The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Huff, Neil on 2025 ballot for College Football Hall of Fame
06.03.2024 | Football
Former Longhorn DB Michael Huff and OL Dan Neil are part of the ballot for potential inclusion in the 2025 National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame class.
Irving, Texas – Former Texas defensive back Michael Huff (2002-05) and offensive lineman Dan Neil (1993-96) are on the ballot for potential inclusion in the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame class, the National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame announced on Monday. The ballot includes 77 players and nine coaches from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 34 coaches from the NCAA divisional and NAIA ranks.
Longhorn Legends Dan Neil and Michael Huff are on the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame ballot 🤘@NFFNetwork x @cfbhall pic.twitter.com/mCdANwQTCE
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) June 3, 2024
Huff, an Irving, Texas native, was a two-sport athlete for the Longhorns who earned All-Big 12 honors in both football and track and field. Texas' first-ever Thorpe Award winner as the nation's top defensive back in 2005, he capped off a tremendous season and career that year by earning Defensive MVP honors in the Longhorns' thrilling BCS Championship game victory over USC. Best known for his football IQ, pass defending and playmaking skills, Huff's most significant play was the tackle he made on fourth-and-two, late in the National Championship game, that gave Texas the ball for their game-winning drive. He recorded 12 tackles, one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery in helping the Horns secure its first national title in 35 years.
A two-time All-American who earned consensus first-team honors as a senior, Huff was four-year starter for the Longhorns, starting 50 of 51 career games. He was a two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection who recorded 318 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, 44 pass breakups (No. 6 in program history), six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Texas registered a 45-6 record (28-4 in Big 12) in his four seasons, posting at least 10 wins each year and three Top 6 final rankings (1st/2005, 4th/2004, 11th/2003, 6th/2002). He was 3-1 in bowl games, including back-to-back Rose Bowl victories in 2004 and 2005. Huff still holds UT records for single-season (two, in both 2002 and 2003) and career interception returns for touchdowns (four) and career defensive scores (five). His 23.1 yards per interception return in a career is still a Longhorn record and his 162 career interception return yards rank fifth. He also was a special teams standout who blocked three kicks.
In his one season of track, he qualified for the NCAA regional meet with a 10.48 in the 100 meters and ran the lead leg on Texas' 400-meter relay that took second place at the Big 12 Championships. That foursome went on to finish third at the NCAA Midwest Regional meet.
A first-round draft pick (7th overall) of the Oakland Raiders in 2006, Huff played eight NFL seasons, mostly as a versatile player who started at both safety spots and cornerback during his career. He played in 118 career games with 94 starts and posted 446 tackles, 11 interceptions and 55 passes defended. He culminated his career by playing in the Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos in 2013. Huff was tabbed second-team All-Pro in 2010.
Very active in the community both during his time at UT and currently, Huff was recognized by the University of Texas campus group SafeHorns with the Community Impact Award in 2021. The Raiders also named Huff their Walter Payton Man of the Year honoree in 2012 for his community, charity and volunteer efforts.
Huff graduated with a degree in youth and community studies in December 2005 and was enshrined in the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor in 2015. He currently serves as an assistant director of player development.
Neil, a Houston native, was a four-year starter for the Longhorns who played both guard and center. He started all 49 games of his collegiate career, a mark that ranked as the second-longest consecutive starts streak in school history at the time (No. 5 today). Neil was a first-team All-American as both a junior and senior, including consensus honors in 1996 when he was also a finalist for the Outland Trophy and semifinalist for the Lombardi Trophy. He served as a team captain and was the Team MVP as a senior in 1996. He helped Texas win the final Southwest Conference Championship in 1995 and the first-ever Big 12 Championship in 1996 before moving on to the professional ranks.
Neil was a third-round selection of the Denver Broncos in the 1997 NFL Draft and played eight seasons with the franchise. Neil was a starter on both of the Broncos' back-to-back Super Bowl-winning teams in 1998 and 1999. He was enshrined in the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor in 2008.
Texas has been consistently represented with players selected to College Football Hall of Fame enshrinement for quite some time with the latest being linebacker Derrick Johnson, who was inducted with the class of 2023 in December. Others over the past 20 years are defensive lineman Kenneth Sims (2021), quarterback Vince Young (2019), offensive lineman Bob McKay (2017), running back Ricky Williams (2015), defensive back Jerry Gray (2013), defensive tackle Doug English (2011), defensive lineman Steve McMichael (2009), defensive back Jerry Gray (2007), and running back Roosevelt Leaks (2005). Mack Brown went in as a coach in 2018, joining UT coaching legends D.X. Bible (1951) and Darrell Royal (1983). Bobby Layne was the first Longhorn player enshrined in 1968. All told, 25 Longhorns have been selected for induction.
The announcement of the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2025, with specific details to be announced in the future. The Class will be officially inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2025, at the Bellagio Hotel & Resort, and permanently immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.