The 1951 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

ns by various organizations and writers that chose

College Football All-America Team The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best college football players in the United States at their respective positions. The original use of the term '' All-America'' seems to have been to the 1889 College Footbal ...

s in 1951. The eight selectors recognized by the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

as "official" for the 1951 season are (1) the All-American Board (AAB), (2) the

American Football Coaches Association The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is an association of over 11,000 American football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "mainta ...

(AFCA, (3) the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...

(AP), (4) the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), (5) the

International News Service The International News Service (INS) was a U.S.-based news agency (newswire) founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909.

(INS), (6) the

Newspaper Enterprise Association The Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) is an editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States and established in 1902. The oldest syndicate still in operation, the NEA was originally a secondary news ...

(NEA), (7) the '' Sporting News'' and (8) the

United Press United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20t ...

(UP).

Consensus All-Americans

For the year 1951, the NCAA recognizes eight published All-American teams as "official" designations for purposes of its consensus determinations. The following chart identifies the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans and displays which first-team designations they received.

All-American selections for 1951

Ends

Bill McColl William Frazer McColl Jr. (born April 2, 1930) is an American athlete, surgeon, and politician. He is best remembered as a college football star before becoming a professional with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League, for whom he ...

, Stanford (College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; AFCA; APO-1; FWO-1; INSO-1; NEAO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; CTO-1; WC-1) * Bob Carey, Michigan State (AAB; APO-1; NEAO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; WC-1) *

Pat O'Donahue James Patrick Michael "Pat" O'Donahue (October 7, 1930 – July 18, 2017) was an American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the San Francisco 49ers (1952) and the Green Bay Packers (1955). He played ...

, Wisconsin (APD-1; FWD-1; NEAD-1) *

Billy Howton William Harris Howton (born July 3, 1930) is a former American football player, an end in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, and expansion Dallas Cowboys. As a rookie, Howton caught t ...

, Rice (AFCA; APO-2; CP-3; CTO-1) * Frank McPhee, Princeton (FWD-1 INSD-1; UP-2; CP-3) * Dewey McConnell, Wyoming (APD-1; NEAD-1) * Stan Williams, Baylor (FWO-1) *

Leo Sugar Leo Tateusz Sugar (April 6, 1929 – September 23, 2020) was an American professional American football, football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Cardinals (NFL, 1920–59), Chicago/St. Louis C ...

, Purdue (APD-2; CTD-1) * Eddie Bell, Penn (APD-2; INSD-1) *

Doug Atkins Douglas Leon Atkins (May 8, 1930 – December 30, 2015) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, and New Orleans Saints in the National Football League (NFL). He played colleg ...

, Tennessee (CTD-1) *

Tom McCann Thomas E. McCann (November 7, 1898 – March 23, 1975) was an American baseball player and coach of American football, football and basketball. He served as the head football coach at Tusculum College in 1924 and at the University of Miami from 19 ...

, Holy Cross (APO-2) *

Jim Mutscheller James 'Bucky' Mutscheller (March 31, 1930 – April 10, 2015) was an American football player who played tight end for nine seasons for the Baltimore Colts. Early life and education Mutscheller was born on March 31, 1930, in Beaver Falls, Pe ...

, Notre Dame (UP-2) *

Lowell Perry Lowell Wesley Perry (December 5, 1931 – January 7, 2001) was an American football player and coach, government official, businessman, and broadcaster. He was the first African-American assistant coach in the National Football League (NFL), the ...

, Michigan (UP-3; CP-2) *

Ed Barker Edward Ross Barker (born May 31, 1931 – September 6, 2012) was a National Football League (NFL) end who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Washington State University and was drafted ...

, Washington State (UP-3) *

Hal Faverty Harold Edward Faverty (September 26, 1927 – July 21, 2008) was a player in the National Football League (NFL). Biography Faverty was born Harold Edward Faverty on September 26, 1927, in Hammond, Indiana. Career Faverty was drafted in the fif ...

, Wisconsin (CP-2; INSO-1)

Tackles

* Don Coleman, Michigan State (College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; AFCA; APO-1; FWO-1; INSO-1; NEAO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; CTO-1; WC-1) *

Jim Weatherall James Preston Weatherall (October 26, 1929 – August 2, 1992) was an American football defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, and the Detroit Lions. He also played in the Western ...

, Oklahoma (College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; AFCA; APD-1; FWD-1; INSD-1; NEAO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; WC-1) *

Pug Pearman William Andrew "Pug" Pearman (May 1, 1929 – December 19, 2004) was an American football player. A native of North Carolina, Pearman attended the University of Tennessee where he played at the tackle position for the Tennessee Volunteers footb ...

, Tennessee (APD-1; FWD-1; NEAD-1; UP-2; CP-3) * Bob Toneff, Notre Dame (APO-1; UP-2; CP-2) * Jack Little, Texas A&M (FWO-1) *

Chuck Ulrich Charles Ulrich, Jr. (December 14, 1929 – April 10, 2006) was a professional American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. He played five seasons for the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1958). Ulrich was a member of the Illino ...

