As you might guess, it takes great players to become among the elite teams in college football. And many of those great college players were outstanding high school players.
USA TODAY High School Sports looked back at the American Family Insurance ALL-USA football teams since 2010 to see how many members will be on the rosters Jan. 1. in the inaugural College Football Playoff. Ohio State faces Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and Oregon plays Florida State in the Rose Bowl.
RELATED: 2014 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Football team
Alabama is the leader with 20 selections (11 first-teamers and nine second-teamers; two players were selected twice). The Crimson Tide is followed by Ohio State with 11 (six first-teamers and five second-teamers; one player was selected twice). The Buckeyes’ total includes suspended defensive lineman Noah Spence.
Florida State has seven (three first-teamers and four second-teamers) and Oregon has two (both first-team).
This does not include players who declared early for the NFL draft and would still be in college. Some of these names will be more familiar than others, but all of them were prep stars.
Note: Year listed is the fall of their senior season so a 2010 ALL-USA player would have signed his letter of intent in February 2011.
Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon was a second-team ALL-USA selection in 2011.
ALABAMA
2010
First team
Arie Kouandijo, OL, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.)
Second team
Trey DePriest, LB, Springfield (Ohio)
Jabriel Washington, DB, Trinity Christian (Jackson, Tenn.)
2011
First team
Landon Collins, DB, Dutchtown (Geismar, La.)
Second team
T.J. Yeldon, RB, Daphne (Ala.)
2012
First team
Derrick Henry, RB, Yulee (Ala.)
Robert Foster, WR, Central Valley (Monaca, Pa.)
Grant Hill, OL, Huntsville (Ala.)
Marlon Humphrey, DB, Hoover (Ala.)
Reuben Foster, LB, Auburn (Ala.)
Dee Liner, DL, Muscle Shoals (Ala.)
Second team
Jonathan Allen, DL, Stone Bridge (Ashburn, Va.)
Tony Brown, DB, Ozen (Beaumont, Texas)
Da’Shawn Hand, DL, Woodbridge (Va.)
A’Shawn Robinson, DL, Arlington Heights (Fort Worth, Texas)
2013
First team
Da’Shawn Hand, DL, Woodbridge (Va.)
Cameron Robinson, OL, West Monroe (La.)
Marlon Humphrey, DB, Hoover (Ala.)
Second team
Christian Miller, LB, Spring Valley (Columbia, S.C.)
Tony Brown, DB, Ozen (Beaumont, Texas)
Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa was a second-team ALL-USA selection in 2012 (Photo: Thomas J. Russo, USA TODAY Sports)
OHIO STATE
2010
First team
Curtis Grant, LB, Hermitage (Richmond, Va.)
Second team
Michael Bennett, OL, Centerville (Ohio)
Doran Grant, DB, St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio)
2011
First team
Noah Spence, DL, Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg, Pa.)
Tommy Schutt, DL, Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn, Ill.)
2012
First team
Evan Lisle, OL, Centerville (Ohio)
Second team
Joey Bosa, DL, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Raekwon McMillan, LB, Liberty County (Hinesville, Ga.)
2013
First team
Dante Booker, LB, St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio)
Raekwon McMillan, LB, Liberty County (Hinesville, Ga.)
Second team
Demetrius Knox, OL, All Saint’ Episcopal Day School (Fort Worth, Texas)
Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston was a first-team ALL-USA quarterback in 2011 (Photo: Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
FLORIDA STATE
2010
Second team
Nick O’Leary, TE, Dwyer (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
2011
First team
Jameis Winston, QB, Hueytown (Ala.)
Mario Edwards, DL, Ryan (Denton, Texas)
Second team
Eddie Goldman, DL, Friendship Collegian (Washington, D.C.)
Ronald Darby, DB, Potomac (Oxon Hill, Md.)
2013
First team
Dalvin Cook, RB, Miami Central
Second team
Demarcus Christmas, DL, Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.)
Oregon running back Thomas Tyner was an ALL-USA first-teamer in 2012 (Photo: Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)
OREGON
2011
Second team
Arik Armstead, OL, Plesant Grove (Elk Grove, Calif.)
2012
First team
Thomas Tyner, RB, Aloha (Ore.)