Former Alabama LB on the College Football Hall of Fame Ballot

Earlier today, it was announced that former Alabama linebacker EJ Junior was on the ballot for the upcoming College Football Hall of Fame joining the likes of Carson Palmer, Ray Lewis, Vince Young and among others.

Junior was on the ballot last year, however didn't make the 2018 class headlined by former Heisman winner Charles Woodson, Ed Reed, Calvin Johnson, and former coaches Frank Beamer and Mack Brown.

Junior was a part of two national championship teams in 1978 and 1979 and was a SEC Defensive Player of the Year and consensus first-team All-American. He would go to the NFL and become a two-team Pro Bowler. His 39 tackles for loss record at Alabama was broken by Derrick Thomas, who was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

Junior joined The Game with Ryan Fowler to discuss being on the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame.

"It is a very, very high honor to be one of the best that's ever played on that level," Junior said. "This is my third round going through it, I've been nominated twice before and I pray that the third time is a charm."

As he discusses the College Football Hall of Fame, Junior also reflects on the players he's went against that's already in and also the players he's played with that's turned him into a great player.

"When you think about the guys I played with, the guys I played against, the guys that are in there, just looking at some of guys that are on this list, when you see those kind of caliber guys you say 'wow I'm actually being considered with these great players' and it's very humbling," Junior said.

"But even to a bigger degree, I wouldn't be where I was if I wasn't for those guys I played with, so a lot of the credit goes to those players I played with from 1977 through 1980," Junior continued.

"The Barry Krauss, Marty Lyons, Major Ogilvie, Byron Braggs, Don McNeal, Dwight Stephenson, the great coaches like Slyvester Croom, Jeff Rouzie, Bill Oliver, Mal Moore, Coach Bryant. Those men developed me and gave me an opportunity to just do my job and when I did my job, everybody else made me look good."

He also discussed originally not wanting to play for Alabama until his mother got a phone call from "Bear" Bryant, comparisons to Bryant and Nick Saban, and his two national championship seasons.

For Junior's full conversation with Ryan Fowler, make sure you watch the video above the article. For the latest news and breakdown surrounding the Alabama Crimson Tide, tune into The Game with Ryan Fowler weekday afternoons from 2-6 p.m.