MAGNOLIA, Ark. – With a new decade of college football set to begin in a little over four months, D2Football.com announced its all-decade teams in late March as it honored 50 former players across two teams made up of offensive, defensive and special team performers. Among the defenders selected to the outlet's second team was former Southern Arkansas All-America standout Cedric Thornton.
 
As a senior in the decade's first year of 2010, Thornton recorded 52 total tackles with 13.0 tackles for loss totaling 35 yards and five quarterback hurries in eight games played. That season, Thornton was named a first-team All-Gulf South Conference performer in addition to earning a pair of all-region nods and a pair of all-America honors which helped propel him to a six-year career in the National Football League as an undrafted free agent of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011.
 
A native of Star City, Arkansas, Thornton spent a majority of his time in Magnolia in the opponent's backfield as the defensive lineman recorded 50 career tackles for loss totaling 156 yards to go along with thirteen quarterback hurries and a dozen career sacks. As a junior in 2009, Thornton was named a consensus first-team All-America honoree following a season highlighted by an impressive 23.0 tackles for loss as part of 80 total tackles and 8.5 sacks (7th All-Time). Thornton currently ranks sixth all-time in program history with 12.0 total sacks.
 
As a professional, Thornton, who is currently a free agent, spent his first five seasons (four active) with the Eagles, one with the Dallas Cowboys, one year with the Buffalo Bills and a short stint with the San Francisco 49ers. In 89 career games at the highest level of football, the Arkansan has made 48 starts and recorded 220 career tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, a touchdown and a safety.
 
D2Football.com has announced the 50 players and the coach that have been selected to the 2010-2019 All-Decade Team.
 
To be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must have played during any season from 2010-2019 but must have completed his eligibility prior to the 2020 season. He must also have been named a D2Football.com All-American in that time period.
 
The GLIAC had the most selections (10) followed closely by the MIAA (9). Ferris State and Northwest Missouri each had three selections (one coach for Northwest), which were the most by any program.
 
At the time of publication, 35 of the players on the team had made an active roster in the NFL. Sixteen of the members of the team had been drafted by the NFL. Three members await the 2020 NFL Draft. While participation in professional leagues creeped into the deliberation process, the student-athletes are on this team because of their accomplishments on the collegiate football field.
 
There are four D2Football.com Offensive Players of the Year selections on the team. They are joined by five Defensive Player of the Year selections. Three players on the team earned four Harlon Hill Trophies.
 
Adam Dorrel was the obvious choice for the coach of the team. He won three national championships at Northwest Missouri and had a 76-8 record (.904). From 2013-2016, he won three championships and only lost two games.
 
The D2Football.com All-Decade Team was selected by the staff of D2Football.com with input from coaches across the country.
 
Keep checking back as we highlight more "best of" the decade of 2010-2019.
 
First Team
  
QB - Jason Vander Laan (Ferris State)
RB - Franklyn Quiteh (Bloomsburg)
RB - Austin Ekeler (Western Colorado)
WR - Jeff Janis (Saginaw Valley)
WR - Billy Brown (Shepherd)
TE - Adam Shaheen (Ashland)
OL - Ryan Schraeder (Valdosta State)
OL - Garth Heikkinen (Minnesota Duluth)
OL - Ryan Jensen (CSU-Pueblo)
OL - Amini Silatolu (Midwestern State)
OL - Joe LongWayne State (Mich.)
 
DL - Matt Judon (Grand Valley)
DL - Brandon Williams (Missouri Southern)
DL - Jamie Meder (Ashland)
DL - Matt Longacre (Northwest Missouri)
LB - Deon Lacey (West Alabama)
LB - Nate Dreiling (Pittsburg State)
LB - Connor Harris (Lindenwood)
DB - Malcolm Butler (West Alabama)
DB - Kyle Duggar (Lenoir-Rhyne)
DB - Rontez Miles (Cal U)
DB - Pierre Desir (Lindenwood)
 
K - Greg Zuerlein (Missouri Western)
P - Taylor Accardi (Colorado Mines)
AP - John Brown (Pittsburg State)
 
Second Team
 
QB - Luis Perez (Texas A&M-Commerce)
RB - Cameron McDondle (CSU-Pueblo)
RB - Ja'Quan Gardner (Humboldt State)
WR - Brody Oliver (Colorado Mines)
WR - Shane Zylstra (Minnesota State)
TE - Brian Leonhardt (Bemidji State)
OL - Alex Cappa (Humboldt State)
OL - Eric Kush (Cal U)
OL - Brandon Fusco (Slippery Rock)
OL - Matt Armstrong (Grand Valley)
OL - Trey Pipkens (Sioux Falls)
 
DL - Marcus Martin (Slippery Rock)
DL - Grover Stewart (Albany State)
DL - Cedric Thornton (Southern Arkansas)
DL - Zach Sieler (Ferris State)
LB - Larry Dean (Valdosta State)
LB - Adam Bighill (Central Washington)
LB - Carlos Fields (Winston-Salem)
DB - Janoris Jenkins (North Alabama)
DB - Jeff Heath (Saginaw Valley)
DB - Tavierre Thomas (Ferris State)
DB - Brandon Dixon (Northwest Missouri)
 
K - Dante Brown (Fort Hays)
P - Randy Weich (Wayne State (Neb.)
AP - Deonte Harris (Assumption)