Bryan Schwartz - Inducted 2023

Bryan Schwartz was the first NCAA Division II player ever nominated for the Dick Butkus Award, given to college football’s best linebacker. He was a second-round pick, 64th overall, of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1995 NFL Draft. The 6-4, 251-pound Schwartz was the Jaguars’ leading tackler as a rookie. He was named to the NFL all-rookie team and set the Jaguars’ single-season record for tackles. His NFL career was cut short, due to an injury, after five years, all at Jacksonville. He played in 55 NFL games, with 40 starts and 261 career tackles.

At Augustana, Schwartz set the school record for tackles with 128 in a season and 407 in his career. As a senior, he was first-team All-American and North Central Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He was a three-time all-NCC player.

Schwartz graduated from Miller High School in 1990 and was a standout in football, basketball, baseball, and track & field. All-state football player with 90 tackles and eight quarterback sacks as a senior linebacker who also averaged 4.8 yards a carry as a fullback, 19.4 yards as a receiver, and 10 yards as a punt returner. He was the state champion in the shot put and discus and a state runner-up in both. A Mr. Basketball finalist and two-time all-state basketball player, Schwartz averaged 22 points and nine rebounds per game as a senior. He was an outstanding pitcher and hitter who helped Coach Jim Wilbur’s Miller team win the 1988 State B American Legion Baseball Championship.