Marietta's Eric Zeier selected as part of inaugural class of Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame

Former Marietta High School quarterback Eric Zeier has been voted in as a member of the inaugural Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame class.

Zeier was the only Cobb County player to earn induction in the Class of 2022. Former Lassiter quarterback Hutson Mason, Kell running back Jonathan Dwyer and McEachern offensive lineman Adam Meadows were also nominated.

The 49-year-old Zeier played at Marietta for two seasons, after his father, Rick, was transferred by the U.S. Army from Germany to Atlanta’s Fort McPherson. Eric Zeier was an all-state honorable mention in 1989 before becoming the all-classification Player of the Year and a Parade All-American in 1990.

Zeier went on to star at Georgia, where he finished his college career in 1994 as a first-team All-American and the Southeastern Conference’s all-time leading passer with 11,153 yards and 67 touchdowns.

A third-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 1995, Zeier spent six years in the NFL with the Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He finished his professional career with 3,520 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Zeier currently serves as the color commentator for the Georgia football team’s radio network.

The inaugural hall of fame class is made up for 45 players, including nine automatic inductees who are already members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame — Calvin Johnson, Champ Bailey, Mel Blount, Richard Dent, Ray Guy, Jim Parker, Shannon Sharpe, Fran Tarkenton and Rayfield Wright.

Of the players who were voted in, former Georgia great and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker was the lone unanimous selection, appearing on all 35 ballots. Stan Rome, Charlie Ward, Garrison Hearst and Jeff Francoeur all tied for the second-most votes with 30. Hines Ward, Eric Berry, William Andrews, Buck Belue and Takeo Spikes were also among the top 10 vote-getters.

Eligibility for the hall required players to be out of high school for at least eight seasons and be retired from football. The inaugural ballot was made up of 100 players, and at least two inductees were selected from each of eight different eras — pre-1950s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and those who played in the Georgia Interscholastic Association, which sanctioned Black schools prior to integration.

“We moved quickly but judiciously on this first class,’’ said IJ Rosenberg of Score Atlanta, who is serving as the hall’s executive director. “The support from a very diverse and knowledgeable board was integral to make sure we not only focused on high school football these last 50 years, but also the pre-1970 era. I think it says something about the sheer number of great high school players in Georgia when only one player (Walker) was on every ballot. Now comes the fun part, celebrating this first class. And this event is not going to be cut off from the everyday high school football fan. We are setting aside a large number of tickets for those that want to come and not only see the ceremony, but also meet some of these great players and their families.’’

The inaugural class will be introduced Oct. 21 at halftime of the Brookwood-Grayson high school football game and inducted the following day at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.