Eric Berry to be inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame class of 2023 will once again feature orange as former Tennessee defensive back Eric Berry will become the 22nd Vol to enter the hall of fame.
The announcement came from the National Football Foundation Monday afternoon.
A native of Fairburn, Georgia and the son of former Vol captain James Berry, Eric arrived in Knoxville in 2007 with plenty of fanfare.
Berry was a high school Parade All-American. The number one ranked player in the state of Georgia. The nation’s top ranked defensive back by every recruiting service. He also was Creekside High School’s starting quarterback.
Berry didn’t disappoint in any way. He started is first college game at Cal in 2007 and finished that year as the SEC defensive freshman of the year. Berry was named a freshman All-American and was a second team all SEC performer.
He had 5 interceptions his freshman year and 222 interception return yards and recorded 86 tackles.
Berry quickly became a fan favorite with chants of Eric Berry on Saturday’s in Neyland Stadium, a music video, and even a Heisman campaign.
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As a sophomore, Berry was only better recording 7 interceptions and logging a national leading 265 years in INT returns.
Berry was a the first player to be named an unanimous All-American since 1990.
In his junior and final season in 2009, Berry was named an unanimous All-American. Berry also won the Jim Thorpe award as the nation’s best defensive back.
Berry finished is career in orange with 245 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 14 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, 494 interception return yards, and 3 of his 14 INT’s were pick-6’s.
Berry was chosen 5th overall in the 2010 draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He was named to the pro-bowl 5 times. He was the 2015 AP comeback player of the year overcoming Hodgkin’s lymphonma. He was also a pro-bowler in that comeback season.
Berry finished his NFL career with 440 tackles and 14 interceptions recording 5 defensive touchdowns in his career.
