CINCINNATI (AP/WKRC) - Several former Bengals players are among the 78 from major college football teams who are on the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021 that was released on Tuesday.
The former Bengals on the ballot are:
- Quarterback Carson Palmer (USC)
- Running back Eric Bieniemy (Colorado)
- Safety David Fulcher (Arizona State)
- Cornerback Ashley Ambrose (Mississippi Valley State) - Divisional candidate
- Defensive lineman Bill Kollar (Montana State) - Divisional candidate
Also on the ballot in the Divisional category is running back Markus Thomas, who played at Princeton High School before he went on to a standout career at Eastern Kentucky University.
Among other players on the major college ballot are former University of Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch and three former Ohio State standouts: defensive back Mike Doss; linebacker James Laurinaitis and offensive tackle Chris Ward.
Georgia cornerback Champ Bailey, Syracuse defensive end Dwight Freeney and Kansas State running back Darren Sproles will appear on the ballot for the first time.
The National Football Foundation on Tuesday announced the 78 players and seven coaches from major college football who are up for selection to the Atlanta-based Hall of Fame. There also are 99 players and 33 coaches from outside the highest level of college football eligible for induction (in the Divisional category).
The College Hall of Fame class of 2021 will be announced early next year.
Bailey was the Nagurski Award winner as the nation's best defensive player in 1998, while also playing receiver and returning kicks for the Bulldogs.
Freeney holds the NCAA record for career sacks per game at 1.61 and was co-Big East defensive player of the year in 2001 for Syracuse.
Sproles finished fifth in Heisman voting in 2003 for the Wildcats.
Among the other notable players on the ballot for the first time are kickers Sebastian Janikowski of Florida State and Luis Zendejas of Arizona State and quarterback Ken Dorsey from Miami. Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops is also up for induction for the first time.
The ballot was sent to more than 12,000 National Football Foundation members. Votes will be tabulated and then the NFF honors court will select the class of 2021 from the top vote-getters.