National Football Foundation

A former walk-on who turned into a three-year letterman, Spencer Long has become a model student-athlete, earning All-Big Ten honors on the field and in the classroom. The Elkhorn, Neb., native helps Nebraska achieve a record number of NFF National Scholar Athletes with 22 all-time Huskers recognized.

A medical school hopeful, Long has twice earned CoSIDA Academic All-District and Academic All-Big Ten honors. A finalist for the 2013-14 Nebraska Male Student-Athlete of the Year, he has appeared four times on both the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll and the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

The 2011 Nebraska Walk-On of the Year, Long’s contributions earned him senior team captain honors. A Second Team All-American as a junior, he has twice earned All-Big Ten honors, garnering first team honors in 2012 and second team accolades in 2011. A key member of the Cornhuskers offense that led the Big Ten in rushing offense (253.4 ypg) and total offense (460.8 ypg) in 2012, Long helped Nebraska gain an average of 467 yards per game this season before suffering a knee injury in a game against Purdue that will sideline him for the remainder of the year.

An outstanding ambassador in the community, Long has been recognized for his community outreach work, earning a spot on the 2013 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team. A two-year member of the Nebraska chapter of Uplifting Athletes, he volunteers for their road race to raise awareness and funds for pediatric brain cancer. A participant in the Husker Connect Mentoring Program, he also makes time to visit local hospitals while volunteering in Freedom High School’s Buddy for a Day program.

Long was selected in the third round (78th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins and appeared in five games in 2014.