Given the ages of Gilmore and Patrick Peterson, Ramsey is neck-and-neck with White and Marshon Lattimore as the likely best cornerback in football over the next five years. In Week 9, he led the league with 180 yards receiving, and for the year, hes No. Vander Esch's chances are stronger than his fellow linebacker because he was a first-round pick and made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, while Smith was a second-round pick and didn't make it until his third campaign. While guys like Franco Harris and Champ Bailey managed to make it to the Hall with similar starts to their careers, standouts like Chris Hinton, Ricky Watters and Donovan McNabb have come up short without getting to that next level. Fitzpatrick went from getting benched for the Dolphins in Week 1 to becoming a first-team All-Pro after his arrival in Pittsburgh; another year like 2019 will push him into Watt territory. Even if Hopkins takes a step backward without Deshaun Watson, he's probably just a couple of Pro Bowls from getting in. While Witten, 38, is years removed from his peak, he's going to finish his career with 11 Pro Bowl appearances and two first-team All-Pro nods. The reason Jackson is in this section and Fuller is in the next group is that Jackson has made two Pro Bowls in three seasons while Fuller has two across six years. Will the Dolphins get a veteran QB? White got his just due last season and was named a first-team All-Pro while tying for the league lead in interceptions (six). The Bucs already have the best receiver duo in the NFL in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and the addition of a player like Brown in his prime would make this unit completely unfair. Thomas now has three Pro Bowls and two first-team All-Pro nods in four years, and while there might be some sort of drop-off if Brees retires, the Ohio State product did just fine with Teddy Bridgewater on the field in 2019. Buckner made the Pro Bowl in 2018, but he was otherwise underappreciated during his four seasons in the Bay Area. Gore isn't quite a lock because he has never been a first-team All-Pro or won a Super Bowl, and he has only one top-five finish in a rushing title race (third in 2006). Both are among the all-time leaders in every notable stat at their positions. If Murray breaks out in Year 2, he'll be on the fast track. The former LSU corner was already a star on the field after his 2018 campaign, but getting that first nod is usually tougher than getting invited back. I worry a little about Atkins because he plays in a small market and in an era in which he's second fiddle to a better version of the same player (Aaron Donald), but history suggests Atkins is in. Panthers impressed by Derek Carr visit Likely (70% to 99%): WR DeAndre Hopkins, CB Patrick Peterson. We're in a pass-happy era, but Thomas has more receptions (470) and receiving yards (5,512) than any other players in league history through their first four seasons. Author: Nate Greer. Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens are two of the greatest players to ever catch a football, ranking first and second, respectively, in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in NFL history. In the running (40% to 69%): QB Philip Rivers, G Quenton Nelson, LB Darius Leonard. Gurley was a first-team All-Pro in 2017 and 2018, but he wasn't able to clinch a rushing title and didn't look like his old self last season. Lewan has three Pro Bowls. Work to do (10% to 39%): QB Matthew Stafford, CB Jeff Okudah. Lock (100%): QB Drew Brees. Likely (70% to 99%): OT Jason Peters. That might bode well for Suggs case, especially with the premium placed on pass rushers in the modern NFL. He has made four Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro in 2012, but there are just too many offensive linemen with more impressive rsums who have struggled to get in for Brown to have much of a chance. Many of the modern-era players to whom hes statistically comparable played well into their 30s. What makes Evans production especially impressive is that he entered the league at such a young age. Casey has made five consecutive Pro Bowls, but the Titans were willing to cut him this offseason before trading him for a seventh-round pick, which also seems telling about where they saw his future. 3 pick. Ten years after he retires, we're more likely to look at his two first-team All-Pro nods and forget those times he guessed wrong and gave up touchdowns with the Chiefs and Rams. I addressed this in my MVP column in July. In the running (40% to 69%): C Maurkice Pouncey, LB T.J. Watt. Players with that sort of injury history early in their careers typically don't have the sort of lengthy peak needed to become a Hall of Famer. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Work to do (10% to 39%): RB Derrick Henry, OT Taylor Lewan, DE Vic Beasley Jr., S Kevin Byard. Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon both expect Frank Gore to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but do not see him as a lock to get into Canton. If he can keep this level of play up for three more seasons, Jordan could get in. Its not at all random that hes become a big-time NFL player. Hes No. Finish reading this entire article absolutely FREE in our app. Tom Fears, WR, UCLA, 11th round, 103rd overall: Theyre easily first-ballot selections. In fact, a future Hall of Fame wide receiver recently revealed that Rodgers tried to recruit him over to the Packers. He made only two Pro Bowls with the Cardinals, which was a farce. Rodgers is a three-time All-Pro, a member of the 2010s All-Decade Team and so much more. If McCaffrey can piece together even two more seasons at his 2019 level and add two or three more like his 2018 campaign, that might be enough to make it to the Hall of Fame. you might say Moss, Larry Fitzgerald and DeAndre Hopkins. Larry Fitzgerald won't be suiting up for the Arizona Cardinals for the start of the season, but the future Hall of Fame wide receiver stopped just short Friday of announcing his retirement. Matthew Freedman (@MattFtheOracle) November 4, 2019. Tight ends have relatively short careers, which makes projecting their Hall chances exceedingly difficult. While he has made six Pro Bowls, that's not typically enough for interior linemen to make it into the Hall. Jets, Browns tapped for 2023 NFL Hall of Fame Game originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago. In the running (40% to 69%): QB Deshaun Watson. 