Who Will Be State's Next College Football Hall of Famer?

There are several legitimate Wolfpack candidates for future induction into the shrine

Torry Holt became the sixth NC State player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame at a ceremony in New York on Tuesday,

Now that the game-breaking wide receiver has joined record-setting running back Ted Brown, defensive tackle Dennis Byrd, center Jim Ritcher, quarterback Roman Gabriel and halfback Jack McDowall in the prestigious shrine, the question becomes who will be the next Wolfpack Hall of Famer?

Here's a look at the most realistic potential candidates once they become eligible (for those that aren't already):

Mario Williams: A rare combination of strength and quickness, the 6-foot-6, 300-pound defensive end set what was than a school record with 25.5 sacks and 55.5 tackles for loss in just three seasons with the Wolfpack. His 14.5 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss in 2005 are still the best ever by a State player. 

A two-time first-team All-ACC selection, Williams earned first-team All-America honors from Sports Illustrated following his junior season. He then went on to become the first overall pick in the NFL draft when he was taken by the Houston Texans.

Levar Fisher: He might not have as recognizable a name as Williams or some of the others on this list, but his credentials are every bit as legitimate. The 6-1, 238-pound linebacker was a four-year starter for the Wolfpack, finishing his career with a school-record 492 tackles to go along with 12 sacks and nine forced fumbles. His 15.1 tackles per game led the nation in 2000, a performance that earned him recognition oas the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year. He also earned first-team All-ACC and first-team All-American status as a senior in 2001.

Bradley Chubb: All you need to know about Chubb's future Hall of Fame candidacy is that he broke Williams' career marks for both sacks (26) and tackles for loss (60). Chubb could have left school after a standout junior season, but he put off entry into the NFL draft for a year to return for his senior year. He made the decision pay off by recording a career-high 73 tackles, 26 TFLs and 10 sacks while bringing in a haul of postseason awards, including ACC Defensive Player of the Year, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Ted Hendricks Award as the nation's top defensive player, and consensue first-team All-America recognition.

David Amerson: Amerson put together the greatest season ever by an ACC defensive back in 2011 by intercepting 13 passes, the most in conference history and second-most in NCAA history while breaking a school record that had stood since 1938. He returned two of his picks for touchdowns, including one in the Belk Bowl against Louisville, on his way to becoming a consensus first-team All-American and a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top DB. Amerson intercepted five more passes as a junior the following season before declaring early for the NFL draft. He was taken in the second round by the Washington Redskins.

Garrett Bradbury:  The 2018 winner of the Rimington Trophy as the nation's best center and a finalist for the Outland Trophy as college football's top lineman, Bradbury is among the most decorated players in Wolfpack history. He was also a consensus first-team All-America for a senior season in which he played 1,026 snaps, recorded 34 knockdown blocks and didn't allow a sack. Bradbury was taken by the Minnesota Vikings with the 18th overall pick of last spring's NFL draft and has immediately moved into the starting lineup for the Super Bowl contenders.

Terrence Holt: He's a lot more than just Torry's kid brother. Terrence was was a standout free safety who earned first-team All-America honors from the Football Foundation and The Sporting News in 2002. He intercepted four career passes and amassed 315 tackles -- a school record for defensive backs -- but his most memorable talent was blocking kicks. He had an ACC-record 12 of them during his four seasons at State. His eight career blocked field goals is a national record and his four in 2001 tied an NCAA mark.

You'll notice that there's one name conspicuously missing from this list. 

It's Philip Rivers.

Although Rivers is generally acknowledged as the best quarterback in State history and a player who literally rewrote the school record book while amassing 95 touchdowns and 13,484 passing yards -- ranking him second all-time at the time of his graduation -- he is not eligible for Hall of Fame consideration unless the National Football Federation changes its criteria for induction.

That's because Rivers was never a first-team All-American by an organization recognized by the NCAA.

Here are the other requirements for consideration:

◼ A player becomes eligible for consideration 10 years after his last year of intercollegiate football played.

◼ Football achievements are considered first, but the post-football record as a citizen is also weighed.

◼ Players must have played their last year of intercollegiate football within the last 50 years.

◼ The nominee must have ended his professional athletic career prior to the time of the nomination.