College football All-Decade Team: Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma dominate selections

The 2010s gave us some outstanding college football to enjoy. Here are the players who made the all-decade team from 2010 to 2019 and honorable mentions.

College football experienced a tremendous decade in the 2010s. It saw the end of the BCS era and the introduction of the College Football Playoff, set to play out its sixth national championship game in this current format. All the while, the players on the college landscape have been some of the best we’ve ever seen.

With 2019, and the 2010s for that matter, only hours away from becoming history, let’s take a look back at the College Football All-Decade Team for the 2010s. Each position group will be represented by at least one player and in some instances two. There will also be two honorable mentions who will be getting a tip of the hat as well.

Before we begin, this list is more about the overall body of work, as opposed to a one-year standout. Being named a First-Team All-American was a requirement and winning a position group’s coveted trophy only helps one’s case. So does winning national championships, playing in playoff games and overall statistical greatness.

This list was so hard to put together, but here’s who was the best for the entire decade of the 2010s in major college football. Also, a player’s accomplishments in the 2010s are the only ones being counted in this exercise.

Quarterback (1)

Baker Mayfield: Texas Tech Red Raiders (2013), Oklahoma Sooners (2014-17)

Baker Mayfield famously walked on at Texas Tech in 2013, where he was named Big 12 Offensive Rookie of the Year. But after that one year in Lubbock, he transferred to Oklahoma where he’d become one of the most accomplished Sooner quarterbacks of all time. He led OU to three Big 12 titles and finished in the top four of the Heisman Trophy each year from 2015-17. He cleaned up in 2017 during awards season, taking home the Heisman, Maxwell, Walter Camp, Davey O’Brien and the Burlsworth for the second time. Oklahoma made the College Football Playoff twice with Mayfield as the Sooners’ star quarterback. He completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 14,607 yards, 131 touchdowns and 30 interceptions over his five-year college career.

Honorable Mentions: Deshaun Watson: Clemson Tigers (2014-16), Andrew Luck: Stanford Cardinal (2008-11)

Running Back (2)

Jonathan Taylor: Wisconsin Badgers (2017-19)

Jonathan Taylor is the finest college running back in the last decade. In three years at Wisconsin, all Taylor did was average over 2,000 rushing yards each season. He won the Doak Walker in back-to-back years in 2018-19, earning unanimous All-American nods in the process. Taylor is one of only six running backs to rush for over 6,000 yards in his college career. He can finish in the top-five all-time with a huge game against the Oregon Ducks in the 2020 Rose Bowl. Though he still has one more year of eligibility left, Taylor must take his talents to the professional level this spring.

LaMichael James: Oregon Ducks (2009-11)

LaMichael James was the most explosive offensive weapon to star for Chip Kelly at Oregon. In three years in Eugene, the Ducks won the Pac-10/12 every year, playing for a national title during James’ finest season in 2010. The two-time First-Team All-American won the Doak Walker and was a finalist for the Heisman. He left Eugene for the NFL after three seasons of 5,668 yards from scrimmage and 57 trips to pay dirt.

Honorable Mentions: Ka’Deem Carey: Arizona Wildcats (2011-13), Derrick Henry: Alabama Crimson Tide (2013-15)

Wide Receiver (2)

Justin Blackmon: Oklahoma State Cowboys (2008-11)

Justin Blackmon was the most prolific receiver of the 2010s. The Oklahoma State wideout took home all the major receiving awards in 2010-11, from the Biletnikoff to the Warfield. The two-time unanimous All-American was a big reason the Pokes won the Big 12 in 2011. Had there been a College Football Playoff, Oklahoma State would have absolutely made it. While his pro career with the Jacksonville Jaguars was short-lived and marred by substance abuse, we can never forget how electrifying Blackmon was as a receiving threat in college. He left Stillwater in 2011 with 253 catches for 3,564 yards and 40 touchdown receptions.

Ryan Broyles: Oklahoma Sooners (2008-11)

Despite playing at the more notable college football power in-state, Ryan Broyles was stuck in Blackmon’s shadow in the Big 12, as their primes coincided at the start of the decade. Broyles was a two-time consensus All-American and two-time First-Team All-Big 12 opposite Blackmon in 2010 and 2011. Though his pro career wasn’t spectacular either, Broyles’ college football legacy has him with 349 receptions for 4,586 yards, the second-most in FCS history.

