Four Alabama high school players make 2014 Parade All America Team

Parade Magazine released its 51st Annual Parade All-America High School Football Team earlier this month, and this year’s team featured four players from Alabama.

Those players included Auburn High School linebacker Rashaan Evans, Hoover High School defensive back Marlon Humphrey, Oxford High School running back Racean Thomas and St. Paul’s linebacker Tre Williams of Mobile.

Evans, 6-3, 220, and Humphrey, 6-1, 175, were named to the first team defense. Thomas, 5-11, 195, was an honorable mention on offense, and Williams, 6-3, 220, was an honorable mention on defense.

Parade Magazine has been picking an All-American football team every year since 1963, and this year’s team marked the 51st annual All-American High School Football Team. Getting picked for this all-star team is one of the highest honors a prep football player can receive and is a good indicator as to what sort of career these players will have. Past Parade All-Americans include Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Joe Namath, Jack Del Rio, Herschel Walker, John Elway, Marcus Allen, Ronnie Lott, Tony Dorsett and Thurman Thomas.

In all, including players on the 2014 team, 73 high school players from Alabama have been selected to the Parade All-American team. As you might imagine, football fans will recognize many of these names.

Alabama placed no players on the first-ever All-American team in 1963, but Mike Hall, a lineman at Tarrant High School, became Alabama’s first Parade All-American in 1964. In 1965, Alvin Sample, another lineman from Tarrant, was named to the team. No Alabama players made the team in 1966 or 1967, but two players were named to the team in 1968. They were John Croyle, an end from Gadsden High School, and James Owens, a running back from Fairfield High School.

No players made the team in 1969 or 1970, but Richard Todd, a quarterback at Davidson High School in Mobile, was named to the team in 1971. Two players made the team in 1972. They were Bill Evans, a lineman at Jeff Davis High School in Montgomery, and Calvin Culliver, a running back at W.S. Neal High School in East Brewton.

Tony Nathan, a running back at Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, was Parade All-American in 1973. Nathan became the only Alabama player to make the Parade team twice when he made it again in 1974. Jeff Rutledge, quarterback at Banks High School in Birmingham, also made the team in 1974.

No Alabama players made the team in 1975, but Major Ogilvie, a running back at Mountain Brook High School, made the team in 1976. Bart Krout, an end at the now defunct W.A. Berry High School in Birmingham, was named to the team in 1977. Doug Collins, a lineman at Andalusia High School, made the team in 1978.

In 1979, Linnie Patrick, a running back at Walker County High School in Jasper, was Parade All-American. Hardy Walker, a lineman at Grissom High School in Huntsville, made the team in 1981. Two players made the team in 1982. They were Allan Evans, a running back at Enterprise High School, and John Hand, a lineman at Sylacauga High School.

Curt Jarvis, a lineman at Gardendale High School, made the team in 1983. Reggie Ware, a lineman at Butler High School in Huntsville, was named to the team in 1984. Three players were named to the team in 1985. They were Arthur Mitchell, a wide receiver at Jeff Davis; Larry Rose, a lineman at Emma Sansom High School in Gadsden; and Johnny Clark, a kicker at Homewood High School.

James Joseph, a running back at Central High School in Phenix City, and Sean Smith, a defensive back at Opelika High School, made the team in 1986. Philip Doyle, a kicker at Huffman High School in Birmingham, was named to the team in 1987. Ed King, a lineman at Central High School in Phenix City, made the team in 1988.

No players made the team in 1989, but two players were named to the team in 1990. They were Mitch Davis, a lineman at Vigor High School in Prichard, and James Willis, a linebacker-defensive end at J.O. Johnson High School in Huntsville. Dameian Jeffries, a receiver at B.B. Comer High School in Sylacauga, made the team in 1991.

No players made the team in 1992, but two players made the team in 1993. They were Willie Anderson, a lineman at Vigor, and Jesse McCovery, a lineman at Theodore High School. Fred Beasley, a running back at Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery, was named to the team in 1994.

