Las Vegas — Former University of Florida offensive tackle Lomas Brown was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame Tuesday during the 63rd National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinners in Las Vegas.
A member of the 2020 class, Brown became the 12th overall Gator and the ninth Florida player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
The anchor of the Gators' offensive line known as "The Great Wall of Florida," Lomas Brown remains one of the most dominant blockers in SEC history.
A consensus First Team All-American in 1984, Brown received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy that season as the SEC's top blocker. The senior team captain was a two-time All-SEC selection, earning first team honors in 1984 after taking home second team laurels in 1983. During his stellar 1984 campaign, Brown guided Florida to nine consecutive wins to finish the season 9-1-1 while anchoring an offense that helped three different backs each gain nearly 700 rushing yards.
Florida's Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1983, Brown led the Gators to three-straight bowl berths, including a win in the 1983 Gator Bowl. He started 31 of his last 33 games, guiding Florida to top 10 national rankings in 1983 (No. 6) and 1984 (No. 3). The Gators beat in-state rival Florida State all four years Brown was in Gainesville, and he capped his stellar collegiate career by playing in both the Hula and Senior bowls.
A member of the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame, Brown played for the Gators alongside fellow College Football Hall of Famer Wilber Marshall.
The sixth overall pick by the Detroit Lions in the 1985 NFL Draft, Brown played 18 seasons in the pros with the Lions (1985-95), Arizona Cardinals (1996-98), Cleveland Browns (1999), New York Giants (2000- 01) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002). The seven-time Pro Bowl selection appeared in two Super Bowls, retiring on a high note after helping the Buccaneers win Super Bowl XXXVII. Brown returned to Florida during the NFL offseason to complete his bachelor's degree in 1996.
This year's NFF Annual Dinner featured the induction for the 2020 College Football Hall of Fame Class, which was delayed due to COVID, and the 2021 College Football Hall of Fame Class; in addition to the presentation of the 2021 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments and the bestowing of the 32nd NFF William V. Campbell Trophy to the nation's top football scholar-athlete.
Florida's College Football Hall of Fame Members
| Players |
Position |
Years at UF |
Induction Year |
| Dale Van Sickel |
E |
1927-29 |
1975 |
| Steve Spurrier |
QB |
1964-66 |
1986 |
| Jack Youngblood |
DE |
1968-70 |
1992 |
| Emmitt Smith |
RB |
1987-89 |
2006 |
| Wilber Marshall |
LB |
1980-83 |
2008 |
| Carlos Alvarez |
WR |
1967-71 |
2011 |
| Danny Wuerffel |
QB |
1993-96 |
2013 |
| Wes Chandler |
WR |
1974-77 |
2015 |
| Lomas Brown |
OT |
1981-84 |
2020 |
|
|
|
|
| Coaches |
Years at UF |
Induction Year |
|
| Charles Bachman |
1928-32 |
1978 |
|
| Ray Graves |
1960-69 |
1990 |
|
| Doug Dickey |
1970-78 |
2003 |
|
| Steve Spurrier |
1990-2001 |
2017 |
|