Honorable Mentions: Amari Cooper: Alabama Crimson Tide (2012-14), Sammy Watkins: Clemson Tigers (2011-13)

Tight End (1)

Mark Andrews: Oklahoma Sooners (2014-17)

Though he never had a 1,000-yard receiving season in Norman, Mark Andrews is the best tight end of this decade. With Baker Mayfield throwing him the football, Andrews would be a vibrant part of the Lincoln Riley passing attack at Oklahoma. He was a three-time All-Big 12 performer, helping the Sooners win the conference during his last three years in Crimson and Cream, making the College Football Playoff twice in 2015 and 2017. In 2017, Andrews won the Mackey, the Newsome and was a unanimous All-American for the Sooners. He finished his Oklahoma career with 112 receptions for 1,765 yards and 22 touchdown grabs.

Honorable Mentions: O.J. Howard: Alabama Crimson Tide (2013-16), Hunter Henry: Arkansas Razorbacks (2013-15)

Offensive Tackle (2)

Jake Matthews: Texas A&M Aggies (2010-13)

Jake Matthews comes from a huge football family. As the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, it wasn’t going to be easy for Matthews to hold his own in Texas, especially after his dad’s days of dominating in the NFL for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans. Matthews absolutely held his own, as he was a two-time First-Team All-American and a two-time First-Team All-SEC performer at Texas A&M as an upperclassman in 2012-13. With teammates like 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and wide receiver Mike Evans, Matthews was a big reason the Aggies transitioned so seamlessly to the SEC from the Big 12.

Andrew Thomas: Georgia Bulldogs (2017-19)

Andrew Thomas has played his last college game as a member of the Georgia Bulldogs. Billed as the next Tyrann Smith at left tackle, he is a sure-fire top-five pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Thomas was a unanimous First-Team All-American as a junior in 2019, a year where he also won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy. The two-time First-Team All-SEC offensive tackle was a Freshman All-American in 2017 and helped Georgia reach the College Football Playoff during his first year in school.

Honorable Mentions: Cam Robinson: Alabama Crimson Tide (2014-16), Jonah Williams: Alabama Crimson Tide (2016-18)

Offensive Guard (2)

Chance Warmack: Alabama Crimson Tide (2009-12)

Chance Warmack is the greatest guard of the 2010s. He won three BCS National Championships in his four years at Alabama, earning unanimous First-Team All-American honors as a senior in 2012. He won two SEC titles as a freshman and a senior and earned back-to-back First-Team All-SEC nods as an upperclassman in 2011-12. Warmack spent six years in the NFL, including winning a Super Bowl with the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles. Though unremarkable professionally, Warmack was one of the best interior offensive linemen of his generation in college.

Joshua Garnett: Stanford Cardinal (2012-15)

Joshua Garnett had the best single-season of any offensive guard in the 2010s. In 2015, he took home the Outland and the Morris, as well as being named a consensus All-American. Though he was taken at the back-end of the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Garnett was out of football after three years with the San Francisco 49ers.

Honorable Mentions: Quenton Nelson: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2014-17), David DeCastro: Stanford Cardinal (2008-11)

Center (1)

Barrett Jones: Alabama Crimson Tide (2008-12)

Barrett Jones perhaps epitomizes why Alabama was so dominant in the 2010s. For Alabama to win three national titles in his four years in school, Jones often had to move all around the offensive line to ensure the Crimson Tide would have the best five starting every single game. The two-time consensus All-American (2011-12) cleaned up in 2011 during awards season, winning the Outland, the Wuerffel, the Jacobs Blocking Trophy and the Jim Parker. Then as a senior, Jones kicked inside to play center, where he won the Rimington and the William V. Campbell Trophy as college football’s academic Heisman. Though his NFL made no impact, Alabama doesn’t win the first three national titles of the Nick Saban era in Tuscaloosa without him.

Honorable Mentions: Pat Elflein: Ohio State Buckeyes (2012-16), Ryan Kelly: Alabama Crimson Tide (2011-15)

Defensive End (2)

Joey Bosa: Ohio State Buckeyes (2013-15)

Joey Bosa was the first pass-rushing freak to star at Ohio State this decade. He was part of the first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship team in 2014 as a sophomore, winning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year as well. While the Buckeyes didn’t repeat as national champions in 2015, Bosa more than made up for it by going back-to-back with consensus All-American nods, Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year honors and being all-conference as well. In three years in Columbus, Bosa had 26.0 sacks, 51.0 tackles for loss and 148 total tackles.

Chase Young: Ohio State Buckeyes (2017-19)

If the Bosa Brothers (Joey and Nick) were sensational before him, Chase Young was transformative after them. Young will be a top-two pick in the 2020 NFL Draft as one of the greatest pass-rushing prospects we’ve ever season. As a junior in 2019, Young was a Heisman Trophy finalist and dominated during awards season, taking home the Bednarik, the Hendricks, the Nagurski and every Big Ten award imaginable. The unanimous First-Team All-American had 16.5 sacks and 21.0 tackles for loss in his 12-game junior season. He leaves Columbus with 30.5 sacks, 40.5 tackles for loss and 98 total tackles.

Honorable Mentions: Jadeveon Clowney: South Carolina Gamecocks (2011-13), Jonathan Allen: Alabama Crimson Tide (2013-16)

Defensive Tackle (2)

Aaron Donald: Pittsburgh Panthers (2010-13)

Aaron Donald is arguably the greatest football player of his generation, collegiately and professionally. Undersized and underrecruited, the Pittsburgh native opted to play his college ball for the hometown Panthers. The old Big East and the new ACC were not ready for what was about to be unleashed from Donald in the trenches. 2013 was the Year of Aaron Donald, as he won the Bednarik, the Lombardi, the Outland and was a unanimous First-Team All-American. He was all-conference three times and changed the game for undersized interior defensive linemen. Donald amassed 181 tackles, 66.0 for loss and 29.5 sacks.

Christian Wilkins: Clemson Tigers (2015-18)

While Donald had the season, Clemson’s Christian Wilkins had the best college career of any defensive tackle in the 2010s. A leader in every sense of the word, Wilkins was part of four playoff teams, winning national titles as a sophomore in 2016 and as a senior in 2018, the face of the most ferocious defensive line college football has ever seen. Wilkins was a three-time All-American, making the squad unanimously as a senior. He was All-ACC three times and took home the academic Heisman by winning the Campbell Trophy in 2018. Wilkins was a first-round pick last spring by the Miami Dolphins and has a bright NFL future ahead of him. He had 192 tackles, 40.5 for loss and 16.0 sacks in four years playing for Clemson.

Honorable Mentions: Ed Oliver: Houston Cougars (2016-18), Derrick Brown: Auburn Tigers (2016-19)

Inside Linebacker (2)

Luke Kuechly: Boston College Eagles (2009-11)

Underrecruited out of Cincinnati, Luke Kuechly would go on to be a no-doubt inclusion on Boston College Eagles football Mount Rushmore with the likes of Doug Flutie and Matt Ryan. Boston College wasn’t a great team, but Kuechly was the best linebacker the ACC gave us this past decade. Kuechly won the Nagurski, the Butkus, the Lombardi and the Lott as a junior in 2011. He was First-Team All-ACC every year he was in school, winning ACC Defensive Player of the Year as a true junior. Eight years into his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers, Kuechly has nearly punched his ticket into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and he’ll end up in the College Football Hall of Fame too.

Manti Te’o: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2009-12)

It was a magical ride in 2012 for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. They came out of nowhere to go 12-0 and play for a national championship. Their star player was their Heisman Trophy runner-up inside linebacker Manti Te’o. He won just about everything you could have imagined as a defensive player during his senior season in South Bend. He took home the Bednarik, the Lombardi and the Butkus, just to name a few. He even came away with the Maxwell and the Walter Camp. He left South Bend with 437 career tackles, 34 for loss, 8.5 sacks and seven interceptions.

