Bryant McKinnie talks about entering College Football Hall of Fame

Former Miami offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie received one of the highest honors that could be bestowed on someone when he was named to the College Football Hall of Fame. However, he didn’t realize that was happening when he picked up the phone.

“I was on the ballot I think like once or twice prior and I never knew how you voted,” McKinnie said at Miami Hurricanes Legend Camp. “I thought it was a mistake. I thought somebody trying to tell me I was in the Miami Hall of Fame. I was like, I’m in the Miami Hall of Fame. They were like, no, the Hall of Fame. I clearly wasn’t thinking about the College because I never knew how they operated and then they were, I’m trying to explain you’re in the College Hall of Fame. When was the voting? I never know how to tell people to vote or anything. Then they told me and it announced on a pre-show for the national championship game. I was, oh my god.

“When I first started, I didn’t even think about being in the University of Miami Hall of Fame, let alone overall college. So it was definitely a big shock. I’m looking forward because I go out to Vegas in December for the actual induction. I feel like there’s great players. Dwight Freeney‘s a class member. Mark Richt is, Tim Tebow, Reggie Bush. We have a great class of people. Robert Gallery. Great class that I’m apart of and looking forward to the experience.”

McKinnie played two years at Lackawanna College in Pennsylvania before transferring to Miami, where he spent three years. He redshirted his year before earning the starting left tackle role in 2000 and 2001.

As a senior in 2001, he was a unanimous All-American and winner of the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top interior lineman.

He was drafted with the seventh overall selection in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and played over a decade in the NFL.

2023 College Football Hall of Fame class featuring Bryant McKinnie

Tennessee defensive back Eric Berry 

Kansas State quarterback Michael Bishop 

USC running back Reggie Bush

Lakeland (Wisc.) and Shepherd (W.V.) head coach Monte Cater

Syracuse defensive end Dwight Freeney

Iowa offensive tackle Robert Gallery

Oregon running back LaMichael James

Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson

Georgia Southern, Navy and Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson 

Montana State defensive tackle Bill Kollar 

Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly

Central Michigan head coach Roy Kramer

Missouri wide receiver/kick returner Jeremy Maclin

New Mexico wide receiver Terance Mathis

Miami offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie 

Virginia Tech defensive lineman Corey Moore 

Georgia and Miami head coach Mark Richt 

Notre Dame linebacker Michael Stonebreaker 

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow

Wisconsin defensive back Troy Vincent 

Villanova running back Brian Westbrook 

Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams