Ndamukong Suh’s inclusion on the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame ballot is a moment of long-overdue recognition for one of the most dominant defensive players in college football history. A towering presence on the field and a relentless force in the trenches, Suh’s collegiate career at Nebraska from 2005 to 2009 redefined what it meant to be a defensive lineman.
Suh’s senior season in 2009 is widely regarded as one of the greatest individual defensive campaigns ever. He recorded 85 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, 26 quarterback hurries, 10 pass breakups, and three blocked kicks—all from the interior of the defensive line. His performance in the Big 12 Championship Game against Texas, where he tallied 12 tackles and 4.5 sacks, remains one of the most dominant single-game efforts in recent memory.
That season, Suh became the first defensive player to win the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year Award. He was also the first defensive tackle invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremony since Warren Sapp in 1994, ultimately finishing fourth in the voting—a remarkable feat for a non-offensive player. His 161 first-place votes were the most ever for an interior defensive lineman.
Suh’s trophy case from that year is staggering. He won the Outland Trophy (best interior lineman), the Rotary Lombardi Award (best lineman or linebacker), the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player), and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player). He became just the fifth player in history to sweep both the Bednarik and Nagurski awards in the same season. He was also named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year and the Lott Trophy.
Beyond the accolades, Suh’s impact on Nebraska’s defense was transformative. He led the team in tackles for two consecutive seasons—an almost unheard-of accomplishment for a defensive lineman. His ability to disrupt plays, collapse pockets, and command double teams made him the centerpiece of a defense that ranked among the nation’s best.
After college, Suh was selected second overall in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions and went on to enjoy a 13-year NFL career, earning five All-Pro selections and winning a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But it’s his time in Lincoln that laid the foundation for his legacy.
Now, as a first-time nominee for the College Football Hall of Fame, Suh stands on the brink of immortality. His name joins a ballot that includes 77 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision, but few can match the sheer dominance and impact he brought to the game.
For Nebraska fans and college football historians alike, Suh’s candidacy is more than justified—it’s essential. His legacy is etched in highlight reels, record books, and the memories of every quarterback who tried—and failed—to escape his grasp.