Honorable Mentions: C.J. Mosley: Alabama Crimson Tide (2010-13), Jarvis Jones: USC Trojans (2009), Georgia Bulldogs (2010-12)

Outside Linebacker (2)

Scooby Wright: Arizona Wildcats (2013-15)

There was a moment this past decade where the Arizona Wildcats were pretty good under former head coach Rich Rodriguez. U of A made it to the Pac-12 Championship Game in 2014, thanks in large part to the sensational sophomore season of linebacker Scooby Wright. He took home the Bednarik, the Lombardi and the Nagurski en route to his unanimous First-Team All-American season. He registered 164 tackles, 31.0 for loss and 15.0 sacks. Unfortunately, injuries limited him to just three games in 2015.

Josh Allen: Kentucky Wildcats (2015-18)

If we want to tell the story of how Mark Stoops built his Kentucky Wildcats program, there will be an entire book on the college career of Josh Allen. Underrecruited out of Montclair, New Jersey, Allen bought in to being a program builder in Lexington. He was the reason UK achieved an unthinkable 10-win season during his senior season. Allen won the Bednarik, the Lott and the Nagurski in 2018, as well as being named SEC Defensive Player of the Year. The two-time All-SEC player was a unanimous First-Team All-American as a senior, evolving into a top-10 pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars last spring. He left Lexington with 121 total tackles, 42 for loss and 31.5 sacks.

Honorable Mentions: Trent Murphy: Stanford Cardinal (2009-13), Isaiah Simmons: Clemson Tigers (2016-19)

Cornerback (2)

Tyrann Mathieu: LSU Tigers (2010-11)

“The Honey Badger” was a sophomore sensation in the LSU Tigers secondary who nearly helped the Bayou Bengals win it all in 2011. Tyrann Mathieu could do it all for Les Miles, making plays every opportunity he could for LSU. He was a 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist, win the Bednarik and be a consensus All-American. Unfortunately, Mathieu was dismissed from the LSU football program as a junior in 2012. He would end up being a third-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals. Mathieu scored four non-offensive touchdowns in his sophomore season down on the bayou. He was one of a kind for LSU.

Desmond King: Iowa Hawkeyes (2013-16)

While Mathieu was the freelancer out there in the LSU defensive backfield, Desmond King was the technician at cornerback for Kirk Ferentz’s Iowa Hawkeyes. As a junior in 2015, King took home the Jim Thorpe Award and helped the Hawkeyes reach the Big Ten Conference Championship game. A two-time all-conference player and a two-time All-American, King would leave Iowa City after his senior season in 2016 as one of the most accomplished Hawkeyes of all time. He has already been named to an All-Pro team as a member of the Los Angeles Chargers. King had 14 interceptions and 33 passes defended in his illustrious career at Iowa.

Honorable Mentions: Patrick Peterson: LSU Tigers (2009-11), Adoree’ Jackson: USC Trojans (2014-16)

Safeties (2)

Mark Barron: Alabama Crimson Tide (2008-11)

In terms of Alabama’s rise to prominence in the early 2010s, no player was more important on the Crimson Tide’s defense than safety Mark Barron. He was a versatile player who could make plays on the football in the defensive backfield, as well as come up in the box and made a tackle as a linebacker/safety hybrid. Barron won two national titles at Alabama in 2009 and 2011. The two-time First-Team All-American was First-Team All-SEC in his last three years in Tuscaloosa. He left Tuscaloosa with 235 total tackles, 13.0 for loss, five sacks, 12 interceptions for 145 yards and 11 pass breakups.

Minkah Fitzpatrick: Alabama Crimson Tide (2015-17)

While Barron defined the first half of the Alabama dynasty in the secondary, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick absolutely epitomized the latter. Fitzpatrick was an electrifying playmaker in the defensive backfield. He won two College Football Playoffs in his three years in Tuscaloosa and played in a third. Fitzpatrick was a two-time consensus All-American and two-time First-Team All-SEC as a sophomore and junior in 2016 and 2017. During awards season in 2017, Fitzpatrick took home both the Bednarik and the Jim Thorpe. Fitzpatrick finished his illustrious college career with 171 total tackles, 16.5 for loss, five sacks, nine interceptions for 274 yards and four trips to pay dirt and 24 pass breakups.

