If you could take the best college football players from the 2000’s, who would stand above the peers to be recognized on an all-century team? Campus Sports takes a look and presents your All-21st Century Team.
Quarterbacks
Sonny Cumbie (Texas Tech)
2004: 421 completions, 4,742 yards, 32 TDs, 18 INTs
Timmy Chang (Hawaii)
2004: 358 completions, 4,258 yards, 38 TDs, 13 INTs
Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M)
2013: 300 completions, 4,114 yards, 37 TDs, 13 INTs
2012: 201 rushes, 1,410 yards, 21 TDs
Derek Carr (Fresno State)
2013: 453 completions, 5,082 yards, 50 TDs, 8 INTs
Cam Newton (Auburn)
2010: 185 completions, 2,854 yards, 30 TDs, 7 INTS; 264 rushes, 1,473 yards, 20 TDs
Matt Ryan (Boston College)
2007: 338 completions, 4,507 yards, 31 TDs, 19 INTs
Case Keenum (Houston)
2009: 492 completions, 5,671 yards, 44 TDs, 15 INTs; 4 rush TDs
Chase Holbrook (New Mexico State)
2006: 396 completions, 4,619 yards, 34 TDs, 9 INTs
Running Backs
Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma)
2004: 339 rushes, 1,925 yards, 15 TDs
Ka’Deem Carey (Arizona)
2012: 303 rushes, 1,929 yards, 24 TDs
Devon Johnson (Marshall)
2014: 206 rushes, 1,767 yards, 17 TDs
Kevin Smith (Central Florida)
2007: 450 rushs, 2,567 yards, 29 TDs
Toby Gerhart (Stanford)
2009: 343 rushes, 1,871 yards, 28 TDs
Ray Rice (Rutgers)
2007: 380 rushes, 2,012 yards, 24 TDs
Larry Johnson (Penn State)
2002: 271 rushes, 2,087 yards, 20 TDs; 3 rec. TDs
Melvn Gordon (Wisconsin)
2014: 343 rushes, 2,587 yards, 29 TDs; 3 rec. TDs
DeAngelo Williams (Memphis)
2004: 313 rushes, 1,948 yards, 22 TDs
Marion Barber III (Minnesota)
2003: 207 rushes, 1,196 yards, 17 TDs
Brock Forsey (Boise State)
2002: 295 rushes, 1,611 yards, 26 TDs
Wide Receivers
Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech)
2007: 134 rec., 1,962 yards, 22 TDs
Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh)
2003: 92 rec., 1,672 yards, 22 TDs
Greg Jennings (Western Michigan)
2005: 95 rec., 1,259 yards, 14 TDs
Ryan Broyles (Oklahoma)
2010: 131 rec., 1,622 yards, 14 TDs; 2 KR TDs
Austin Collie (BYU)
2008: 106 rec., 1,538 yards, 15 TDs; 18 KRs, 495 yards
Amari Cooper (Alabama)
2014: 124 rec., 1,727 yards, 16 TDs
Chad Owens (Hawaii)
2004: 102 rec., 1,290 yards, 17 TDs; 5 PR TDs
Tight Ends
Jermaine Gresham (Oklahoma)
2008: 66 rec., 950 yards, 14 TDs
DeMaryius Thomas (Georgia Tech)
2009: 46 rec., 1,154 yards, 8 TDs
Chase Coffman (Missouri)
2008: 90 rec., 987 yards, 10 TDs
Linebackers
Clay Matthews (Southern Cal)
57 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 9 TFL
Luke Kuechly (Boston College)
2011: 191 tackles (102 solo), 12 TFL, 3 INTs
James Laurinaitis (Ohio State)
2006: 115 tackles, 4 sacks, 5 INTs
Manti Te’o (Notre Dame)
2012: 113 tackles, 7 INTs
Sean Lee (Penn State)
2007: 138 tackles (84 AST’d), 3.5 sacks, INT
JaDeveon Clowney (South Carolina)
2012: 54 tackles, 13 sacks
Jarvis Jones (Georgia)
2012: 85 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 24.5 TFL, INT
Defensive Backs
Gerrod Holliman (Louisville)
2014: 14 INTs, DEF TD
Senquez Golson (Ole Miss)
2014: 10 INTs, DEF TD
Sean Taylor (Miami)
2003: 10 INTs, 3 DEF TDs
Ed Reed (Miami)
2001: 9 INTs, 2 DEF TDs
Alphonso Smith (Wake Forest)
2007: 44 tackles, 8 INTs, 3 DEF TDs
Major Wright (Florida)
2008: 66 tackles, 4 INTs, DEF TD
Morris Claiborne (LSU)
2011: 6 INTs, DEF TD
Offensive Line
Barrett Jones (Alabama)
Bryant McKinnie (Miami)
Jake Long (Michigan)
Luke Joeckel (Texas A&M)
Michael Oher (Ole Miss)
Trent Williams (Oklahoma)
Mike Iupati (Idaho)
Chance Warmack (Alabama)
Jonathan Cooper (UNC)
Ryan Kalil (Southern Cal)
Defensive Line
Barkevious Mingo (LSU)
2011: 46 tackles, 8 sacks, 15 TFL
Mario Williams (N.C. State)
2005: 62 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 24 TFL
Da’Quan Bowers (Auburn)
2010: 67 tackles, 15.5 sacks, 26 TFL
Elvis Dumervil (Louisville)
2005: 63 tackles, 20 sacks, 22 TFL
Jerry Hughes (TCU)
2008: 15 sacks, 2 INTs
Special Teams
Jad Dean (Clemson)
2005: 34-for-35 (XP), 24-for-31 (FG), 106 PTs
Roberto Aguayo (FSU)
2013: 94-for-94 (XP), 21-for-22 (FG), 157 PTs
Sam Koch (Nebraska)
2005: 71 punts, 3,302 yards (46.5 avg.)
Devin Hester (Miami)
2003: 18 returns, 517 yards, TD
Torrey Smith (Maryland)
2009: 51 returns, 1,309 yards, 2 TDs
Maurice Drew (UCLA)
2003: 20 returns, 533 yards, 2 TDs
Thanks to Sports Reference and Athlon Sports for providing the stats.
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
