National Football Foundation

The anchor of an offensive line in one the nation's most dominant football programs in history, Eric Safran's leadership has led to numerous accolades on and off the field, highlighted by back-to-back Division III National Championship titles for Mount Union College. 

Carrying a Business Administration major, with minors in Mathematics and Economics, Safran is a member of the Tau Pi Phi and Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Fraternities. Named to the First Team ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA All-Academic Team in 2006, he also earned recognition as an All-Ohio Athletic Conference academic performer and registered five semesters on the Mount Union Dean's List. 

A two-year starter for the Purple Raiders, Safran has been instrumental in continuing Mount Union's run at the nation's longest winning streak in college football history (55 games). He was named a First Team All-OAC pick in 2006 and a Second Team All-America selection by d3football.com. Currently ranked No. 1 in the AFCA Division III Coaches' Poll, Mount Union has outscored opponents 395-24 and outpaced rivals by more than 3,000 yards of total offense this season thanks in large part to Safran's efforts. 

A three-year participant in the Raider Buddy Program, the Sagamore Hills, Ohio native dedicates his spare time to mentoring underprivileged elementary school students in the local area. 

Safran is honored as Mount Union's first NFF National Scholar-Athlete winner. He earned his MBA from Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) and is currently a lean manager for The Timken Company, which engineers, manufactures and markets bearings, transmissions, motors, gearboxes, chain and related products, and offers a spectrum of powertrain rebuild and repair services.