Former Clemson safety Brian Dawkins is one of Hall of Fame inductees, record setters and NFL standouts highlight the 2019 Atlantic Coast Conference Football Legends class announced on Wednesday.
Besides Dawkins, the 14-member group of honorees includes Boston College’s Joe Nash, Duke’s Chris Port, Florida State’s Ron Sellers, Georgia Tech’s Derrick Morgan, Louisville’s Deion Branch, Miami’s Bernie Kosar, North Carolina’s Julius Peppers, NC State’s Nate Irving, Pitt’s Rickey Jackson, Syracuse’s Joe Morris, Virginia’s Don Majkowski, Virginia Tech’s DeAngelo Hall and Wake Forest’s Bob McCeary.
Dawkins was a second-team All-American by the Associated Press and The Sporting News after his senior year. He was a a second-team All-ACC defensive back in 1993 and 1994 and a first-team selection as a senior in 1995. He tied a Clemson record with three interceptions against Duke in 1995. All three picks came in one quarter, and he remains the only Clemson player ever to have three interceptions in a single quarter.
Dawkins finished his career with 15 takeaways – 11 interceptions and four fumble recoveries. He also registered 251 total tackles in 46 games.
The former Tiger entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame after a 16-year NFL career with Philadelphia and Denver where he was a 9-time Pro Bowler had 1,131 tackles 37 interceptions, 26 sacks, 120 pass deflections, 36 forced fumbles and 19 fumble recoveries in 224 career NFL games (221 starts).
This year’s class will be honored during the ACC Night of Legends presented by the Charlotte Sports Foundation at the Charlotte Convention Center, on Friday, Dec. 6, and during the on-field pregame festivities at the 15th annual ACC Football Championship Game, set for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.