Former Appalachian State and NFL linebacker Dexter Coakley has officially been selected for induction into the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025, adding another milestone to a legendary football career.
A native of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and a graduate of Wando High School, Coakley built one of the most dominant defensive résumés in college football history during his time at Appalachian State from 1993 to 1996. His impact on the Mountaineers program remains unmatched, with his No. 32 jersey retired in Boone in recognition of his extraordinary achievements.
Coakley was a three-time first-team All-American and a two-time Buck Buchanan Award winner, honoring him as the top defensive player in FCS football. He finished his college career as Appalachian State’s all-time leading tackler with 616 total tackles, including 166 stops during his senior season in 1996, a year in which he earned his third Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year award.
Beyond individual accolades, Coakley helped lead Appalachian State to 32 victories, highlighted by an undefeated 11–0 regular season in 1995. He set or tied six school records and remains the program’s career leader in solo tackles, games with double-digit tackles, and 20-tackle performances.
His success continued at the professional level after being selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft. Coakley went on to play 10 seasons in the NFL, earning three Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro honors before finishing his career with the St. Louis Rams.
Already enshrined in the App State Athletics Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame, and the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, Coakley now adds the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame to his list of honors, further cementing his legacy as one of the state’s greatest football players.
