To the surprise of absolutely no one, Suh becomes the 21st Husker & 4th Nebraska defensive lineman selected.
Nebraska legend Ndamukong Suh is one of 22 individuals who will make up the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class. The 18 players and four coaches were announced on Wednesday by the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame.
He becomes the fourth Husker defensive lineman in the Hall, joining Wayne Meylan, Rich Glover and Grant Wistrom. Suh is the first Husker player to be inducted since offensive tackle Zach Wiegert in 2022.
The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted next winter during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner presented in Las Vegas on Dec. 8, 2026.
In 2009 Suh delivered one of the most dominant individual seasons in college football history, and was a unanimous First Team All-American. He brought home almost all of college football’s awards for which he was eligible including the Bednarik (Nation’s Outstanding Defensive Player), Lombardi (Best Linebacker/Lineman), Nagurski (Best Defensive Player), and Outland (Best Interior Lineman) trophies and earning Associated Press College Football Player of the Year honors.
He finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting, becoming the first defensive lineman in 15 seasons to finish as a Heisman finalist. The fourth place finish was considered a farce by many as he was the most dominant player in the game in 2009 and NFL execs agreed as he drafted far ahead of any of the other finishers. He was also a finalist for the Lott Impact Trophy and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
Suh anchored Head Coach Bo Pelini’s defense that led the nation in scoring defense in 2009, allowing just 10.43 points per game. As a senior, Suh tallied 21 tackles for loss, ranking sixth in the nation, and 12 sacks, ranking seventh – both very high for an interior defensive linemen, let alone one receiving double and even triple teams.
Suh also earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year honors in 2009 and helped lead Nebraska to two Big 12 North Division championships. His performance in the 2009 Big 12 Championship Game, highlighted by a school-record-tying seven tackles for loss against Texas, cemented his status as one of the most disruptive forces the game has ever seen.
Selected second overall in the 2010 NFL Draft by Detroit, Suh enjoyed 13 seasons in the league, playing with the Lions, Dolphins, Rams, Buccaneers and Eagles. He earned First Team All-Pro honors three times, five Pro Bowl appearances as well as winning a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay in the 2020 season.
Now an entrepreneur, real estate developer, and podcast host, Suh continues to make an impact through his philanthropic efforts and the Ndamukong Suh Family Foundation, including a landmark $2.6 million gift to Nebraska that supports both athletics and academics. Nebraska retired his No. 93 and he has been inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame (2010) and the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame (2024).
(Credit also to Nebraska Athletics)
Category: General Sports
