The National Football Foundation recently 2025 College Football Hall of Fame The class features 77 FBS-ranked players, including Urban Meyer and Nick Saban, both of whom were selected in their first year of eligibility and are among the nine coaches selected on the ballot.
With only 12 eligible players eligible for induction this year, voters will be faced with a tough choice, with a ballot that includes legends like Michael Vick, Sean Taylor and Aaron Donald.
Beyond the obvious standouts, there are plenty of players who receive less attention, some of whom have had illustrious careers that far exceed what's left of the annual press release, but who have remained off the ballot for years.
Some “minor” players waited years for their turn. Here are eight former college football stars who were voted for and deserve to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State
Moore has been on the ballot for four consecutive years. While wins are not a statistic that can be attributed to one player, it's hard to ignore that Moore is the winningest quarterback in college football history. His 50-3 record as a Broncos starter is astounding. He is synonymous with the players who helped the team enjoy its golden era under head coach Chris Petersen. A 2010 Heisman Trophy finalist, Moore finished his career second in NCAA history in touchdown passes (142) and fifth in passing yards (14,667).
Antoine Randle El, QB, Indiana
One of the more underrated quarterbacks, Randle El has patiently waited to vote since he became eligible in 2012, which is unfortunate for a player who revolutionized how the quarterback position was viewed. An elite passer and rushing threat, Randle El was the first player in NCAA Division I history to catch 40 passes and rush 40 times for a touchdown. He also became the first player in college football history to total 2,500 yards in four consecutive years. His versatility and athleticism were also a testament to his transition to wide receiver in the NFL, where he was named First Team All-Pro in 2005.
Eric Weddle, DB, Utah
This is the third consecutive year Weddle has been on the ballot. This time, he will be joined by Meyer, who led Utah to a 22-2 record in 2003-04. Weddle was a big part of that early success with both his leadership and his impact on the field. He started nine games at cornerback as a freshman in 2003 and never looked back, playing various positions in Utah's secondary through 2006. In his senior season, he recorded 64 tackles, one sack, two pass deflections and seven interceptions, earning him Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors twice and All-American honors in 2006. His 18 interceptions are the most in MWC history, and his nine forced fumbles are a Utah record. Weddle was a difference-maker in every sense of the word, and he always delivered.
Haloti Ngata, DL, Oregon
Ngata is one of the best defensive linemen in college football history. In 2003, he tore his ACL as a freshman, but bounced back a year later to be named to the All-Pac-10 second team. He took it to the next level in 2005, becoming the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and the first All-American from Oregon in 43 years. His nine tackles for loss and three sacks as a junior show his destructive play from the inside. He also dominates in ways that don't show up on the stat sheet, like blocking running lanes and demanding double teams to shut down moves. This is Ngata's third year on the ballot. With his Hall of Fame induction coming up soon, this should be his last.
Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin
Ball threw 39 touchdowns in a season. 39, tying the FBS record held by none other than Barry Sanders. Ball also totaled 2,229 yards in the 2011 season and was a Heisman Trophy finalist. He went on to win the NBA All-Star Game as a senior. Slight Ball recorded 22 rushing touchdowns, was named an All-American for the second straight year, and won the Doak Walker Award, given annually to the best running back in college football. His 77 career rushing touchdowns and 83 total touchdowns are both FBS records, and he also holds the NCAA record of scoring at least two touchdowns in 13 consecutive games.
Peter Warrick, WR, Florida State University
In 1999, Warlick was a front-runner for the Heisman Trophy, but he was arrested mid-season, which turned into a misdemeanor, and he was suspended for two games. Still, Warlick finished the year with 934 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns, and was named MVP of the 2000 Sugar Bowl game that gave Florida State its second national championship in program history. This was after Warlick had easily surpassed 1,000 receiving yards and 12 touchdown catches in the 1998 season. Warlick also played as a punt returner for the Seminoles. With the ball in his hands, he was a virtuoso who could slip past defenders and turn an inch of space into a breakthrough touchdown. And he was arguably one of the best players of the legendary Bobby Bowden era.
Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Penn State
Even on a Penn State team loaded with NFL talent and consistently featuring one of the nation's top offensive lines in multiple areas, Carter found a way to stand out. He burst into the spotlight as a sophomore in 1993, rushing for 1,026 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games. He finished second in the 1994 Heisman Trophy voting with 1,539 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also was co-MVP of that year's Rose Bowl, rushing for 156 yards and three touchdowns to end Penn State's final undefeated season. Carter cut his college career short to pursue his professional dreams, and he remains the last running back to be selected first overall in the NFL Draft.
Simeon Rice, EDGE, Illinois
Rice is worthy of induction into both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. It is a testament to the nearly unstoppable force he was on the football field. Rice set an Illinois state record with nine sacks as a freshman and was named Big Ten Rookie of the Year. His 44.5 career sacks are a conference record that remains unbroken almost 30 years later, despite the proliferation of elite edge rushers in this modern era. Rice was a three-time Big Ten Conference First Team selection, was named Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1994, and was named a First Team All-American in consecutive years from 1994-95. He was the rare defender who would have been a Heisman Trophy candidate had he not played for Illinois' lackluster teams.