Honorable Mentions: Grant Delpit: LSU Tigers (2017-19), Lamarcus Joyner: Florida State Seminoles (2010-13)

Kicker (1)

Roberto Aguayo: Florida State Seminoles (2012-15)

Florida State’s Roberto Aguayo was the most prolific kicker of his generation. The three-time First-Team All-American won two ACC Championships in his four seasons in Tallahassee, helping the Seminoles win the final BCS National Championship in 2013 and reach the first College Football Playoff in 2014. The 2013 Lou Groza Award winner made 88.5 percent of his field goals in college and 100 percent of his point-after attempts. Aguayo amassed 405 points in three seasons with Florida State before deciding to leave school a year early for the NFL.

Honorable Mentions: Rodrigo Blankenship: Georgia Bulldogs (2015-19), Matt Gay: Utah Utes (2017-18)

Punter (1)

Ryan Allen: Oregon State Beavers (2008-09), Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (2010-12)

Allen was a two-time Ray Guy Award winner (2011-12), a two-time First-Team All-American (2011-12) and two-time First-Team All-WAC (2011-12). Allen’s college football career is one of perseverance and determination. After the native Oregonian walked on to the Oregon State team in 2008, he didn’t get much playing time, as he had to back up another terrific punter, Johnny Hekker in 2008 and 2009. He opted to bet on himself and transferred to Louisiana Tech where he averaged 44.9 yards per punt attempt during his three years at Louisiana Tech.

Honorable Mentions: Tom Hackett: Utah Utes (2012-15), Mitch Wishnowsky: Utah Utes (2016-18)

Return Specialist (1)

Tyler Lockett: Kansas State Wildcats (2011-14)

Tyler Lockett’s father and uncle starred at Kansas State before him. Unfazed by the legacy they left behind in Manhattan, Lockett carved out his own future College Football Hall of Fame career for Bill Snyder as a great wide receiver and an unbelievable return specialist. Lockett was a two-time First-Team All-American, once as a freshman in 2011 and once as a senior in 2014. He was named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year as an upperclassman in 2013 and 2014, making three All-Big 12 teams during his time in school. He left K-State with over 2,500 return yards for six touchdowns on just over 100 career returns.

Honorable Mentions: Odell Beckham Jr.: LSU Tigers (2011-13), Tavon Austin: West Virginia Mountaineers (2009-12)

All-Purpose (1)

Christian McCaffrey: Stanford Cardinal (2014-16)

One could argue that Christian McCaffrey is the biggest Heisman snub of the 21st century. Derrick Henry was outstanding for the Alabama Crimson Tide, but McCaffrey did everything for the Cardinal when he broke Barry Sanders record for most all-purpose yards with more than 3,250 yards in his magical season. McCaffrey took home the Hornung and Jet, as well as earn First-Team All-American honors as a sophomore in 2015. He only played three seasons at Stanford, but his numbers are gaudy all over the place. He had 3,922 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns, 99 catches for 1,206 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He even completed two passes for 39 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore. As a return man, he had nearly 2,000 return yards on 90 opportunities, taking two to the house.

Honorable Mentions: Jabrill Peppers: Michigan Wolverines (2014-16), Lynn Bowden Jr.: Kentucky Wildcats (2017-19)

Head Coach (1)

Nick Saban: LSU Tigers (2000-04), Alabama Crimson Tide (2007-Present)

Saban had the tall task of bringing Alabama Crimson Tide football back to relevancy after a two-year stint with the Miami Dolphins. He did that and more. He won a national title by year three in Tuscaloosa. No, he wasn’t even close to being done after that 2009 NCAA season. In the decade, Saban won four national titles (2011-12, 2015, 2017), five SEC Championships (2012, 2014-16, 2018) and had shares of seven SEC West division titles (2012-18). He won over 10 games every year this decade and never lost more than three. His teams made the first five College Football Playoffs, winning two national titles and playing for two more. Saban’s overall record in the 2010s was 123-15, 61-11 in SEC play and 9-4 in bowl/playoff games.

Honorable Mentions: Urban Meyer: Bowling Green Falcons (2001-02), Utah Utes (2003-04), Florida Gators (2005-10), Ohio State Buckeyes (2012-18), Dabo Swinney, Clemson Tigers (2009-Present)

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