Three former Florida Gators – defensive linemen Alex Brown and Brad Culpepper, and wide receiver Percy Harvin – are among the nominees to join the College Football Hall of Fame’s 2026 class, the National Football Foundation (NFF) announced Monday.
The nominees include 79 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 100 players and 35 coaches from the divisional ranks. The voting deadline for the 2026 class is July 1.
Brown, Florida’s all-time sack leader and a two-time All-American, finished his UF career with 33.0 sacks, including a performance of five sacks in a game against Tennessee in 1999. He started each of his final three seasons with the program, and each year he finished as a First Team All-SEC player, in addition to the pair of All-American First Team selections. Furthermore, he was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2001 prior to beginning his professional career.
In the 2002 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears took Brown in the fourth round, and he would go on to play in 143 games over nine seasons, including 123 starts. Upon his retirement in 2010, Brown had tallied 411 tackles, 43.5 quarterback sacks, 43 deflected passes, 17 forced fumbles (12 recovered) and five interceptions.
Following his NFL career, he was inducted into the University of Florida’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012, and both his all-time sack record and season record of 13 sacks remain elusive totals within the Florida football program.
Culpepper, who was previously named to the Hall of Fame ballot in 2024, was named a 1991 consensus First Team All-American, along with being a recipient of the NFF Campbell Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top scholar-athlete. During his career in Gainesville, Culepper was a two-time All-SEC selection while leading the Gators to the program’s first-ever SEC title in 1991.
A native of Tallahassee, Florida, Culpepper starred at Leon High School before signing with the Gators. He was raised by a family of Gators, including his father, Bruce Culpepper, who was a center for the Gators from 1960 to 1962, along with being co-captain of their 1962 Gator Bowl team.
Harvin, who recently celebrated his 37th birthday, was a two-time First Team All-American with the Gators, earning honors at wide receiver (2007) and as an all-purpose player (2008). The dynamic pass-catcher helped Florida to two national championships and two SEC titles while leading the nation in rushing yards per attempt (9.2) in 2007. Harvin was a three-time First Team All-SEC player, and he became the first Gator in history to have 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game, which he registered in UF’s win over Vanderbilt during the 2007 season.
“For more than 65 years, the NFF College Football Hall of Fame has stood as the sport’s ultimate archive, honoring those whose impact on the game still echoes today,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “This year’s ballot carries forward that responsibility, spotlighting individuals who not only excelled on the field but also helped define what college football means to so many.”
The voting deadline for the 2026 class is July 1.
