IRVING, Texas – One of the best tight ends in North Dakota history, Jim Kleinsasser (1995-98), was one of 18 players selected to be inducted into the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class, the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Football Hall of Fame announced during ESPN's "College Football Live" on Wednesday afternoon. When the 2025 Class is officially inducted this December, Kleinsasser will become just the second player in UND history to enter the College Football Hall of Fame, joining linebacker Jim LeClair (1970-71), who was inducted into the 1999 College Football Hall of Fame.

Kleinsasser played tight end at North Dakota from 1995-98. He was voted a First Team All-American by three publications in 1998 and was a first team member by two publications in 1997. He also received honorable mention All-America status in 1996. Kleinsasser secured First Team All-North Central Conference honors in 1996, 1997 and 1998 and remains the highest drafted UND player to be selected in the NFL Draft.

In his collegiate career, Kleinsasser hauled in 88 catches for 1,309 yards and averaged 14.8 yards per catch. He finished with 10 receiving touchdowns and also rushed eight times for 91 yards and a score. The Fighting Sioux had an overall record of 32-10 during Kleinsasser's playing days and a conference record of 28-8. He helped North Dakota make the NCAA Division II Playoffs in both 1995 and 1998 and was a member of the 1995 North Central Conference Championship Team. In recognition of his outstanding collegiate performance, Kleinsasser was selected to start in the 1999 Senior Bowl.

In the 1999 NFL Draft, Kleinsasser was drafted 44th overall by the Minnesota Vikings. He played for the Vikings from 1999 to 2011, before retiring at the end of the 2011 season. During his time as a Viking, Kleinsasser led the way for seven of the top eight single-season rushing marks in Vikings history, including Adrian Peterson's team record and then-NFL leading record of 1,760 rushing yards in 2008. Kleinsasser also appeared on USA Today's All-Joe Team in both 2007 and 2008 and was inducted into the University of North Dakota Hall of Fame in 2012.

A total of 22 college football greats were chosen for the 2025 Class: 18 First Team All-America players and four former coaches. They were selected from the national ballot of 77 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 34 coaches from the divisional ranks.

"We are thrilled to announce the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class," said Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer from Mississippi. "Each of these legends ranks among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to adding their incredible accomplishments to those permanently enshrined in the Hall of Fame."

The 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2025, at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

The inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Each inductee will receive a custom ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings.

"We want to thank ESPN for the opportunity to announce the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class on College Football Live today," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Today's announcement shines a light on the accomplishments of some of college football's greatest legends, and we are grateful to everyone who has played a role in today's announcement."

When the 2025 Hall of Fame Class is officially inducted in December, only 1,111 players and 237 coaches will have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame from the nearly 5.78 million who have played or coached the game during the past 155 years. In other words, less than two one-hundredths of a percent (.02%) of the individuals who have played/coached the game have earned this distinction.

2025 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS
PLAYERS

• Montee Ball, RB (2009-12) - University of Wisconsin
• Gregg Carr, LB (1981-84) – Auburn University
• Blake Elliott, WR (2000-03) – Saint John's University (MN)
• Greg Eslinger, C (2002-05) – University of Minnesota
• Terry Hanratty, QB (1966-68) – University of Notre Dame
• Graham Harrell, QB (2005-08) – Texas Tech University
• John Henderson, DT (1999-2001) – University of Tennessee
• Michael Huff, DB (2002-05) – University of Texas
• Jim Kleinsasser, TE (1995-98) – University of North Dakota
• Alex Mack, OL (2005-08) – University of California
• Terrence Metcalf, OL (1997, 1999-2001) – University of Mississippi
• Haloti Ngata, DT (2002, 2004-05) – University of Oregon
• Steve Slaton, RB (2005-07) – West Virginia University
• Darrin Smith, LB (1989-92) – University of Miami
• Michael Strahan, DL (1989-92) – Texas Southern University
• Dennis Thurman, DB (1974-77) – University of Southern California
• Michael Vick, QB (1999-2000) – Virginia Tech
• Ryan Yarborough, WR (1990-93) – University of Wyoming

