Tim Tebow, Alex Smith among first-time candidates on new College Football Hall of Fame ballot

ESPN reported that 80 players and nine coaches on the ballot are from the FBS, while the other 96 players and 33 coaches hail from other divisions.

Tebow, who won the Heisman as a sophomore, led Florida to two national championships and set 28 school records. He now serves as a college football analyst after an underwhelming NFL career, which was followed by a failed attempt at becoming a baseball player and an unsuccessful bid to reinvent himself as a tight end. 

Smith led Utah to its first 12-0 season and was an All-American in 2004. The three-time Pro Bowler spent 14 seasons at the NFL level and was the AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2020 when he returned after missing a full year due to a life-threatening infection that developed after surgery on his injured leg. He officially retired from the NFL in 2021.

Players are eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot if they are 10 years removed from their last year of college football and were recognized as a first-team All-American by a reputable organization. Coaches are eligible for the ballot after three seasons or immediately after retirement if they are 70-plus years old, and must have coached at least 100 games and have a .600 winning percentage or better over that time.

Members of the National Football Foundation, as well as current hall of famers, have until June 30 to place their votes. New inductees won't be announced until 2023.