Former Burbank High and UCLA football star Paul Cameron has been posthumously selected to the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame has announced.
Cameron, who died last month according to UCLA’s sports information department, was the oldest member of the Hall of Fame class.
A 1949 graduate of Burbank, Cameroon played halfback for UCLA from 1951 to 1953. He finished in the top six in the Hesiman Trophy voting. He was sixth in 1952 and third in 1953.
At UCLA, he earned consensus All-America honors in 1953 after leading the Bruins to the 1954 Rose Bowl Game against Michigan State.
He left UCLA as the school’s all-time leader in total offense with 3,332 yards. UCLA retired his jersey No. 34 and he was a charter member of the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame.
He was drafted in the eighth round of the 1954 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He spent one season with the Steelers and later played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.
Cameron’s induction is a surprise, as eligible candidates must have played college football within the last 50 years.
However, he was still elected as he met consideration by the Football Bowl Subdivision and Divisional Veterans Committee as he met the basic requirement of being a First Team All-America requirement. He was not listed on the 78-player ballot for induction.
The class of 2024 is impressive and also includes (in alphabetical order), Justin Blackmon of Oklahoma State, Tim Couch of Kentucky, Warrick Dunn of Florida State, Armanti Edwards of Appalachian State, Deon Figures of Colorado, Larry Fitzgerald of Pittsburgh, Toby Gerhart of Stanford, Dan Hampton of Arkansas, Steve Hutchinson of Michigan, Antonio Langham of Alabama, Randy Moss of Marshall, Julius Peppers of North Carolina, Paul Posluszny of Penn State, Dewey Selmon of Oklahoma, Alex Smith of Utah, Kevin Smith of Texas A&M, Chris Ward of Ohio State and Danny Woodhead of Chadron State.
Coaches Mark Dantonio, Danny Hale and Frank Solich were also selected to the Hall of Fame.
Cameron will be inducted on Dec. 10 when the National Football Foundation holds its 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner presented by Las Vegas at the Bellagio Resort & Casino.
