blades, Miami

• Safety: Al Brosky, Illinois

• Punter: Reggie Roby, Iowa

Ohio State, Miami and Pittsburgh are among the most represented schools to be featured across both teams. All three schools have four players on the all-time All-American list.