Dover, Del. (June 1. 2016) --- Delaware State assistant coach E.J. Junior, a legend at the University of Alabama before a 13-year NFL career, is among nearly 200 former players and coaches on the ballot for the 2017 College Football Hall-of-Fame class.
The National Football Foundation today released the ballot for the class that will be announced in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 6, 2017.
Junior joins such greats as Peyton Manning and Steve Spurrier as first-time candidates for election to the College Football Hall-of-Fame.
Junior first came into national prominence as a star linebacker under legendary head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant at the University of Alabama. A two-time All-American and former SEC Defensive Player-of-the-Year, he helped lead the Crimson Tide to two national championships.
In 1980, Junior was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, which is presented to the nation's top college lineman or linebacker.
“It's a tremendous honor and quite humbling to be considered among the greats to play college football,” said Junior, who is in his second year as Delaware State's Defensive Line Coach and Director of Player Development. “In addition to family, I had many great coaches and teammates to help me along the way.”
Junior was selected in the first round (fifth overall) of the 1981 National Football League draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. Junior played for the Cardinals until 1988 and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection.
His NFL career also included stints with the Miami Dolphins (1989-91); Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1992); and Seattle Seahawks (1992-93).
Junior's NFL career stats include 36.5 sacks and 12 interceptions.
In May 2012, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Tennessee and Senior Bowl halls-of-fame.
To be eligible for the College Football Hall-of-Fame ballot, a player must have been a first-team All-American by one of the five organizations used by the NCAA to determine the consensus All-America team: The Associated Press; the American Football Coaches Association, the Football Writers of America Association; the Sporting News; and the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
