Willie Roaf

Bio

In high school, future Louisiana Tech offensive tackle Willie Roaf was a two-sport star who was also offered basketball scholarships. The mobility he showed on the hardwood helped make Roaf a standout on the gridiron. When he entered Tech he weighed 225 pounds, but quickly grew into his 290-pound frame. Even though Louisiana Tech had just recently moved up to the Division I-A (FBS) level, they more than held their own against SEC schools and teams from other major conferences. Roaf’s sophomore season, Tech tied Maryland in the Independence Bowl and in 1991 went 8-1-2. Willie was named a consensus All-America as a senior and was a finalist for the Outland Trophy. The eighth overall pick by the New Orleans Saints in the 1993 NFL Draft, Roaf enjoyed a highly-decorated 13-year career with the Saints and Kansas City Chiefs, culminating with his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012. An 11-time Pro Bowl selection, he is a member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. His father went to Michigan State on a football scholarship and became a dentist while his mother made history as the first African-American woman to serve on the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Career Highlights

• 1992 Consenus All-America