National Football Foundation

A walk-on wonder, Joaquin Gonzalez followed his football dreams while maintaining a healthy outlook on the opportunities that football provided. His balanced perspective, coupled with his natural talents and a strong work ethic, led him to twice being named a First Team All-American while tallying an impressive 3.48 cumulative GPA.

The first offensive lineman in Big East history to be named Rookie of the Year, he became an integral part of arguably some of the best offensive lines in college football history. In 2000, the Hurricane offensive line allowed only two sacks, and the team finished 11-1 with a No. 2 final ranking after beating Florida, 37-20, in the Sugar Bowl. The following year, defenders only accumulated three sacks as an undefeated Miami marched to the national championship with a 37-14 victory against Nebraska in the Rose Bowl. The 2001 team recorded the largest average margin of victory (33.2 points per game) in UM history.

A four-time All-Big East performer, he matched his performance on the field by being named a four-time Big East Academic All-Conference selection. The 6-foot-6, 298-pound Dean's List member was also a three-time Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Team member, being named to the First Team in 2000. In addition to his bachelor's degree, he received a master's of business administration in December 2001 from Miami.

A 2002 draft pick by the Cleveland Browns, Gonzalez appeared in 46 games during four years with Cleveland and the Indianapolis Colts. After finishing his NFL career, Gonzalez began working for Tire Group International, where he became president in 2015.