The Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted its class of 2026, which included quarterback Drew Brees, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, linebacker Luke Kuechly, running back Roger Craig, and kicker Adam Vinatieri. A few of them had great collegiate careers, but all of them had incredible NFL careers.
Drew Brees
Brees played for the Big Ten's Purdue Boilermakers from 1997-2000. With the Boilermakers, he completed 942 of 1,525 passes for 10,909 yards, 81 touchdowns, and 41 interceptions. The Boilermakers went 24-13 in the years Brees started the majority of games, and he finished top five in Heisman voting in 1999 (No. 4) and 2000 (No. 3).
Brees won the 1998 and 2000 Big Ten Player of the Year awards, and he is Purdue's all-time leader in touchdown passes (81). He's
also second all-time in yards (10,909), behind Curtis Painter (11,163). The San Diego Chargers drafted him in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft.
Roger Craig
Craig's collegiate career was largely unremarkable. He played for the Nebraska Cornhuskers (1979-82) in the Big Eight, and he rushed for 2,446 yards and 26 touchdowns in 407 attempts. His best season came in 1981, when he ran for 1,060 yards and six touchdowns in 173 carries.
Craig never earned any awards or any national recognition in college, although Nebraska was a championship contender while he was there. Craig is ranked No. 21 all-time in career touchdowns (26) and career yards (2,446).
Still, it's remarkable to see how his professional career panned out. The San Francisco 49ers selected him in the second round of the 1983 NFL draft, and he helped the 49ers win three Super Bowls as the lead back.
Larry Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald played just two seasons (2002-03) with the Pitt Panthers when they were in the Big East. He made the most of his opportunity in the gold and blue, with 161 receptions, 2,677 yards, and 34 touchdowns in 26 games. His 22 touchdowns and 1,672 yards in 2003 led the nation, and he's tied at No. 6 for the most receiving touchdowns in a season (22 in 2003).
As a result of his outstanding 2003 season, he was rewarded with a First Team Associated Press All-American selection. He won the 2003 Biletnikoff Award, won the 2003 Big East Player of the Year, and finished second in Heisman voting to Oklahoma's Jason White.
His No. 1 jersey is a retired number by Pitt, and he's one of the few members of both the College Football and Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Arizona Cardinals selected him No. 3 overall in the 2004 NFL draft, and the rest is history.
Luke Kuechly
Kuechly was a monster down the middle in both college and the NFL. With the ACC's Boston College Eagles, he put up a legendary three-year career (2009-11). He finished with 532 combined tackles, 35.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, seven interceptions, two pick-sixes, and two forced fumbles. His 110 solo tackles in 2010 and 107 in 2011 led the nation in those seasons.
Kuechly was a consensus All-American in 2010 and a unanimous All-American in 2011. He won the 2011 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, the 2011 Butkus Award, the 2011 Lott Trophy, and the 2011 Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
His No. 40 is retired by Boston College, and he's a part of the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was selected No. 9 overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2012 NFL draft.
Adam Vinatieri
Vinatieri's collegiate background is like that of a few Pro Football Hall of Famers. He was a member of the South Dakota State Jackrabbits of the Football Championship Subdivision.
Vinatieri was a four-season kicker and punter with the university (1991-94). He finished with 195 points, the most in South Dakota State at the time of his graduation. He also made 27 career field goals and 104 career extra points.
As a result, he went undrafted in the 1995 NFL draft, first catching on with the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe before signing with the New England Patriots.
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: How every 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee performed in college
