In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Associate Press' selected All-America teams, it came out with a list of the best college football stars from each decade. While Penn State football was not represented on the 25-player all-time team, AP sorted through all of the first-team All-America selections across the decades. Here's a look back at the Nittany Lions' top players since the 1940s.
2020s: Abdul Carter and Olu Fashanu
Carter and Fashanu were selected as top college football players from the 2020s. The star edge rusher that went No. 3 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft was an All-America First-Team selection in 2024. The now-New York Jets offensive lineman was an AP first-team selection in 2023.
2010s: Micah Parsons, Saquon Barkley, Carl Nassib, and Devon Still
Parsons, Barkley, Nassib, and Still made up the 2010s quartet. The star linebacker and now-NFL defensive end was a first-team selection in 2019, two years after the Philadelphia Eagle running back earned his recognition as an all-purpose player in 2017. Nassib and Still were selected in 2015 and 2011, respectively, as defensive linemen.
2000s: Aaron Maybin, Dan Connor, Paul Posluszny, Tamba Hali, and Larry Johnson
Penn State had first-team All-Americans four consecutive years starting in 2005 to 2008. Posluszny was a two-time AP All-American First-Team linebacker two years in a row, 2005 and 2006. Hali was also honored in 2005 as a defensive lineman. Connor was a 2007 selectee at linebacker and Maybin was a 2008 defensive lineman first-teamer.
Johnson was the only offensive Nittany Lion to make the AP All-American First-Team. In 2002 he was named an AP All-American running back.
1990s: Brandon Short, Courtney Brown, LaVar Arrington, Curtis Enis, Jeff Hartings, Kerry Collins, Ki-Jana Carter, and O.J. McDuffie
1990 marked the first year Penn State joined the Big Ten. McDuffie started the decade for the Nittany Lions in 1992 as an AP All-America First-Team wide receiver.
Three Penn State players were first-team selections in 1999: Short, Brown, and Arrington. Short and Arrington were both linebacker AP All-Americans and Brown earned a spot at defensive lineman. There were also three 1994 selections, including Hartings at tackle, Collins at quarterback, and Carter at running back. Enis was the only All-American separating the two trios as a 1997 All-American running back.
1980s: Shane Conlan, Kenny Jackson, and Sean Farrell
Conlan was a first-team linebacker selection in 1986. In 1981, Farrell earned a spot at offensive lineman and Jackson followed the season after as a 1982 All-America First-Team wide receiver.
1970s: Bruce Clark, Chuck Fusina, Keith Dorney, Randy Sidler, Greg Buttle, Mike Hartenstine, John Cappelletti, John Hufnagel, John Skorupan, Lydell Mitchell, and Jack Ham
1979 and 1976 were the only two years in the decade that Penn State did not have an AP All-America First-Team selection. Clark, Fusina, and Dorney were 1978 selections at offensive lineman, quarterback, and defensive lineman, respectively. In 1977, Sidler was a first-team middle guard.
Ham kicked the 70s off as a first-team linebacker followed by running back Mitchell in 1971, linebacker Skorupan and quarterback Hufnagel in 1972, running back Cappelletti in 1973, defensive lineman Hartenstine in 1974, and linebacker Buttle in 1975.
1960s: Dennis Onkotz, Mike Reid, Ted Kwalik, Dave Robinson
Robinson was the only All-America First-Team selection in the first half of the decade at end. Kwalik and Onkotz were selections in 1968 at end and linebacker, respectively. The linebacker was a two-time selection in the 60s, joining defensive lineman Reid in 1969.
1940s: Steve Suhey
Suhey was the first Penn State AP All-America First-Team selection in 1947 at guard.