New Orleans Saints legend Roman Harper will be inducted to the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame Class of 2026 and quarterback Tyler Shough has been selected as the Senior Bowl's overall Rookie of the Year.
After appearing in the Senior Bowl in 2006, Harper was drafted by the Saints in the second round (43rd overall) out of Alabama. Harper played in 124 games, 108 starts, over nine seasons (2006-2013, 2016) with the Saints tallying 685 tackles, 52 passes defensed, seven interceptions including one returned for a touchdown, 14 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 17 sacks. The two-time Pro Bowler (2009, 2010) helped the team to a victory in Super Bowl XLIV and was named to the Saints Hall of Fame in 2021.
"Anytime I get inducted into a Hall of Fame, it is an honor and a blessing, and this is one I did not see coming," Harper said. "When I played in this game, I was the angriest I have ever been in my life, and to look back and be enshrined in this game really gives me clarity knowing how far I've come, and how much I've grown as a man and as a person. I am going to cherish this moment, where I can celebrate a time when I was not in a good place mentally, but a time that propelled me into who I am today. That is life, and I am so excited to share this with my family and the people I've met in the Senior Bowl along the way. They have poured so much into to me, and I am honored to be a part of this family."
Shough, who appeared in the 2025 Senior Bowl, was the Saints second round selection (40th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Louisville. In 11 games with nine starts, he completed 221-of-327 passes (67.6 pct.) for 2,384 yards with ten touchdowns, only six interceptions and a 91.3 passer rating, with his 103.3 third down passer rating leading the entire NFL. Shough set team rookie records in virtually every major passing category. Shough's 67.6 completion percentage was the third-highest among qualifying rookies all-time. Shough was also named Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year and a PFWA All-Rookie selection.
The inductees and Rookies of the Year will be honored at the annual Senior Bowl induction ceremony at The Grand Hotel Golf Club & Spa in Point Clear, Alabama on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