COACHES

• Larry Blakeney – 178-113-1 (61.1%): Troy University (1991-2014)
• Larry Korver – 212-77-6 (72.9%): Northwestern College [IA] (1967-94)
• Urban Meyer – 187-32-0 (85.4%): Bowling Green State University (2001-02): University of Utah (2003-04); University of Florida (2005-10); Ohio State University (2012-18)
• Nick Saban – 292-71-1 (80.4%): University of Toledo (1990); Michigan State University (1995-99); LSU (2000-04); University of Alabama (2007-23)

2025 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS NOTES
PLAYERS

• 4 unanimous First Team All-Americans (Eslinger, Huff, Slaton, Thurman)
• 7 consensus First Team All-Americans (Ball—2, Carr, Hanratty, Henderson—2, Metcalf, Ngata, Thurman)
• 8 multi-year First Team All-Americans (Ball, Elliott, Eslinger, Henderson, Kleinsasser, Smith, Thurman, Yarborough)
• 8 winners of college football major awards (Ball—Doak Walker, Elliott—Gagliardi Trophy, Eslinger—Outland and Rimington, Harrell—Unitas, Henderson—Outland, Huff—Thorpe, Mack—Campbell, Strahan—I-AA Defensive Player of the Year and Black College Defensive Player of the Year)
• 5 members of national championship teams (Elliott, Hanratty, Huff, Smith—2, Thurman)
• 7 conference players of the year (Ball, Elliott—2, Henderson, Ngata, Smith, Strahan—2, Vick)
• 11 members of conference championship teams (Ball—3, Carr, Elliott—3, Harrell, Huff, Kleinsasser, Mack, Slaton—2, Smith—2, Thurman—2, Vick)
• 8 players who still hold school records (Ball, Elliott, Harrell, Huff, Slaton, Strahan, Vick, Yarborough)
• 9 played for College Football Hall of Fame coaches (Carr—Pat Dye, Elliott—John Gagliardi, Hanratty—Ara Parseghian, Henderson—Phillip Fulmer, Huff—Mack Brown, Ngata—Mike Bellotti, Smith—Dennis Erickson, Thurman—John McKay and John Robinson, Vick—Frank Beamer)
• 5 NFF National Scholar-Athletes (Carr, Eslinger, Harrell, Mack, Smith), including 1 Campbell Trophy recipient (Mack)
• 6 first-round NFL draft picks (Ball, Henderson, Huff, Mack, Ngata, Vick), including 1 first-overall selection (Vick)
• 11 offensive players (Ball, Elliott, Eslinger, Hanratty, Harrell, Kleinsasser, Mack, Metcalf, Slaton, Vick, Yarborough)
• 7 defensive players (Carr, Henderson, Huff, Ngata, Smith, Strahan, Thurman)
• 6 decades represented: 1960s—Hanratty; 1970s—Thurman; 1980s—Carr; 1990s—Kleinsasser, Smith, Strahan, Vick, Yarborough; 2000s—Elliott, Eslinger, Harrell, Henderson, Huff, Mack, Metcalf, Ngata, Slaton; 2010s—Ball
• 2 schools with their first-ever Hall of Fame player (Saint John's [MN]—Elliott, Texas Southern—Strahan)

COACHES

• 12 national championships (Korver—2, Meyer—3 [Florida-2, Ohio State-1], Saban—7 [Alabama-6, LSU-1])
• 28 conference championships (Blakeney—8, Korver—1, Meyer—7, Saban—12)
• 2 coaches with the most wins in school history (Blakeney—Troy, Korver—Northwestern College [IA])
• 63 bowl/postseason appearances (Blakeney—5 bowls and 7 playoff appearances, Korver—11 playoff appearances, Meyer—15 bowls, Saban—25 bowls)
• 156 First Team All-Americans coached (Blakeney—14, Korver—32, Meyer—44, Saban—66)
• 12 conference coach of the year honors (Blakeney—4, Meyer—3, Saban—5)
• 2 schools with their first-ever Hall of Fame coach or player inductee (Northwestern College [IA]—Korver, Troy—Blakeney)

ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE HALL OF FAME
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship, and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters in 47 states, NFF programs include the criteria, selection and induction of members of the NFF College Football Hall of Fame; the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta; Future For Football; I Played; the William V. Campbell Trophy®; the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments; the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation & the Hatchell Cup presented by "The Original" Bob's Steak & Chop House; and a series of programs and initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Bruin Capital, Catapult, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Hampshire Companies, CAA Executive Search, Jostens, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, New York Athletic Club, Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.