Five Gators Highlight Sporting News All-America Teams
Tuesday, December 15, 2009 | Football
Four Florida first-team All-Americans, and five overall, highlighted the 2009 Sporting News All-America teams, announced by the publication Tuesday morning. The Gators had the most student-athletes represented on the first team, with two offensive selections in junior tight end Aaron Hernandez (Bristol, Conn.) and junior center Maurkice Pouncey (Lakeland, Fla.), and two defensive selections, senior linebacker Brandon Spikes (Shelby, N.C.) and junior cornerback Joe Haden (Ft. Washington, Md.). Senior quarterback Tim Tebow (Jacksonville, Fla.) was a second-team All-American.
For Hernandez, the All-America honor was the first of his career as a Gator, and comes only a few days after he was honored with the John Mackey Award, given annually to the nation's top tight end. All five Florida All-America selections were distinguished players for their positions in 2009, as Pouncey won the Rimington Trophy, awarded to the top collegiate center, and Haden was one of three finalists for the Thorpe Award for the top defensive back in the country. Spikes and Tebow were additionally both finalists for awards, Spikes for the Butkus and Bednarik awards and Tebow for the Maxwell and Davey O'Brien awards.
SPORTING NEWS ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
FIRST-TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Colt McCoy, Sr., Texas
RB Mark Ingram, Soph., Alabama
RB Toby Gerhart, Sr., Stanford
WR Golden Tate, Jr., Notre Dame
WR Jordan Shipley, Sr., Texas
TE Aaron Hernandez, Jr., Florida
OL Mike Johnson, Sr., Alabama
OL Charles Brown, Sr., USC
OL Bryan Bulaga, Sr., Iowa
OL Maurkice Pouncey, Jr., Florida
OL Russell Okung, Sr., Oklahoma State
K Kai Forbath, Jr., UCLA
KR C.J. Spiller, Sr., Clemson
DEFENSE
DE Jerry Hughes, Sr., TCU
DE Von Miller, Jr., Texas A&M
DT Gerald McCoy, Jr., Oklahoma
DT Ndamukong Suh, Sr., Nebraska
LB Brandon Spikes, Sr., Florida
LB Sergio Kindle, Sr., Texas
LB Rolando McClain, Jr., Alabama
CB Perrish Cox, Sr., Oklahoma State
CB Joe Haden, Jr., Florida
S Kurt Coleman, Sr., Ohio State
S Eric Berry, Jr., Tennessee
P Drew Butler, Soph., Georgia
PR Antonio Brown, Jr., Central Michigan
SECOND-TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Tim Tebow, Sr., Florida
RB Dion Lewis, Fr., Pittsburgh
RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Soph., Oregon State
WR Danario Alexander, Sr., Missouri
WR Mardy Gilyard, Sr., Cincinnati
TE Dorin Dickerson, Sr., Pittsburgh
OL Adam Ulatoski, Sr. Texas
OL Trent Williams, Sr., Oklahoma
OL Mike Iupati, Sr., Idaho
OL Jon Asamoah, Sr., Illinois
OL Chris Marinelli, Sr., Stanford
K Grant Ressel, Soph., Missouri
KR Chris Owusu, Soph., Stanford
DEFENSE
DE Brandon Graham, Sr., Michigan
DE Derrick Morgan, Jr., Georgia Tech
DT Terrence Cody, Sr., Alabama
DT Brian Price, Jr., UCLA
LB Navorro Bowman, Jr., Penn State
LB Daryl Washington, Sr., TCU
LB Sean Weatherspoon, Sr., Missouri
CB Javier Arenas, Sr., Alabama
CB Patrick Peterson, Soph., LSU
S Taylor Mays, Sr., USC
S Earl Thomas, Soph., Texas
P Matt Dodge, Sr., East Carolina
PR LaVon Brazill, Jr., Ohio
THIRD-TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Jimmy Clausen, Jr., Notre Dame
RB Ryan Williams, Fr., Virginia Tech
RB LaMichael James, Fr., Oregon
WR Freddie Barnes, Sr., Bowling Green
WR Dezmon Briscoe, Jr., Kansas
TE Dennis Pitta, Sr., BYU
OL Eric Olsen, Sr., Notre Dame
OL Zane Beadles, Sr., Utah
OL Anthony Davis, Jr., Rutgers
OL John Jerry, Sr., Ole Miss
OL Thomas Austin, Sr., Clemson
K Leigh Tiffin, Sr., Alabama
KR Brandon Banks, Sr., Kansas State
DEFENSE
DE Brandon Sharpe, Sr., Texas Tech
DE Greg Romeus, Jr., Pitt
DT Vince Oghobaase, Sr., Duke
DT Jared Odrick, Sr., Penn State
LB Andre Revels, Sr., Cincinnati
LB Greg Jones, Jr., Michigan State
LB Eric Norwood, Sr., South Carolina
CB Syd'Quan Thompson, Sr., California
CB Rafael Priest, Sr., TCU
S DeAndre McDaniel, Jr., Clemson
S Rahim Moore, Soph., UCLA
P Tress Way, Fr., Oklahoma
PR Greg Reid, Fr., Florida State
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