On Dec. 22, the NFL announced the rosters for the 2016 Pro Bowl. In all, 86 players made the team, with plenty more to be added as injuries and Super Bowl replacements crop up. With all the players who will be able to call themselves Pro Bowlers, the distinction of receiving the invitation to Hawaii has been somewhat diminished.
For this reason, the greatest individual honor a player can receive, aside from being named the league's Most Valuable Player, is to be a first-team All-Pro selection. Players who earn this distinction are recognized as the best players at their position, and the number of All-Pro selections are among the main factors considered for a player's Hall of Fame candidacy.
PointAfter decided to look back at the Associated Press first-team All-Pro rosters since 2000 and see which college football programs have had the most selections during that timeframe. Though there are multiple publications that make All-Pro teams, we only considered players that were distinguished as first-teamers by the AP. We attributed each player's total first-team selections to his school. So, for example, Jason Witten's two first-team All-Pro selections count as two selections for Tennessee.
Between 2000 to 2014, players from 99 different colleges were named first-team All-Pro selections by the AP. We'll highlight the 23 college football programs with the most since the turn of the century, including one NFL factory that has over 20 first-team selections in the past 15 seasons.
#23. Kent State Golden Flashes
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 6
First-Team All-Pro players:
Josh Cribbs (2009)
Antonio Gates (2004, 2005, 2006)
James Harrison (2008, 2010)
#22. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 6
First-Team All-Pro players:
Zach Thomas (2002, 2003, 2006)
Louis Vasquez (2013)
Wes Welker (2009, 2011)
#21. Syracuse Orange
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 6
First-Team All-Pro players:
Keith Bullock (2003)
Dwight Freeney (2004, 2005, 2009)
Marvin Harrison (2002, 2006)
#20. Virginia Cavaliers
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 6
First-Team All-Pro players:
Ronde Barber (2001, 2004, 2005)
Tiki Barber (2005)
James Farrior (2004)
Patrick Kerney (2007)
#19. Louisville Cardinals
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 6
First-Team All-Pro players:
David Akers (2001, 2011)
Elvis Dumervil (2009, 2014)
Sam Madison (2000)
Ted Washington (2001)
#18. North Carolina Tar Heels
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 7
First-Team All-Pro players:
Willie Henderson (2004)
Julius Peppers (2004, 2006, 2010)
Robert Quinn (2013)
Jeff Saturday (2005, 2007)
#17. Oklahoma Sooners
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 7
First-Team All-Pro players:
Jammal Brown (2006)
Gerald McCoy (2013)
DeMarco Murray (2014)
Adrian Peterson (2008, 2009, 2012)
Roy Williams (2003)
#16. Ohio State Buckeyes
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 7
First-Team All-Pro players:
David Boston (2001)
Eddie George (2000)
Nick Mangold (2009, 2010)
Orlando Pace (2001, 2003)
Mike Vrabel (2007)
#15. Penn State Nittany Lions
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 8
First-Team All-Pro players:
NaVorro Bowman (2011, 2012, 2013)
Eddie Drummond (2004)
Robbie Gould (2006)
Jeff Hartings (2004)
Larry Johnson (2006)
Cameron Wake (2012)
#14. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 8
First-Team All-Pro players:
Mike Brown (2001)
Lavonte David (2013)
Carl Nicks (2011)
Will Shields (2002, 2003)
Ndamukong Suh (2010, 2013, 2014)
#13. Texas A&M Aggies
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 8
First-Team All-Pro players:
Dante Hall (2003)
Shane Lechler (2000, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010)
Von Miller (2012)
#12. Wisconsin Badgers
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 9
First-Team All-Pro players:
Joe Thomas (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014)
Troy Vincent (2002)
J.J. Watt (2012, 2013, 2014)
#11. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 9
First-Team All-Pro players:
Dez Bryant (2014)
Jason Gildon (2001)
Jamal Williams (2005, 2006)
Kevin Williams (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
#10. LSU Tigers
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 10
First-Team All-Pro players:
Alan Faneca (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Kevin Mawae (2001, 2008)
Patrick Peterson (2011, 2013)
#9. California Golden Bears
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 10
First-Team All-Pro players:
Nnamdi Asomugha (2008, 2010)
Tony Gonzalez (2000, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2012)
Marshawn Lynch (2012)
Aaron Rodgers (2011, 2014)
#8. Georgia Bulldogs
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 10
First-Team All-Pro players:
Geno Atkins (2012)
Champ Bailey (2004, 2005, 2006)
John Houston (2014)
Richard Seymour (2003, 2004, 2005)
Mack Strong (2005)
Blair Walsh (2012)
#7. USC Trojans
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 10
First-Team All-Pro players:
Ryan Kalil (2013)
Bruce Matthews (2000)
Clay Matthews III (2010)
Troy Polamalu (2005, 2008, 2010, 2011)
Junior Seau (2000)
Tyron Smith (2014)
Lofa Tatupu (2007)
#6. Michigan Wolverines
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 11
First-Team All-Pro players:
Tom Brady (2007, 2010)
Steve Hutchison (2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009)
Ty Law (2003)
Jake Long (2010)
Charles Woodson (2009, 2011)
#5. Pittsburgh Panthers
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 11
First-Team All-Pro players:
Larry Fitzgerald (2008)
Andy Lee (2007, 2011, 2012)
Curtis Martin (2004)
LeSean McCoy (2011, 2013)
Darrell Revis (2009, 2010, 2011, 2014)
#4. Texas Longhorns
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 11
First-Team All-Pro players:
Jamaal Charles (2010, 2013)
Derrick Johnson (2011)
Priest Holmes (2001, 2002, 2003)
Earl Thomas (2012, 2013, 2014)
Justin Tucker (2013)
Ricky Williams (2002)
#3. Florida State Seminoles
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 11
First-Team All-Pro players:
Derrick Brooks (2000, 2002, 2004, 2005)
Antonio Cromartie (2007)
Walter Jones (2001, 2004, 2005, 2007)
Samari Rolle (2000)
Leon Washington (2008)
#2. Tennessee Volunteers
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 18
First-Team All-Pro players:
Eric Berry (2013)
Arian Foster (2010)
Albert Haynesworth (2007, 2008)
Jamal Lewis (2003)
Leonard Little (2003)
Peyton Manning (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013)
Jerod Mayo (2010)
Cordarrelle Patterson (2013)
Al Wilson (2005)
Jason Witten (2007, 2010)
#1. Miami Hurricanes
Total First-Team All-Pro selections: 24
First-Team All-Pro players:
Jon Beason (2008)
Jimmy Graham (2013)
Devin Hester (2006, 2007, 2010)
Andre Johnson (2008, 2009)
Ray Lewis (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009)
Ed Reed (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010)
Warren Sapp (2000, 2001, 2002)
Jeremy Shockey (2002)
Reggie Wayne (2010)
Vince Wilfork (2012)
