Former Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant has been added to the ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced.
Bryant is one of 79 players from the FBS included on the ballot for the 2026 class.
A three-year letter winner on the Cowboy football team from 2007-09, Bryant is most remembered for his sensational year as a true sophomore in 2008. That season he was a consensus first team All-American, a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year and a first team All-Big 12 pick as both a receiver and return specialist.
Statistically, Bryant finished in the 2008 national rankings at second in receiving yards with 1,480, second in receiving touchdowns with 19, second in points scored with 128, third in yards per punt return at 17.9 and third in punt return touchdowns with two. He was also a second team honoree on the 2008 Academic All-Big 12 team.
His junior season was cut short, but in three games he caught 17 passes for 323 yards and four touchdowns and he was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated following his two touchdown catches in OSU’s win over No. 13 Georgia.
Bryant’s career numbers at Oklahoma State include 28 games, 147 catches for 2,425 yards (16.49 per catch) and 29 touchdowns, 22 punt returns for 431 yards (19.6 per return) and three touchdowns, six kickoff returns for 143 yards and nine 100-yard receiving games. His career punt return average ranks No. 6 in FBS history among those with at least 20 returns.
Following his outstanding OSU career, Bryant was the first round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 2010 NFL Draft. He went on to set the Dallas franchise records for most career receiving touchdowns (73), most games with two receiving touchdowns (15), consecutive games with receiving touchdown (7) and most games with two receiving touchdowns in a season (4, twice). He was also a three-time Pro Bowl selection, the 2014 NFL receiving touchdown leader and part of the 2010 All-Rookie Team. Bryant played for Dallas from 2010-17, for the Saints 2018 and for the Ravens in 2020.
The 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot was emailed to the more than 12,000 NFF members and NFF Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF’s Honors Court, which will deliberate and select the class. The Honors Court includes an elite and geographically diverse pool of athletic administrators, NFF Hall of Famers and members of the media.
The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on December 8, 2026, at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino, and they will be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute during the 2026 season.
