Tyrone Braxton - CB, North Dakota State, 1983-1986 - One of the storied names in North Dakota State football history, Braxton was a first-team All-North Central Conference football selection at cornerback as a senior in 1986 and a two-year starter for the Bison. He played on three NCAA national champion teams at NDSU (1983, 1985 and 1986) and one national runner-up club (1984). He charted over 130 career tackles, intercepted nine passes, and broke up more than 25 passes over 40 career regular-season games and 12 NCAA playoff games. He set and still holds the career record for kickoff returns, averaging 28.6 yards per return, and was third in career punt returns with a 10.1 yards-per-return average when his career concluded. He ran back the opening kickoff in the 1985 national championship game 73 yards to set up a touchdown and set the tone for a 35-7 Bison win over North Alabama. His 84-yard punt return for a touchdown in the 1986 national title game against South Dakota sealed that 27-7 victory for NDSU. He was a star for the Bison on the track as a member of the 1986 North Central Conference 400-meter relay championship team...He was a four-time conference placewinner in track and field in the long and triple jumps, finishing as NCC runner-up in both the indoor and outdoor long jumps in 1986.

NFL Highlights - 1988: Played in all 16 games, as a reserve defensive back and a special teams player ... Made 49 tackles and two interceptions. 1989: Made the switch to cornerback with no problems ... Made his first NFL start in the season-opener and went on to start every game that year ... Intercepted a pass on Kansas City's first play from scrimmage in the season opener, returning it 34 yards for a touchdown ... Made six interceptions, tops on the Broncos and sixth in the AFC ... Made 111 tackles on the year. 1991: Returned from a knee injury the previous year to play in all 16 games, starting 15 ... Intercepted a pass in his first game back, the season-opener ... Made 14 tackles and intercepted a pass in the AFC Championship Game. 1992: Recorded 99 tackles ... Made 11 stops against San Diego on Sept. 13, along with four passes. 1993: Finished second on the team with 111 tackles, tying a career-high ... Led the team with 19 passes ... Started all 16 games. 1996: Tyrone led the NFL with 9 interceptions (a career high) which earned him a spot on the Pro Bowl squad... He returned the nine interceptions for a total of 128 yards including 1 touchdown... He also recovered one fumble that was returned for 20 yards.
One of Denver's fan favorites, Braxton played 12 seasons for the Broncos, with a one-season hiatus in 1994 when he played for the Dolphins. He made key plays in both of the Broncos Super Bowl victories when he made a first quarter interception against the Packers in Super Bowl XXXII while recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXXIII against Atlanta. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 1996 as well as first-team All-NFL honors from Football News and second-team All-AFC from UPI.

Personal Info - After 13 seasons in the NFL, Tyrone Braxton decided to call it a career after the 1999 season. Braxton now enjoys a life where he can spend more time with his family as well as keep busy by working with the Rexall Corporation and his trucking company, KRSK Transportation. Despite the two positions, the former safety is also enjoying the time he now has to spend with his family. Braxton and his wife Elizabeth have two children, Chloe and Tyrone Jr., or T.J.

Lamar Gordon - RB, North Dakota State, 1998-2001 - Slashing runner who can run with power but also has explosive breakaway speed...can go the distance from anywhere on the field...finished as top rusher in school history (game, season, and career) and as one of the top ball carriers in both North Central Conference history and NCAA Division II history...ended college career with 4,700 yards rushing and 62 rushing touchdowns...ran for at least 100 yards 31 times in last 37 games and ran for at least 200 yards four times...consensus first team all-America in 2000 finished third in the voting for the Harlon Hill Trophy as the nation's best Division II player in 2000.

College Highlights - Senior: Led Bison in rushing with 780 yards on 129 rushing attempts and scored 10 touchdowns despite missing most of four games with ankle injury...recorded five receptions for 66 yards and one touchdown...ran for more than 100 yards five times, including 200 yards and three touchdowns against South Dakota; also returned kicks, bringing back four kickoffs for 101 yards and 25.2 average; played in Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Junior: Consensus first team all-America, by five different sources (Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, Football Gazette, Daktronics, and D2Football.com)...rushed for school record 1,727 yards and scored 22 touchdowns...added 14 receptions for 163 yards and one touchdown...averaged 6.7 yards per carry and topped the 200-yard rushing mark three times and was over the century mark 10 of 11 regular season games...ran for school-record 260 yards vs. South Dakota, scoring four touchdowns. Sophomore: Rushed for more than 100 yards nine times in 11 games rushed for 1,495 yards, averaging 5.8 yards per carry and scored 22 touchdowns scored at least two touchdowns in eight games including four in season opener against Ferris State caught 15 passes for 114 yards. Freshman: Named second team all-NCC; started at running back over final half of the season, finishing with four consecutive 100-yard running performances...led team in rushing with 698 yards on 139 carries and scored eight touchdowns...caught 10 passes for 119 yards.

Personal Info - Born Lamar Deshawn Gordon in Milwaukee, Wisc...prepped at Cudahy High in Milwaukee, where he was two-time all-conference player and first team all-state performer as senior ran for more than 1,100 yards as junior with 28 touchdowns and followed that up with 1,500 yards and 34 touchdowns as senior, averaging 9.4 yards per carry...played safety on defense...hauled in 15 passes for 314 yards and four touchdowns...placed in both the 100 and 200 meters in Wisconsin state track meet as senior...business administration major.

Phil Hansen - DE, North Dakota State, 1987-90 - Phil Hansen earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics ( 3.08 grade point average) from NDSU in 1990. Hansen was a defensive end for the National Football League's Buffalo Bills. Hansen ended his rookie year in 1991 with several honors and was named to All-Rookie teams by Pro Football Writers, Football News and Football Digest. He was named to the Sports Illustrated All-Pro team in 1996 with 132 tackles for the season, a Bills record for tackles by a defensive lineman. Hansen has played in three Super Bowls and was team co-captain for the 2000 season.

Pro Career - A steady and solid LDE who has developed into one of the top defensive linemen in the NFL. With 50.5 career sacks, is just the third Bills player ever to amass 50 or more with the team. Was drafted in the second round of the 1991 draft (54th pick overall) by the Bills. 1999 - Started 14 games at LDE (missed two due to injury) and finished the year with 89 total tackles and 58 solos to lead all Bills defensive linemen. 1998 - Started all 15 games in which he played at LDE. Finished second on the team with 7.5 sacks and ranked 5th with 98 total tackles. Was selected as the teams Co-Unsung Hero by the Monday Quarterback Club (along with Sam Gash). 1997 - Started all 16 games for the fourth straight season...his 122 tackles tied for second best on the team...combined with Bruce Smith on a huge play in win vs. Det. (10/5) when they tackled Barry Sanders in the end zone for a safety that gave the Bills a 15-13 lead with 2:12 to play...recorded a season high in sacks when he dumped John Elway twice vs. Den. (10/26)...also had a season-high 11 tackles against the Broncos...earned Miller Lite Player of the Game honors after notching 10 tackles vs. NE(11/9)... 1996 - Was named to the All-Pro team by Sports Illustrated...his 132 tackles set a Bills record for most tackles in a season by a defensive lineman...he and Bruce Smith combined for 21.5 sacks, ranking fourth in the league among sacking duos. 1995 - Finished third on the team in recording a career high 10 sacks...registered his first 100+ tackle performance...teamed with Bryce Paup and Bruce Smith to form the top sacking trio in '95 with 38 sacks (Paup 17.5, Smith 10.5). 1994 - Finished second on squad in sacks with 5.5 and third in QB Pressures with 10...was also second in forced fumbles (2) for the defensive unit...blocked a FG attempt vs. the Colts (12/24). 1993 - Suffered a sprained foot at Dallas (9/12) and missed the next 5 games...made 2 sacks at Pittsburgh (11/15)...returned to the starting lineup at Indy (11/21)...blocked his first FG vs. Raiders (12/5). 1992 - Posted some very impressive numbers in his first season as a full-time starter at left defensive tackle...finished 2nd in team sacks with 8...tied for passes defensed lead among defensive linemen with 3...ended the regular season with a streak of 6 consecutive games with a sack, tying Bruce Smith's team record from '86...batted a Dan Marino pass skyward before snatching it out of the air for a key INT in the championship game (1/17). 1991 - Capped off his rookie year with accolades including being named to All-Rookie teams by Pro Football Writers, Football News and Football Digest...of the 12 defensive linemen drafted in front of him, only Green Bay's Esera Tuaolo made more starts (Tuaolo-16, Hansen-10).

College Highlights - Named Small College Defensive Lineman of the Year by the NFL Draft Report...picked as All-America first team by Football Gazette in junior and senior years at North Dakota State...recorded a sack in every game but one in his senior year and led the team in passes defensed (17) his junior year.

Jeff Bentrim - QB, North Dakota State, 1983-86 - It seemed obvious to the Bison Insider staff....there was only one player for the inaugural edition of Bison Legacy. Although many great football players make up the legacy of NDSU Bison football, Jeff Bentrim arguably was the best ever....

Bentrim quarterbacked the North Dakota State Bison to four straight NCAA Division II title games, winning three while compiling a remarkable 47-5-1 record. Bentrim became the first player in NCAA history to lead his division in scoring three consecutive years, and in his senior season, he was named the first winner of the first Harlon Hill Trophy as the nation's best NCAA Division II player. As a senior, Bentrim surpassed Walter Payton's career rushing touchdown mark with 64. He left NDSU with all-time school records in rushing, total offense and scoring. Bentrim went on to play four years in the Canadian Football League (Saskatchewan Roughriders - Grey Cup Championship - 1989), and when it came time for the NCAA to pick its Division II Football Team of the Quarter Century, he was the leading vote-getter at the quarterback position. Jeff is a member of the NDSU Hall of Fame, a 2001 inductee.

He is currently in the medical sales field. Jeff and his wife Angela, have one daughter and live in a suburb of Houston,Texas.