Adrian Peterson Rushes His Way to a Hall of Fame spot

Mcclain Baxley

Last Monday, the National Football Foundation announced the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017.

While most of the country noticed big names like Peyton Manning, Matt Leinart and Steve Spurrier, Georgia Southern fans rejoiced in Adrian Peterson’s election into the Hall of Fame.

Adrian Peterson still holds the NCAA Division-1 all time rushing record with 6,559 regular season yards and was a four-time All American. Almost all of the rushing records Peterson set at GSU still stand including rushing attempts (996), rushing touchdowns (84) and career points scored (524).

GS retired Peterson’s number 3 in his senior year. Peterson led GS to three national championships including back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000 and rushed for at least 100 yards in 48 consecutive games. The only sophomore to ever receive the Walter Payton award, similar to the FBS Heisman trophy, Peterson finished as a top 3 finalist all four years for the coveted award.

Upon graduation, Peterson went to the 2002 NFL draft, where he was drafted by the Chicago Bears and played for them for eight seasons which included a trip to Super Bowl 41 in 2007.

Adrian Peterson joins Tracy Ham as the only Eagles to hold the honor. Other inductees in the class of 2017 are Bob Crable of Notre Dame, Marshall Faulk of San Diego State, Kirk Gibson of Michigan State, Matt Leinart of USC, Peyton Manning of Tennessee, Bob McKay of Texas, Dan Nguyen of Texas A&M, Mike Ruth of Boston College, Brian Urlacher of New Mexico, Danny Ford, Larry Kehres, Steve Spurrier.