Luke Kuechly was a two-time consensus All-American at Boston College and the ninth overall pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2012. He led the NFL in tackles as a rookie and was the 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year, then in 2013 became the youngest winner of the AP Defensive Player of the Year award. He played eight seasons, all with Carolina, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026.