CHARLOTTE — A pair of Panthers legends were named as part of the latest class of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Former Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers and wide receiver Armanti Edwards were announced as part of the Class of 2024.
This is the latest Hall of Fame recognition for Peppers, and it might not be the last. He was named to the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame two years ago and the Panthers Hall of Honor last year, and he is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year as well.
The Panthers drafted Peppers with the second overall pick in 2002, and his impact here was immediate. He was a two-time All-Decade player and ranks fourth on the NFL's all-time sack list with 159.5.
That came after a stellar two-sport career at the University of North Carolina.
He was a unanimous first-team All-American in 2001 and a Second Team All-American in 2000. He won both the Bednarik Award as the nation's top defensive player and the Lombardi Award as the nation's top lineman in 2001. He was named the 2001 Chevrolet Defensive Player of the Year, finished 10th in the 2001 Heisman Trophy voting, and was a 2001 finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which goes to the nation's top defender.
His career totals also included 177 total tackles, five interceptions, two interceptions returned for touchdowns, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one fumble returned for a touchdown.
He was also a solid basketball player for UNC during a Final Four run, showing his athletic versatility.
Edwards might not have had the same kind of NFL success as Peppers, but he was one of the most electrifying players in college football history.
He was the quarterback at Appalachian State for the historic win at Michigan in 2007 and led the Mountaineers to a pair of FCS national championships during his time in Boone.
He was a four-time First Team All-American (2006-09) and the first two-time winner of the Walter Payton Award (FCS player of the year), leading ASU to four Southern Conference titles.
He had a 42-7 record as a starter for the Mountaineers, amassed 14,753 yards of total offense and 139 total touchdowns, and holds the FCS record for career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback at 65.
He was a third-round pick of the Panthers in 2010, where he was used as a receiver and a punt returner. He also played in the CFL for six seasons and won a Grey Cup in 2017 with the Toronto Argonauts.
The 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 10, 2024, at Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
They're the latest Panthers legends to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame after former linebacker Dan Morgan was named in 2022 and former linebacker Luke Kuechly and running back DeAngelo Williams last year.