, Illinois (INSO-1) * Bill George, Wake Forest (CTO-1) * Doug Conaway, Texas Christian (NEAD-1) * Lamar Wheat, Georgia Tech (UP-3; INSD-1) *

Dick Modzelewski Richard Blair Modzelewski (February 16, 1931 – October 19, 2018) was an American football defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and the Cleveland Browns. He al ...

, Maryland (College Football Hall of Fame) (APD-2; CTD-1) * Tom Johnson, Michigan (CTD-1) * Ollie Spencer, Kansas (APO-2) * Bob Werckle, Vanderbilt (APO-2) * Hal Mitchell, UCLA (CP-2) * John Feltch, Holy Cross (CP-3) * Jerrell Price, Texas Tech (APD-2)

Guards

* Bob Ward, Maryland (College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; AFCA; APO-1; FWD-1; INSO-1; NEAO-1; SN; UP-1; CTO-1; WC-1) *

Les Richter Leslie Alan Richter (October 6, 1930 – June 12, 2010) was an American football linebacker who played for the Los Angeles Rams of National Football League (NFL). He also served as the head of operations for NASCAR and president of the River ...

, California (College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; APD-1; FWD-1; INSO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; CTO-1, CTD-1; WC-1) * Ray Beck, Georgia Tech (College Football Hall of Fame) (AFCA; APD-1; FWO-1; NEAD-1; UP-3; CP-1; CTD-1) * Joe Palumbo, Virginia (College Football Hall of Fame) (APD-1; NEAO-1) * Ted Daffer, Tennessee (APD-2; INSD-1; NEAD-1; UP-2; CP-2) * Marv Matuszak, Tulsa (APO-1) * Nick Liotta, Villanova (FWO-1; CTD-1 (linebacker)) * Chet Millett, Holy Cross (FWD-1) * George Mrkonic, Kansas (INSO-1) * Jim Donarski, Arizona (APO-2) * Norm Manoogian, Stanford (APO-2) *

John Michels John Spiegel Michels (born March 19, 1973 in La Jolla, California) is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. High school career Michels attended La Jolla High School, where he was a three time letterman in ...

, Tennessee (UP-3) *

Harley Sewell Harley Edward Sewell (April 18, 1931 – December 17, 2011) was an American football guard for the Detroit Lions (1953–1962), the Los Angeles Rams (1963). He was born in Jefferson County, Oklahoma, and attended the University of Texas. He ...

, Texas (College Football Hall of Fame) (CP-3) * Gerald Audette, Columbia (CP-3) * Bill Athey, Baylor (APD-2)

Centers

* Dick Hightower, Southern Methodist (SMU) (AAB; AFCA; APO-2; INSO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; CP-1; CTO-1; WC-1) * Pat Cannamela, USC (APD-2; UP-2; FWD-1; INSD-1 (center); NEAD-1; CP-2 (guard)) * Doug Moseley, Kentucky (APO-1; FWO-1; UP-3; CP-3) *

Keith Flowers Keith Duane Flowers (April 24, 1930 – November 12, 1993) was an American football player who played one season in the National Football League (NFL) with the Detroit Lions and Dallas Texans. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the eleventh ...

, Texas Christian (APD-1; CTD-1) * Chuck Boerio, Illinois (UP-2 (center); NEAD-1) * George Tarasovic, LSU (NEAO-1) * Charlie Harris, California (CP-2) *

Donn Moomaw Donn Moomaw (born October 15, 1931) is an American retired professional football player and Presbyterian minister. Moomaw played college football for the UCLA Bruins as the center and linebacker for the team. He was elected to the College F ...

, UCLA (College Football Hall of Fame) (APD-2; UP-3)

Quarterbacks

* Babe Parilli, Kentucky (AAB; APO-2; UP-1; CP-1; INSD-1; SN; NEAO-1 (QB); CTO-1 (QB); WC-1) *

Larry Isbell Lawrence Dale Isbell (January 8, 1930 – October 31, 1978) was an American baseball and gridiron football player. He was one of the rare players to be All-American in both baseball and in football. He was an All-American quarterback in 1951, wh ...

, Baylor (APO-1; UP-3; FWO-1; CP-2; INSD-1) *

Gary Kerkorian Gary Ray Kerkorian (January 14, 1930 – May 22, 2000) was an Armenian-American American football, football quarterback who played four seasons in the National Football League (NFL). College career Born into an Armenians, Armenian family, Kerkor ...

, Stanford (UP-2; CP-3; INSD-1) *

Al Dorow Albert Richard Dorow (November 15, 1929 – December 7, 2009) was an American gridiron football quarterback. He played college football at Michigan State University and professionally in the National Football League (NFL), the American Footb ...

