Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue (left) poses with No. 1 draft pick Carson Palmer -- quarterback from USC -- who was chosen by the Cincinnati Bengals at the 2003 NFL Draft held on April 24, 2003 at Madison Square Garden in New York. File photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI |
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Former Syracuse wide receiver Marvin Harrison along with former Heisman winning USC quarterback Carson Palmer are among the first-time candidates on the ballot for the 2019 College Football Hall of Fame class.
Other notable names on the ballot are holdovers from last season: Ray Lewis of Miami, SMU running back Eric Dickerson and Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch of Nebraska. Other notable first-time nominees include Vince Young, who was a Heisman runner-up for Texas in 2005 and offensive lineman Joe Thomas, who retired from the Cleveland Browns after the 2017 season.
Dennis Erickson and Daryll Rogers are among the six coaches being considered for enshrinement. Erickson led Miami to national titles in 1989 and 1991 and his .875 winning percentage is the highest in school history while Rogers achieved a national ranking for San Jose State and led Fresno State to a pair of bowl games.
"It's an enormous honor to just be on the ballot when you think that more than 5.26 million people have played college football and only 997 players have been inducted," National Football Foundation president and CEO Steve Hatchell said in a statement. "The Hall's requirement of being a first-team All-American creates a much smaller pool of about 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. Being in today's elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to have ever played the game, and those actually elected to the class will be part of a momentous year as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of college football in 2019."
The inductees will be announced on Jan. 7, 2019 prior to the College Football Playoff national championship game in Santa Clara. The class will be inducted on Dec. 10, 2019 in New York.
A total of 76 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision are under consideration. From all divisional ranks, a total of 100 players and 32 coaches are being considered.
