NFF Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Blake Elliott '03, the standout wide receiver who led Saint John's University to the 2003 NCAA Division III title and ended his career ranked among the receiving leaders in all divisions of college football, was named to the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame made the announcement live during the "College Football Live" program on ESPN.

A 2019 inductee into the SJU J-Club's Hall of Honor, Elliott joins his head coach, SJU's legendary John Gagliardi, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame's 2006 class, college football's all-time wins leader and the namesake of the Gagliardi Trophy, presented annually to the top player in Division III.

"It's incredibly humbling," said Elliott, a three-time All-American, two-time MIAC Player of the Year and the 2003 winner of the Gagliardi Trophy.

"It's still a little hard to believe. But something like this doesn't happen without a lot of other amazing people doing amazing things alongside you. If Saint John's had gone 5-5 every year I played there, none of this would be possible. I was lucky to play with incredibly talented teammates, and to play for a coach like John (Gagliardi), whose own accomplishments got so much deserved attention and acclaim."

Elliott is the first College Football Hall of Fame inductee from the Division III level since John Carroll linebacker London Fletcher – a 16-year veteran of the NFL – earned the honor in 2019.

"I am extremely proud of Blake Elliott and his selection to the College Football Hall of Fame," said current SJU head coach Gary Fasching '81, an assistant on Gagliardi's staff during Elliott's career at SJU from 1999 to 2003.

"Anyone who watched Blake during his career at Saint John's knows he was truly a special football player. No other player in the history of our program impacted a game the way he did. Whether it was catching passes, running the football or returning kicks, every time Blake touched the football, there was the potential for a big play. Blake had tremendous athletic ability and a fiery competitiveness that made him one of the most exciting college football players of all time.

"This is a tremendous honor for Blake and our football program as he joins our legendary coach John Gagliardi in the College Football Hall of Fame. Blake will now take his place among the best to play college football. Our players and coaches congratulate him on this incredible accomplishment."

The 18 first-team All-Americans and four standout coaches who make up the 2025 Class were selected from the national ballot of 77 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 34 coaches from the divisional ranks.

They will be officially inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2025, at Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

The inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Each inductee will receive a custom ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings.

The full 2025 induction class is as follows:

Players
-Montee Ball, RB (2009-12) – Wisconsin 
-Gregg Carr, LB (1981-84) – Auburn 
-Blake Elliott, WR (2000-03) – Saint John's (Minn.) 
-Greg Eslinger, C (2002-05) – Minnesota 
-Terry Hanratty, QB (1966-68) – Notre Dame 
-Graham Harrell, QB (2005-08) – Texas Tech 
-John Henderson, DT (1999-2001) – Tennessee 
-Michael Huff, DB (2002-05) – Texas 
-Jim Kleinsasser, TE (1995-98) – North Dakota 
-Alex Mack, OL (2005-08) – California 
-Terrence Metcalf, OL (1997, 1999-2001) – Mississippi 
-Haloti Ngata, DT (2002, 2004-05) – Oregon 
-Steve Slaton, RB (2005-07) – West Virginia 
-Darrin Smith, LB (1989-92) – Miami (Fla.)
-Michael Strahan, DL (1989-92) – Texas Southern 
-Dennis Thurman, DB (1974-77) – Southern California 
-Michael Vick, QB (1999-2000) – Virginia Tech 
-Ryan Yarborough, WR (1990-93) – Wyoming 

Coaches
-Larry Blakeney – 178-113-1 (61.1%): Troy (1991-2014)
-Larry Korver – 212-77-6 (72.9%): Northwestern, Iowa (1967-94)
-Urban Meyer – 187-32-0 (85.4%): Bowling Green (2001-02); Utah (2003-04); Florida (2005-10); Ohio State (2012-18)
-Nick Saban – 292-71-1 (80.4%): Toledo (1990); Michigan State (1995-99); Louisiana State (2000-04); Alabama (2007-23)



Of the 5.78 million individuals who have played college football since the Princeton-Rutgers game on Nov. 6, 1869, only 1,111 players have earned induction into the College Football Hall of Fame – that's less than two one-hundredths (.0002) of one percent of those who have played the game during the past 155 years. From the coaching ranks, 237 individuals have achieved Hall of Fame distinction.

To be eligible for the ballot, players must have been named a first-team All-American by a major/national selector as recognized and utilized by the NCAA for their consensus All-America teams; played their last year of intercollegiate football at least 10 years prior; played within the last 50 years; and cannot be currently playing professional football.

Elliott – a Melrose Area High School graduate – certainly deserves his spot in that group. He ended his career with three NCAA playoff records, two MIAC records and 29 SJU receiving records. Elliott, who was also a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy in 2002, was invited to play in both the AFCA Aztec Bowl and Hula Bowl following the 2003 season. His NCAA all-divisions record for consecutive games played with a reception (47) was not broken until 2008.

He finished his career second all-time in all NCAA divisions in catches (327) and second in NCAA Division III in touchdown receptions (56). Elliott posted 369 receptions for 4,826 yards and 63 touchdowns in his career, as well as rushing for 744 yards and eight touchdowns on 109 carries (prior to the 2002 season, the NCAA did not recognize playoff-game stats in season or career totals). 

Elliott was just as dangerous on special teams, totaling 3,065 yards and seven touchdowns on 195 returns, kickoff and punt combined.

Elliott and Gagliardi are the only two SJU players or coaches to earn a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame, but John 'Blood' McNally '24 was a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's charter class in 1963.

"Hopefully, this is another opportunity to shine a spotlight on Saint John's and Saint John's football," Elliott said. "To let a larger swath of people see what we see – how special this place truly is.

"To me, that might be the most exciting part of this news. The fact that more people may take a closer look at the amazing environment and institution Saint John's is."