DALLAS, April 25, 2007 - The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced today the inaugural NFF National Honor Society, which is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who each maintained a 3.2 GPA or better. A total of 345 players from 195 schools earned recognition as part of the inaugural class. 

"The inaugural class of the Honor Society contains an outstanding group of young men who simply set the standard for excellence on and off the field, and we are proud to showcase their accomplishments as a powerful example of football's unique ability to produce the next generation of great leaders," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "We anticipate that the program will grow dramatically in the coming years, and we project recognizing hundreds of more student-athletes each year as people learn about the qualifications for membership and submit additional nominations." 

The National Honor Society capitalizes on the NFF's current National Scholar-Athlete program, and further strengthens the NFF's leadership role in encouraging academic performance by the student-athletes who play football at the more than 700 college and universities with football programs. 

"It's a privilege to a part of this initiative," said Florida State President and NFF Honor Society National Advisory Committee Co-Chair Dr. T.K. Wetherell. "The NFF's efforts in promoting scholarship are unsurpassed in athletics, and I know that the Honor Society will significantly increase academic performance as coaches use membership as a tool to tap the competitive spirit of their teams and inclusion becomes a point of pride among their players." 

Qualifications for membership in the inaugural NFF National Honor Society include: 

* Being a starter or a significant substitute in one's last year of eligibility at an accredited NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, or an NAIA college or university; 

* Achieving a 3.2 cumulative grade point average throughout entire course of undergraduate study; and 

* Meeting all NCAA-mandated progress towards degree requirements. 

"I had the privilege of being recognized in 1959 as part of the first class of National Scholar-Athletes," said Gilbane, Inc. Chairman & CEO, Paul Choquette, who serves as the NFF Honor Society National Advisory Committee Co-Chair with Wetherell, "It's an honor that I still deeply treasure because I truly believe the lessons learned on the field, combined with academic excellence, translate into success later in life. The NFF National Honor Society greatly expands the number of student-athletes who the NFF will be able to recognize, giving them a similar experience to one I had 50 years ago, which still means a lot to me. I am proud to have played a role in this new initiative." 

The National Honor Society becomes the latest component of the organization's efforts to promote combined athletic and academic success. Launched in 1959, the NFF's National Scholar-Athlete Award program became the first initiative in history to credit a player for his combined academic success, football performance and community leadership. Since its inception, the NFF' National Scholar-Athlete Awards program has awarded $8.3 million to 678 top scholars and community leaders. Currently, the NFF distributes approximately $320,000 a year at the national level through the program to 15 to 17 individuals. Each winner of a National Scholar-Athlete Award receives an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship. 

Upon the death of Vincent dePaul Draddy, a Manhattan College quarterback who served as the NFF Chairman for 19 years, the NFF added the Draddy Trophy to the program. First awarded in 1990, the Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, selects one member of each year's class as the absolute best. The winner of the Draddy receives a total scholarship of $25,000 and a stunning 24-inch, 25-pound bronze trophy. 

As part of the launch, the NFF has established a national advisory committee, including representatives from the seven major conferences, a college president, a conference commissioner, an athletics director, and a Division I-A head football coach. Each one of these representatives provided comprehensive feedback in developing the Honor Society. 

The 2007 NFF Hampshire Honor Society