, Michigan State (INSD-1) *

Bill Wade William James Wade (October 4, 1930 – March 9, 2016) was an American football quarterback who played professionally in the National Football League (NFL). He is considered one of the greatest athletes in Nashville and Vanderbilt University h ...

, Vanderbilt (APO-2)

Halfbacks

Dick Kazmaier Richard William Kazmaier Jr. (November 23, 1930 – August 1, 2013) was an American businessman and naval lieutenant. He played college football at Princeton University from 1949 through 1951 and was the winner of the 1951 Heisman Trophy, Maxwell ...

, Princeton (Heisman Trophy and College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; AFCA; APO-1; FWO-1; INSO-1; NEAO-1 (HB); SN; UP-1; CP-1; CTO-1 (HB); WC-1) *

Hank Lauricella Francis Edward Lauricella, known as Hank Lauricella (October 9, 1930 – March 25, 2014), was a real estate developer from suburban New Orleans, Louisiana, a college football legend, and a member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature ...

, Tennessee (College Football Hall of Fame) (AAB; AFCA; APO-1; FWO-1; INSO-1; NEAO-1 (HB); SN; UP-1; FWO-1; CP-1; CTO-1 (HB); WC-1) *

Johnny Karras John J. Karras (January 29, 1928 – November 6, 2008) was an American football halfback who played one season with the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the second round of the 1952 NFL ...

, Illinois (AFCA; AAB; APO-2; FWO-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; WC-1) *

Ed Modzelewski Ed Modzelewski (January 13, 1929 – February 28, 2015) was an American football fullback, who played in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns. He played college football for the University of Maryl ...

, Maryland (APO-2; UP-3; CP-2; INSO-1) *

Bobby Dillon Bobby Dan Dillon (February 23, 1930 – August 22, 2019) was an American professional football player in the National Football League (NFL). He played as a safety and spent his entire eight-year career with the Green Bay Packers. Dillon was an ...

, Texas (APD-1; FWD-1 (halfback); NEAD-1 (safety); CTD-1) *

Al Brosky Alfred E. Brosky (June 9, 1928 – November 28, 2010) was an American football player, and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Brosky played football at the University of Illinois from 1950 to 1952. He wa ...

, Illinois (APD-1; FWD-1 (safety)) *

Harry Agganis Aristotle George "Harry" Agganis (April 20, 1929 – June 27, 1955), nicknamed "The Golden Greek", was an American college football player and professional baseball player. After passing up a potential professional football career, he played in M ...

, Boston U. (NEAD-1 (def. halfback)) * Jim Ellis, Michigan State (CTD-1) *

Avatus Stone Avatus Harry Stone (April 21, 1931 – November 2, 2000) was an American gridiron football player. After playing his college football at Syracuse University, Stone was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the 1953 NFL Draft, but played profession ...

, Syracuse (CTD-1) *

Johnny Bright John Dee Bright (June 11, 1930 – December 14, 1983) was an American professional football player in the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Drake University. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the Nation ...

, Drake (College and Canadian Football Hall of Fame) (UP-2; CP-3) *

Vic Janowicz Victor Felix Janowicz (February 26, 1930 – February 27, 1996) was an American football halfback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Ohio State University and was drafted in the seve ...

, Ohio State (College Football Hall of Fame) (APD-2; UP-2; CP-2) *

Veryl Switzer Veryl A. Switzer (August 6, 1932 – June 4, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a halfback in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played in the NFL for 24 games with the Green ...

, Kansas State (APD-2) *

Jim Dooley James William Dooley (February 8, 1930 – January 8, 2008) was an American football player and coach who is best remembered for his tenures as a player and coach with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). College career Bor ...

, Miami (APD-2)

Fullbacks

Ollie Matson Ollie Genoa Matson II (May 1, 1930 – February 19, 2011) was an American Olympic medal winning sprinter and professional American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1952 to 1966. Drafted into the N ...

, San Francisco (College and Pro Football Hall of Fame) (APD-1; UP-2; FWD-1 (def. halfback); CP-2; INSO-1; NEAD-1 (def. halfback) *

Hugh McElhenny Hugh Edward McElhenny Jr. (December 31, 1928 – June 17, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a halfback in the National Football League (NFL) from 1952 to 1964 for the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, New York ...

, Washington (Pro and College Football Hall of Fame) (APO-1; UP-3; CP-3; NEAO-1 (FB); CTO-1 (FB)) *

Frank Gifford Francis Newton Gifford (August 16, 1930 – August 9, 2015) was an American football player, actor, and television sports commentator. After a 12-year playing career as a halfback and flanker for the New York Giants of the National Foo ...

, USC (Pro and College Football Hall of Fame) (AFCA; UP-3; CP-3)

Key

Official selectors

Other selectors

Notes

References

{{College Football All-America Teams

All-America Team The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

College Football All-America Teams