NC State Icon Once Again a Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalist

RALEIGH — For the seventh time, former NC State wide receiver Torry Holt is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He is a member of a loaded list of finalists, including some others with connections to North Carolina, trying to become the latest former Wolfpack player to get a bust in Canton.

It won't be easy for Holt to carve out a spot in the official class of 2026, but being a finalist once again is a good sign for the Wolfpack legend. Will this finally be the year Holt walks on stage in Canton?

The case for Holt

St. Louis Rams wide receiver Torry Holt (88) gets a step on Tennessee Titans defensive back Dainon Sidney (37) to gather in a pass for a touchdown during the third quarter of Super Bowl XXXIV inside the Georgia Dome Jan. 30, 2000. The 9-yard touchdown reception was the first touchdown of the game and gave the Rams a 16-0 lead.Tennessee Titans Vs St Louis Rams In Super Bowl XXXIV Football | Bill Steber / The Tennessean, Nashville Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Before he was a member of the "Greatest Show on Turf" with the St. Louis Rams in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Holt lit up the receiving record books in Raleigh with NC State. The native of Gibsonville, North Carolina, played for the Wolfpack from 1995 to 1998, etching his name on the walls of Carter-Finley Stadium during that time.

His impact wasn't felt until the second and third years of his collegiate career. After scoring four touchdowns total between his freshman and sophomore seasons, Holt finished with 11 and 16 scores in the 1997 and 1998 campaigns with the Wolfpack. He earned ACC Offensive Player and overall Player of the Year honors in his senior year, finishing with 1,604 yards and 16 touchdowns, the most in a season by a Wolfpack receiver.

Oct 31, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack alumni Torry Holt after a game against Clemson at Carter Finley Stadium. Clemson won 56-41. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Holt's No. 81 jersey was retired by the Wolfpack in 1999, after he finished his collegiate journey as NC State's all-time leader in career receiving yards and touchdown receptions. Unfortunately for Holt, none of those statistics help his case for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, although he is already a member of the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

The legendary wide receiver will need to count on his 920 receptions, 13,382 receiving yards, 74 touchdown receptions and seven Pro Bowl appearances in his quest for Canton. Holt was a critical member of one of the NFL's most storied offensive juggernauts in St. Louis, helping the Rams win Super Bowl XXXIV, one of the most epic games in league history.

The finalists for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame: pic.twitter.com/YAFxhMCH1p
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 30, 2025

While Holt's resumé is stuffed to the brim with accolades and milestone statistics, the potency of the rest of the Hall of Fame class might be too much to overcome for the already seven-time finalist. Players like Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore and legendary Carolina Panther Luke Kuechly seem like surefire additions to Canton ahead of Holt.

It doesn't mean a run to Canton is out of the question, but it might be a difficult year for Holt with other talented wideouts like Fitzgerald and Reggie Wayne on the list of finalists. The Wolfpack legend will undoubtedly be in the mix.

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