2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame class: Warren Sapp, a first-ballot Canton inductee

It was a busy night for the NFL on Saturday.

On the evening before Super Bowl XLVII, the league held NFL awards as well as introducing this year's class of Hall of Fame inductees. It was a competitive class of names, but at the end of the day, only seven made the final cut. It was a strong year for modern era players and guys in the trenches.

One individual who fit both categories was former NFL defensive lineman Warren Sapp.

Congratulations to Warren Sapp on being elected into Pro Football Hall of Fame. It is well deserved and I am very proud of him

— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) February 3, 2013

As a pro, Sapp made his name playing in Florida and California, representing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders. He was one of the fiercest and most productive interior linemen to ever play the game. Sapp was one of many successful NFL players to hail from the University of Miami.

In fact, two fellow alumni, including one former teammate, will be representing in this year's Super Bowl. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, also Miami Hurricanes and expected first-ballot Hall of Famers, will vie for a Lombardi Trophy on Super Bowl Sunday.

Given his great tutelage and environment coming up through the ranks, it seems that Warren Sapp was always in a position to succeed.