Pair of Former Tigers Named to 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot
A pair of Missouri Tiger legends have found themselves on the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot, looking to become the 14th and 15th Tigers inducted and the first since former coach Gary Pinkel in 2002.
Jeremy Maclin and Justin Smith are the two Tigers on the ballot for the 2023 class, as the two were absolutely electric while in college, providing excitement for Tigers fans on any given Saturday.
Maclin came in as a freshman and was instantly successful, becoming one of the most exciting players to watch in college football. He would set the NCAA record for all-purpose yards by a freshman in 2007, racking up 2,776 yards to go with 16 touchdowns which earned him consensus All-American honors.
Not to be labeled a one-hit-wonder, Maclin would follow that up with a second consensus All-American selection in 2008. He would haul in 102 receptions for 1,260 yards and 13 touchdowns, all of which were school records while leading the nation in all-purpose yards.
Smith was just as dominant as Maclin, doing so on the defensive side of the ball. As a freshman in 1998, he would start every game, the first freshman to do so in more than a decade.
He would be named a 2000 All-American, finishing his career with a then school-record 22 1/2 sacks and 50 career tackles for loss, which is the Missouri record to this day.
Maclin and Smith will have to wait and see if they make the Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 class, but there is no doubt the duo are two of the most electric Tigers players of recent memory.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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