Michael Vick, Larry Fitzgerald and Terrell Suggs are among the college football stars who will be considered for induction to the Hall of Fame for the first time this year.
The National Football Foundation released Monday a list of 78 players and nine coaches from major college football who are on the Hall of Fame ballot. There are also 101 players and 32 coaches from lower divisions of college football up for consideration.
Vick, who led Virginia Tech to the BCS championship game against Florida State as a redshirt freshman in 1999, is among the most notable players appearing on the ballot in his first year of eligibility.
Vick finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1999. He played one season of college football before being drafted No. 1 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2001. Vick’s professional career was interrupted when he served 21 months in prison for his involvement in dog fighting.
Fitzgerald was the Heisman runner-up in 2003 to Oklahoma quarterback Jason White. He scored 34 touchdowns in just two seasons at Pitt.
Suggs led the nation in sacks with 24 in 2002 for Arizona State.
The 2024 Hall of Fame class will be chosen the National Football Foundation’s Honors Court and announced in January.
Local nominees
Former Dallas Cowboys players...
Flozell Adams, OT, Michigan State: 1997 First Team All-American and Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year…Three-time All-Big Ten performer who helped Spartans to three consecutive bowl appearances…Helped running backs rush for more than 100 yards in 21 games throughout career and allowed only two QB sacks in 1997 season.
Bradie James, LB, LSU: 2002 First Team All-American and NFF National Scholar-Athlete…Three-time All-SEC performer (First Team honors in 2001 and 2002) helped the Tigers to a 2001 conference title…2000 Peach Bowl Defensive MVP ranks second all-time in LSU history with 418 career tackles.
Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State: 2010 First Team All-American finished career as the winningest starting QB (.943) in college football history…Set the NCAA record for lowest career INT percentage (.017) and tied NCAA record with four 3,000-yard passing seasons…Boise State’s all-time leading passer (14,667) earned three conference Player of the Year honors (2-WAC, 1-MWC).
Terence Newman, CB, Kansas State: 2002 unanimous First Team All-American and winner of the Thorpe Award…2002 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, also earning First Team All-Big 12 honors as a specialist after leading the league in kickoff return yards (28.5 avg.)…2002 team captain and MVP was just the second Wildcat in history to score on both a kickoff and punt return in the same season (2002).
From area college teams...
Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State: Two-time unanimous First Team All-American and one of only two players ever to win the Biletnikoff Award twice…2010 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year en route to finishing fifth in Heisman Trophy voting…2012 Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP holds NCAA record for consecutive 100-yard receiving games (14).
Rocky Calmus, LB, Oklahoma: Two-time consensus First Team All-American and 2001 Butkus Award winner…OU’s all-time leader in TFL (59) helped Sooners to the BCS National Championship at the 2001 Orange Bowl…2000 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and four-time All-Big 12 performer posted 431 career tackles.
Russell Carter, DB, SMU: 1983 unanimous First Team All-American who helped SMU to consecutive top five final rankings in 1981 (No. 5, 10-1-0) and 1982 (No. 2, 11-0-1)…Three-time All-SWC performer led Mustangs to consecutive league titles in 1981-82…SMU’s all-time career leader in interceptions (18).
Kenneth Davis, RB, TCU: 1984 unanimous First Team All-American who finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting and led Frogs to first bowl in 19 seasons…Led the nation in yards per carry (7.6) and ranked second nationally in rushing yards (1,611) in 1984…1984 SWC Offensive Player of the Year who boasted nine 100-yard games in career.
Graham Harrell, QB, Texas Tech: 2008 First Team All-American and AT&T All-America Player of the Year who finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting…2008 NFF National Scholar-Athlete holds seven NCAA records, including career 400-yard games (20)…Three-time All-Big 12 performer ranks second in league history with 15,793 career passing yards.
Josh Heupel, QB, Oklahoma: 2000 consensus First Team All-American and Walter Camp Player of the Year…2000 Heisman Trophy runner-up who led the Sooners to a national title at the 2001 Orange Bowl…2000 Big 12 Player of the Year who left OU with virtually every school passing record despite only playing two seasons.
Michael Huff, DB, Texas: 2005 unanimous First Team All-American and winner of the Thorpe Award…Named Defensive MVP at the BCS National Championship, helping the Horns to the 2005 national title…Two-time First Team All-Big 12 selection boasts the UT record for career defensive scores (five).
Dewey Selmon, DL, Oklahoma: 1975 consensus First Team All-American and member of consecutive national championship teams (1974, 1975)…Two-time First Team All-Big Eight selection who led OU to four league titles…Twice recorded 100-plus tackles in a season and part of defensive unit that allowed just 11.1 ppg from 1973-75.
Kevin Smith, CB, Texas A&M: 1991 consensus First Team All-American and leader of Aggie unit that led the nation in total defense (222.4 ypg)…Three-time First Team All-SWC performer helped Aggies to the 1991 conference title…A&M’s all-time career leader in INTs (20), INT return yards (289) and INTs returned for a touchdown (3).
Bruce Collie, OT, Texas-Arlington: Named First Team All-American in 1984…Led UTA to 1981 Southland Conference title…Three-time All-SLC selection…Played six seasons in the NFL with San Francisco and Philadelphia.
Claude Mathis, RB, Texas State: 1997 First Team All-American who also earned Second Team All-America honors in 1996 and Honorable Mention laurels in 1995…Two-time Southland Conference Player of the Year and Texas State’s all-time career rushing leader (4,691)…Career AP yards (7,423) is a Southland Conference record and ranks eighth in FCS history....Won a 6A state title as head coach at DeSoto in 2022.
Note: Former Texas Tech head coaches Pete Cawthon Sr. (1930-40), Jim Carlen (1970-74) and Tommy Tuberville (2010-12) are also on this year’s ballot in the coaching category.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Find more college sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.