Trailblazers, champions and hometown heroes underline Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025

The Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 represents the fourth group of inductees since the hall’s inaugural 2022 class and welcomes in an exceptional collection of trailblazers, state champions and homegrown heroes that spans across the decades and throughout Georgia’s gridiron landscape. The GHSFHOF Board of Directors worked from a 100-player ballot to select this year’s inductees and the automatic induction of Sterling Sharpe—who became the 10th Pro Football Hall of Famer from the state of Georgia this year—rounds out this year’s 33-member class. Sharpe, his brother Shannon (Glennville), Fran Tarkenton (Athens), Calvin Johnson (Sandy Creek), Champ Bailey (Charlton County), Mel Blount (Lyons), Richard Dent (Murphy), Ray Guy (Thomson), Jim Parker (Ballard Hudson) and Rayfield Wright (Fairmont) are the 10 Pro Football Hall of Famers that have been automatically inducted.

Board members of the Hall of Fame began submitting nominees for the Hall’s fourth class in early spring and then held committee votes before the final ballot was narrowed down to the finalists in mid-March. Once the ballot was set, each board member was required to vote for 32 players that spanned across these eras (Pre-1948, 1948-59, 1960s, GIA, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s). The top two from each era were guaranteed spots, but neither requirement factored in and the top 32 vote-getters ultimately formed the class.

TIME TO SHINE

The 33 inductees range in eras from the early 1920’s all the way to 2010. Washington-Wilkes’ Tom Nash (1923), Tech’s Johnny “Stumpy” Thomason (1925) and Albany’s Jack “The Ripper” Roberts (1928) were all nominees on previous ballots that earned inductions this year. Nash and Thomason were both three-time nominees and Roberts was voted in while making his debut on the ballot last year. In total, there were five players that got inducted this year that have appeared on every ballot since the inaugural year. This group includes LaGrange’s Jimmy Burson (1959), Southwest Atlanta’s Reggie Wilkes (1974), Laney’s Chip Banks (1978), Valdosta’s Coleman Rudolph (1989) and Americus’ Fabian Walker (1999). Rudolph is one of seven former Georgia Tech players that are getting inducted in this year’s class and is joined by father Jack Rudolph—a 1955 graduate from Grady that was a first-time nominee and selection.

Valdosta’s Stan Bounds (1972) and Worth County’s Robert Toomer (1992) join Nash and Thomason as three-time nominees that earned inductions this season. Roberts, Archer’s Frank Pitts (1961), Brown’s Kim King (1963), Lovett’s Knox Culpepper (1981), Brookwood’s Curt McGill (1997) and Carver-Columbus’ Isaiah Crowell (2011) comprise the six inductees that debuted on the ballot for the first time last year. That leaves a whopping 17 first-time nominees that were inducted this year—a trend that represents the enthusiasm and participation with more than half of this year’s class being first-time nominees.

These first-time nominees include legendary players like Westlake’s Cam Newton (2007)—who became eligible for the ballot for the first time this year after four years had passed since his last NFL season. Newton (2010) is one of four former Heisman Trophy winners that are now in the Hall of Fame—joining Duluth’s George Rogers (1980), Johnson County’s Herschel Walker (1982), and Central-Thomasville’s Charlie Ward (1993).

In addition to Jack Rudolph and Newton, the list of first-time nominees includes East Coweta’s Keith Brooking (1994) and Greene County’s Josh Nesbitt (2007). Brooking, Nesbitt, the Rudolph’s, Thomason, Wilkes and King are the seven former Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets joining the hall this year.

The University of Georgia is also well-represented again this year with a total of 10 former Bulldogs joining the hall. Members of Georgia’s 1980 national championship team include Wayne County’s Lindsay Scott (1978) and Griffin’s Freddie Gilbert (1980) who were first-time nominees, along with current head coach and Bainbridge grad Kirby Smart (1994), Washington County’s Robert Edwards (1993) and Athens’ Paul Gilbert (1966). Nash, Roberts, Culpepper, Crowell and McGill round out the star-powered group of 10 former Bulldogs getting in this year.

Also notable among the new inductees are Dunwoody’s Harris Barton (1982) and Chamblee’s Steve Wallace (1982), two DeKalb County products that went on to become NFL teammates for 10 seasons, starring as bookend tackles and winning three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers. Avondale’s Danny Buggs (1971), Redan’s Chris Gardocki (1988), Butler’s Carlos Rogers (2000), Lowndes’ Greg Reid (2009) and Howard’s Walt Frazier (1963) were all also inducted after debuting on the ballot. Frazier, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, is getting recognized for his outstanding prep career as an all-city selection for his play at quarterback and defensive back. This year’s historic Class of 2025 will also celebrate the first-ever teams to join the Hall of Fame with Valdosta’s 1971 state championship team and Warner Robins’ 1976 state championship team both earning their places after securing mythical national championships and completing perfect seasons with a level of dominance that brightened the spotlight on Georgia High School Football.