Two former Wisconsin Badger football greats are among those on the ballot for the 2019 College Football Hall of Fame class.
Defensive back Troy Vincent and offensive lineman Joe Thomas, are both on the ballot. Vincent has been up for consideration on the ballot since 1027, but Thomas is new to the list.
Thomas just retired following an outstanding career with the Cleveland Browns, a career that will likely land him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was taken with the third overall pick of the 2007 NFL draft. Thomas was selected to 10 Pro Bowls and seven first-team all-pro selections. At Wisconsin, he won the 2006 Outland Trophy for the nation’s best offensive lineman, was a unanimous All-American in 2006 and twice was named first-team all-Big Ten.
Vincent was drafted as the seventh-overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1992. He played 16 seasons in the NFL, including five Pro Bowl appearances. Vincent finished second in voting for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top defensive back. He is currently the executive vice president of football operations for the NFL.
A total of 76 players and six coaches from major college football will be considered for the Hall of Fame this year. The latest class of about 15 players and coaches will be announced January 7, the day of the College Football Playoff national championship.