Pernell Davis, a lineman at West End High School in Birmingham, and Barrett Askew, a linebacker at Lanett High School, were named to the team in 1995. Three players were named Parade All-Americans in 1996. They were Tamaurice “T” Martin, a quarterback at Williamson High School in Mobile; Colin Sears, a lineman at Russellville High School; and Shawn McCorkel, a defensive back at Northview High School in Dothan.

Kecalf Bailey, a defensive back at Central High School in Tuscaloosa, and Stanford Simmons, a defensive back at Clay County High School in Ashland, made the team in 1997. Tyler Watts, a quarterback at Pelham High School, was Parade All-American in 1998.

Four players made the team in 1999. They were Kenny King Jr., a lineman from Daphne High School; Dante Ellington, a lineman at Colbert County High School in Leighton; Matt Lomax, a lineman at UMS-Wright in Mobile; and Saleem Rasheed, a linebacker from Shades Valley High School in Irondale. In 2000, Antwan Odom, a lineman at Alma Bryant High School in Irvington, and Anthony Bryant, a lineman from Sunshine High School at Newbern, were named as Parade All-Americans.

Carnell Williams, a running back at Etowah High School in Attalla, and LaMarcus Rowell (not to be confused with JaMarcus Russell), a linebacker at Opelika High School, made the team in 2001. Selma High School receiver Ben Obomanu was named Parade All-American in 2002. Two players were named to the team in 2003. They were JaMarcus Russell, quarterback at Williamson, and Chad Jackson, a receiver at Hoover High School.

John Parker Wilson, quarterback at Hoover, made the team in 2004. No Alabama players made the team in 2005, but two players were named to the team in 2006. They were Tim Hawthorne, a receiver at Homewood, and Andre Smith, a lineman at Huffman. In 2007, Kerry Murphy, a lineman at Hoover, and Rolando McClain, a linebacker at Decatur High School, were named Parade All-Americans.

In 2008, four Alabama players were named Parade All-Americans. They were Foley wide receiver Julio Jones, Mountain Brook lineman Tyler Love, Gadsden City High School linebacker Jerrell Harris and Spain Park linebacker William Green.

In 2009, four players from Alabama made the team. They were Andalusia linebacker Nico Johnson, Gadsden City defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick, Foley offensive lineman D.J. Fluker and Prattville place-kicker Brian Egan.

In 2010, two players from Alabama made the team. They were Theodore High School linebacker C.J. Mosley and Stanhope Elmore High School defensive back Demarcus Milliner. In 2011, Spanish Fort center Reese Dismukes was the only Alabama player to make the team, and Hueytown quarterback Jameis Wilson was the lone player from Alabama to be named to the team in 2012. In 2013, Auburn High School linebacker Reuben Foster was the only Alabama player to make the team.

Hoover is the only school in the state to have four players named to the Parade All-American team. Fifteen schools have had two players named to the team. They are Andalusia, Auburn, Central of Phenix City, Foley, Gadsden City, Homewood, Huffman, Jeff Davis, Mountain Brook, Opelika, Tarrant, Theodore, Vigor, Williamson and Woodlawn.

Thirty-nine schools have had one player named to the team. They are Alma Bryant, Banks, Butler, Central-Tuscaloosa, Clay County, Colbert County, B.B. Comer, Daphne, Davidson, Decatur, Emma Sansom, Enterprise, Etowah, Fairfield, Gadsden, Gardendale, Grissom, Hueytown, J.O. Johnson, Lanett, Northview, Oxford, Pelham, Prattville, Robert E. Lee of Montgomery, Russellville, Selma, Shades Valley, Spain Park, Stanhope Elmore, Spanish Fort, St. Paul’s, Sunshine, Sylacauga, UMS-Wright, W.A. Berry, Walker County, West End and W.S. Neal.