AUBURN, Ala. – After playing strong safety his junior season at Auburn in 2002, Karlos Dansby contemplated making the jump to the NFL before talking with defensive coordinator Gene Chizik.
"He said, 'Look, you can leave early, go to the NFL, make plenty of money," Dansby recalled, "'or you can stay, change your position to linebacker and be a legend.' He said, 'What do you want to do?' I said, 'I want to be a legend.'"
A legend he became.
Auburn's SEC Football Legend in 2019, Dansby was elected Monday to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023.
"To be mentioned among those greats, it's a blessing to be in this position," Dansby said. "Coming from Woodlawn High School, and now among some of the greats to ever play the game."
Chizik's hunch proved correct.
"He said, 'Let's make the transition, get you closer to the ball, and I feel like you'll make 10 times more plays as you're making at strong safety,'" Dansby said. "He said, 'I need you closer to the ball. You understand the game.' He put me in a room with Coach Joe Whitt, and the rest was history."
An All-American in 2003, Dansby made 84 tackles his senior season with 5.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss and four caused fumbles.
"It was already in me," Dansby said. "Coach Whitt primed me and got me ready to play the position."
Drafted by Arizona in the second round in 2004, Dansby played 14 NFL seasons, one of only five players in NFL history with at least 40 career sacks and 20 interceptions.
"It molded me," said Dansby of his time on the Plains. "It gave me the foundation that I needed, not only to survive but to thrive. It takes a lot. Auburn gave me everything I needed."
Dansby attributes his career longevity to mentors like fellow Alabama Sports Hall of Fame member Ronald McKinnon, a desire for continuous improvement, and physical and spiritual health.
"Staying prayed up," he said. "That's No. 1 because one thing about the NFL, it's 100 percent: you're going to get hurt. Your ability to bounce back and get back on the field and treating your body right was tremendous in me being able to make plays. That was the key.
"Being a student of the game, trying to learn every little trick I could. Your cup can never be full. You have to be coachable and want to learn, and you have to know there's more out there to learn. You can't feel like you know it all because when you do that, you're disrespecting the game and the game will disrespect you and get you up out of there."
After an All-State high school career at Woodlawn, the Birmingham native chose Auburn because of the opportunity to experience something new and to compete in the Iron Bowl.
Originally a receiver as a freshman on the Plains, Dansby played defensive end on the scout team in 2000, going against Kendall Simmons in practice each day.
Displaying remarkable versatility, he transitioned first to the secondary, then to linebacker for his standout senior season.
"Kids can't develop like that now," Dansby said. "You've got the portal now. Kids get frustrated that they're not playing the position they want to play. But if you're an athlete, you can play the game.
"They may have four or five receivers in front of you, now you can move to DB because you did it in high school and it's natural. Now you get an opportunity to get on the field and show your talents and your dedication to your craft. It's hard to do that nowadays."
Joining Dansby in the Class of '23 are Karen Mayson Bahnsen, Roman Harper, Larry Kenon, Theo Ratliff, Jackie Sherrill, Gerald Wallace and Roddy White.
A tradition since 1969, the 55th annual induction ceremony and banquet will be held May 13, 2023 at Sheraton Birmingham Hotel. The eight newly elected inductees will bring the total number of hall of famers to 393.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer