Alvin Harper

Alvin Craig Harper entered the world on July 6, 1967, in Lake Wales, Florida, before becoming a renowned NFL wide receiver who helped the Dallas Cowboys win two Super Bowl titles. He excelled in multiple sports at Frostproof High School by becoming a USA Today All-American football player and setting the Florida high jump record and performing well in basketball.

During his time at the University of Tennessee Harper accumulated 103 receptions for 1,547 yards and 16 touchdowns while earning First-Team All-SEC honors in 1990 and winning the 1991 Hula Bowl MVP award. He won the SEC indoor high jump championship and participated in relay competitions.

The Cowboys selected Harper as their 12th overall pick during the 1991 NFL Draft where he developed his reputation as a receiver who excelled at long distances. During the Dallas Cowboys' consecutive Super Bowl wins (XXVII, XXVIII) Harper made important contributions to the team by catching a 45-yard touchdown pass from Troy Aikman in Super Bowl XXVII and securing a vital 70-yard reception in the 1992 NFC Championship Game. The 1994 season brought him the league leadership in yards per reception with 24.9.

Harper spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins and New Orleans Saints before returning to the Dallas Cowboys for a brief stint in 1999 which ended his NFL career with 191 receptions and 3,473 yards and 21 touchdowns.

He spent his post-retirement years coaching in NFL Europe with the Rhein Fire and as a volunteer coach at Howard University between 2004 and 2005. The NFL remembers Harper as a legendary player because of his deep-ball ability and athletic skills and his championship-winning experience