It's not often you get to enter the same territory as guys like Charles Barkley and Bo Jackson, but that's exactly what's happening for former Alabama lineman Chris Samuels. He is being named to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame for this year's class and spoke about it in an interview with TideSports.com.
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The former All-American, Outland Trophy winner (for best lineman), and No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft has accomplished a lot in his career and even went on to make six Pro Bowls in his decade in the league. However, he says all of those pale in comparison to being named a part of this Hall of Fame class.
"This is probably the highest honor I've ever received. Getting drafted third pick overall was big time. Winning the Outland Trophy as the best lineman in the nation was really big.
"But just being among the best in the hall of fame in the state of Alabama is the highest. I grew up on guys like Bo Jackson and Charles Barkley and Hank Aaron down there where I'm from in Mobile, Ala. Just to be in the same hall as those guys is really big time."
Samuels started 42 games starting in his freshman season and never gave up a quarterback sack while paving the way for Shaun Alexander to run all over SEC defenses from 1996 to 1999. He played for the Washington Redskins in the NFL for his entire career.
Former Duke football coach David Cutcliffe (a Birmingham native) and former Bama running Tyler Brooks were also inducted into the Hall for 2016.
[h/t SEC Country]
