2 Gator greats nominated for Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 

For two Florida Gators legends, football immortality is within reach. Running back Fred Taylor and offensive tackle Lomas Brown have been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025, the Hall announced Wednesday. The competition is stiff; 167 modern-era players received nominations.

Taylor was a finalist for induction with the previous class.

Taylor, who earned All-SEC and All-American honors at Florida, helped lead the Gators to the 1996 national title. He then went No. 9 overall in the 1998 NFL Draft to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

During his 13-year pro career, Taylor rushed for 11,695 yards and 66 touchdowns — and had 290 receptions for 2,384 yards and eight touchdowns. He was second-team All-Pro in 2007 when he rushed for 1,202 yards.

Fred Taylor was Taylor-Made for success in the NFL after staring for the Florida Gators

All told, Taylor had seven 1,000-yards seasons. He is No. 17 on the NFL’s career rushing list and his 4.6-yards-per carry average is behind only legends Barry Sanders and Jim Brown among NFL players who had more career rushing yards.

Brown generally is considered the greatest offensive lineman in Gators history. As the anchor of the school’s famed “Great Wall of Florida” line, he was a consensus All-American in 1984.

In the NFL, Brown made 251 starts, was first-team All-Pro in 1995, second-team All-Pro in 1989, ’90, ’91 and ’94 and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.

According to the Hall, “In the next step in the selection process, a Screening Committee will reduce the list to 50 (plus ties, if any, for the 50th spot). The results of that reduction will be announced in mid-October.”

Modern-Era nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025

Here’s a list of every nominee from the Pro Football Hall of Fame official website:

*Finalist for the Class of 2024. Underline indicates first year of eligibility. (Players must have last played at least five full seasons ago to be eligible for nomination. Therefore, any individual who last played in 2019 is eligible for the first time in 2025.)

QUARTERBACKS (10): Marc Bulger, Randall Cunningham, Jake Delhomme, Doug Flutie, Rich Gannon, Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, Eli Manning, Steve McNair, Tony Romo.

Florida Gators great Fred Taylor is part of a large RB contingent

RUNNING BACKS (31): Shaun Alexander, Terry Allen, Jamal Anderson, Tiki Barber, Larry Centers, Jamaal Charles, Stephen Davis, Corey Dillon, Warrick Dunn, Charlie Garner, Eddie George, Priest Holmes, Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, Thomas Jones, John Kuhn , Vonta Leach, Dorsey Levens, Jamal Lewis, Marshawn Lynch, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), Glyn Milburn (also WR), Lorenzo Neal, Clinton Portis, Tony Richardson, Robert Smith, Darren Sproles, Fred Taylor*, Chris Warren, Ricky Watters, Ricky Williams.

WIDE RECEIVERS (21): Torry Holt*, Joe Horn, Chad Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Derrick Mason, Herman Moore, Muhsin Muhammad, Jordy Nelson, Andre Rison, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Demaryius Thomas, Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne*, Wes Welker, Roddy White.

TIGHT ENDS (6): Ben Coates, Vernon Davis, Antonio Gates*, Jeremy Shockey, Delanie Walker, Wesley Walls.

Lomas Brown is one of 26 offensive linemen on the initial list

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (26): Willie Anderson* (T), Bruce Armstrong (T/G), Matt Birk (C), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Jahri Evans* (G), Travis Frederick (C), Jordan Gross (T), Ryan Kalil (C), Lincoln Kennedy (T), Olin Kreutz (C), T.J. Lang (G/T), Nick Mangold (C), Logan Mankins (G), Tom Nalen (C), Jeff Saturday (C), Mark Schlereth (G/C), Josh Sitton (G), Chris Snee (G), Joe Staley (T), Dave Szott (G), Brian Waters (G), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G), Marshal Yanda (G).

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (18): John Abraham (DE also LB), Jared Allen* (DE), La’Roi Glover (DT/NT), Casey Hampton (DT/NT), Robert Mathis (DE), Chester McGlockton (DT), Haloti Ngata (DT), Simeon Rice (DE), Clyde Simmons (DE/DT), Neil Smith (DE), Henry Thomas (DT/NT), Justin Tuck (DE), Ted Washington (NT/DT), Vince Wilfork (DT/NT), Jamal Williams (DT/NT), Kevin Williams (DT), Pat Williams (DT).

LINEBACKERS (20): Jessie Armstead, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Cornelius Bennett, Lance Briggs, Keith Brooking, NaVorro Bowman, Tedy Bruschi, Donnie Edwards, James Farrior, London Fletcher, James Harrison, Luke Kuechly, Willie McGinest (also DE), Ken Norton Jr., Julian Peterson, Bill Romanowski, Takeo Spikes, Terrell Suggs, Mike Vrabel, Lee Woodall.

DEFENSIVE BACKS (18): Eric Allen* (CB), Eric Berry (DB), Antoine Bethea (S), Dré Bly (DB), Kam Chancellor (S), Nick Collins (DB), Antonio Cromartie (CB), DeAngelo Hall (DB), Rodney Harrison* (S), Eugene Robinson (DB), Samari Rolle (DB), Allen Rossum (DB), Bob Sanders (S), Aqib Talib (CB), Earl Thomas (S), Charles Tillman (CB), Troy Vincent (CB), Darren Woodson* (S).

PUNTERS/KICKERS (15): David Akers (K), Gary Anderson (K), Darren Bennett (P), Jason Elam (K), Jeff Feagles (P), Jason Hanson (K), John Kasay (K), Sean Landeta (P), Shane Lechler (P), Pat McAfee (P), Brian Moorman (P), Matt Stover (K), Matt Turk (P), Mike Vanderjagt (K), Adam Vinatieri (K).

SPECIAL TEAMS (2): Josh Cribbs (KR/PR also WR), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB).