Dat Nguyen

September 25, 1975 – Dat Nguyen was a former Texas A&M linebacker who played from 1995 to 1998 at the university. 

According to his bio on footballfoundation.org, Dat is the only player in A&M history to lead the team in tackles for four consecutive seasons. His 1998 season may have been his finest, though, as he won both the Bednarik and the Lombardi Awards, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and was a unanimous First-Team All-American selection.

The Aggies made it to the Cotton Bowl that season, and despite falling to UCLA in the game, Dat earned the Defensive MVP honors as he registered a Cotton Bowl record 15 solo tackles. The Dallas Cowboys picked Day Nguyen in the 3rd round of the 1999 NFL Draft and played seven seasons with the team. In 2003, he became the first Vietnamese American to be named an All-Pro in the NFL.

After his football playing days, he coached as an assistant on both the Cowboys and with A&M, and also hosted a radio talk show. Most recently, he has given back to the community by serving on the Fellowship for Christian Athletes and working with the San Antonio Sports Foundation, focusing on improving playgrounds and facilities at schools. The National Football Foundation selected Dat to enter the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017.