By Matthew Osborne
SouthernPigskin.com

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The 2013 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be announced at a press conference on May 7.

The National Football Foundation recently released its ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame.

77 players are listed on the ballot, with 22 of those players coming from either the ACC or SEC.

The 2013 Hall of Fame Class will be announced at a press conference on May 7.

Here are the capsules for the 22 players from our southern conferences.

Jerome Brown, Miami (Fla.) – Defensive Tackle

1986 Unanimous First Team All-American and finalist for both the Outland and Lombardi trophies as senior…Helped Canes to four consecutive New Year’s Day bowl games…Ranks 10th in school history with 21 career sacks.

Ted Brown, North Carolina State – Tailback

1978 consensus First Team All-America, helping NC State to three bowl berths… Only four-year First Team All-ACC pick in league history… Led team in rushing four-straight years and still holds five school records.

Brandon Burlsworth, Arkansas – Offensive Guard

1998 First Team All-America and First Team All-SEC selection…Helped Arkansas to two postseason berths and to SEC Western Division titles in 1995 and ’98…Former walk-on who later started 34 consecutive games.

Marco Coleman, Georgia Tech – Linebacker

1991 First Team All-America pick…Two-time First Team All-ACC, leading Jackets to the national championship and an 11-0-1 record in 1990…28 career sacks ranks 12th all-time in ACC history.

Tony Franklin, Texas A&M – Placekicker

Two-time First Team All-America (1976-consensus, ’78)…Led A&M to four bowl appearances…Set seven NCAA records, including most 50 yards-plus field goals made (15) and most points scored by a kicker in a career (291).

William Fuller, North Carolina – Defensive Tackle

Two-time First Team All-American, earning consensus honors in 1983… Holds school record with 57 career TFL and broke Lawrence Taylor’s season record with 22 TFL in 1981…Three-time First Team All-ACC pick.

Leotis Harris, Arkansas – Offensive Guard

1977 consensus First Team All-America who led Razorbacks to wins in the 1976 Cotton Bowl and ’78 Orange Bowl… First-ever African-American All-American player at Arkansas…Led Arkansas to 1975 SWC Co-Championship.

Bobby Majors, Tennessee – Defensive Back

1971 unanimous First Team All-America… Led Vols to wins in 1971 Sugar Bowl and 1972 Liberty Bowl… Holds school records for punt returns in a career (117 for 1163 yards, 4 TDs) and season (42 for 457 yards, 2 TDs).

Buddy McClinton, Auburn – Defensive Back

Three-time All-American who earned consensus First Team honors in 1969… Auburn’s all-time leader in interceptions (18) and holds record for interceptions in a season (9 in 1969)… Set SEC career interception record (18).

Paul Naumoff, Tennessee – Linebacker

Named First Team All-America and All-Conference in 1966…Named team MVP in 1966…Played in the College All-Star Game and Senior Bowl in 1967.

Anthony Poindexter, Virginia – Defensive Back

Two-time First Team All-America, earning consensus honors in 1998… Three-time All-ACC pick and 1998 ACC Defensive Player of the Year…Holds five school records and finished career with 342 tackles and 12 interceptions.

Mike Ruth, Boston College – Nose Guard

1985 consensus First Team All-America and Outland Trophy winner…Three-time All-East and All-ECAC selection…Member of three bowl teams and recorded 344 career tackles, including 29 sacks.

Lucius Sanford, Georgia Tech – Linebacker

Named First Team All-America in 1977…A three-time First Team All-Conference selection, he led Georgia Tech in tackles in 1975 (121) and 1976 (117)…Named to the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame and the school’s All-Time Team in 1991.

Sterling Sharpe, South Carolina – Wide Receiver

1987 First Team All-America…Two-time First Team All-Conference…Set nearly every school receiving record by career’s end, including career receptions (169), single-season receiving yards (1,106) and career receiving yards (2,497).

Art Still, Kentucky – Defensive End

1977 Unanimous First Team All-American… Two-time First Team All-SEC performer who led Cats to 1976 SEC Championship…1977 SEC Defensive Player of the Year who set school record for 22 TFL in 1977 (still standing).

Matt Stinchcomb, Georgia – Offensive Tackle

Two-time First Team All-America selection (consensus-’98)…Two-time First Team All-SEC and 1998 recipient of Jacobs Blocking Trophy…1998 NFF William V. Campbell Trophy recipient and NFF National Scholar-Athlete.

Vinny Testaverde, Miami (Fla.) – Quarterback

Winner of 1986 Heisman, Walter Camp, Maxwell Award, and Davey O’Brien…Led Canes to three bowl berths, including 1987 Fiesta Bowl to determine national championship… Finished career with 6,058 passing yards and 48 TD passes.

Derrick Thomas, Alabama – Linebacker

1988 unanimous First Team All-America and Butkus award winner… Led Tide to four consecutive bowl berths, earning 1988 SEC Defensive Player of the Year… Set SEC record for sacks in a season (27) and finished career with 74 TFL.

Jackie Walker, Tennessee – Linebacker

1970 and ’71 First Team All-American…Set NCAA record for career interceptions returned for TD by a linebacker (5)… Two-time First Team All-SEC selection who helped Vols to 1969 SEC Championship.

Wesley Walls, Mississippi – Tight End

1988 First Team All-America and First Team All-SEC selection…Played as a two-way player his senior season (DE-TE)…Tallied 36 receptions for 426 yards and three touchdowns in one season at tight end…1988 NFF National Scholar-Athlete.

Scott Woerner, Georgia – Defensive Back

Named First Team All-America, All-Conference and team Most Valuable Back in 1980…Twice named Georgia’s Outstanding Special Teams Player of the Year (1977, 1980)…Led team to the 1980 National Championship.

Danny Wuerffel, Florida – Quarterback

1996 winner of NFF Campbell Trophy, Heisman, Walter Camp, Maxwell, and consecutive Davey O’Brien awards… Two-time SEC Player of the Year who led Gators to 1996 National Championship and four SEC championships.
 

About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame, the NFF Scholar-Athlete Award presented by Fidelity Investments, Play It Smart, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, and scholarships of more than $1.3 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF presents the MacArthur Bowl, the William V. Campbell Trophy endowed by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. NFF corporate partners include the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the BCS, Fidelity Investments, Herff Jones, Liberty Mutual Insurance, NCAA Football, and Under Armour. For more information, please visit footballfoundation.org.