1 pick and winning Offensive Rookie of the Year, but that hasn't historically been a helpful combination. . Witten is also the only Hall of Fame candidate on the Raiders' roster. Work to do (10% to 39%): RB Mark Ingram, OT Ronnie Stanley, DE Calais Campbell. Can Baker Mayfield's game be fixed? Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. He joined the Chronicle in January 2015 as the online sports editor. Podcast: Stat superlatives Of all the young receivers, Moss is the only one to accomplish more through the first five seasons of his career. Barr made four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2015 to 2018, but it'll be tough for him to get the first-team All-Pro votes he'll need for Canton without racking up significant sack totals. 2 pick was a four-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro during his five seasons in Detroit. Pro Football Reference Hall of Fame Monitor, Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. In other words, instead of trying to project their chances by guessing what they'll do in the future, I'm looking at what they've done so far, comparing them to players at similar points in their careers, and seeing how often players with those sorts of careers made it into the Hall of Fame. He played 16 seasons, but never led the league in any notable statistical category other than interceptions. The Hall is forgiving of running backs, and Bell's versatility should age well, but he has missed a lot of time through injuries, suspensions and his 2018 holdout. In the running (40% to 69%): RB Christian McCaffrey. We still have no idea how Thomas will perform, but if we look back through history, four of the 32 offensive linemen since 1970 who were drafted with a top-five pick have made it to the Hall of Fame. Complicating things for Johnson is the logjam of candidates at his position. He has made five consecutive Pro Bowls and has three first-team All-Pro nods to go with his Defensive Player of the Year trophy from 2016. Action Network makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Harold Carmichael finished his career with 590 receptions and 79 touchdowns. Where does Evans slot in? He needs only three more years to get to 60,000 passing yards, and if that gets Philip Rivers in, Ryan shouldn't have much trouble. Last season, Thomas became the second wide receiver to win Offensive Player of the Year. Buy Seahawks Tickets. These NFL wide receivers do not count toward our list of 10 worthy Hall of Famers. Since 1980, there have been 23 Modern-Era Wide Receivers honored by the Hall of Fame, with an average Legends Score of 29. Work to do (10% to 39%): LB Tremaine Edmunds. I think Thomas is a prohibitive favorite to get in. Lock (100%): DT Aaron Donald. Cooper has made four Pro Bowls in his first five seasons. I think Rivers probably gets in, but it might take a while. In one of Coach Saban's press conferences, he spoke about some of the questions asked by the players to . Ngakoue has deserved more attention and might get it in a new locale if the Jaguars honor his request and trade the 25-year-old before the season begins. I mentioned the math for quarterbacks in the Bengals section; in Garrett's case, four of 26 non-QBs taken with the first overall pick since the merger have made it to the Hall. He's in line behind guys like Atkins unless the USC product continues to make Pro Bowls deep into his 30s. The only wide receiver from Carmichael's era who had more TD catches was Paul Warfield, who had 85. If a receiver can enter the league and perform well right away at a boyish age, that speaks well for his future as he develops. Often, I'm making an educated guess as to what would get a player in by looking at which accomplishments and plaudits matter more to voters. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Gronkowski dominated at his position, played a key role on four Super Bowl winners, was on the all-2010s team and a first time All-Pro on four occasions. How Antonio Brown is hurting his Hall of Fame future, and what the volatile wide receiver needs to do to fix it Brown's continued off-field distractions have cast doubt on when -- and if -- he . Scouting reports | More draft coverage. Lock (100%): DE J.J. Watt. Likely (70% to 99%): TE Rob Gronkowski. As he enters the league, Young's chances of making the Hall of Fame on draft status alone sneak him into consideration. Rent the Hall. JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Thielen only emerged as a starter after turning 26, which means he would have to play into his late 30s to have a chance at racking up the cumulative stats modern wide receivers will need for enshrinement. Archive: Every podcast from Barnwell . His 2016 season was one of the most impressive years we've ever seen from a quarterback, as he dominated during the regular season and won league MVP. It's not too late to play with friends and family. Lock (100%): TE Jason Witten. Partner with Us Back. . Gore had the misfortune of playing for some bad San Francisco and Indianapolis teams, but his numbers are certainly impressive. Inside linebackers generally need to become Defensive Player of the Year candidates and earn multiple first-team All-Pro appearances to get serious consideration for Canton, but Edmunds is off to a great start. That wide receiver is Detroit Lions great Calvin Johnson. The Hall site draws a distinction, interestingly, between wide receivers and ends. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Running backs mean less than they have in the past, but Terrell Davis just made the Hall for what really amounted to a three-season stretch as the best running back in football. What will define Eric Bieniemy's success? Lock (100%): LB Von Miller. I had Wagner as a lock when I first compiled this list. Work to do (10% to 39%): QB Jared Goff, OT Andrew Whitworth, P Johnny Hekker. I'll do a little bit of projecting here and there, given historical aging curves and what we know about each player's injury history, but this is almost entirely about what each player has done so far. Twelve of the 29 Hall-eligible players who have started their careers with three consecutive Pro Bowl nods have made it to Canton. Edelman's case rests entirely on playoff and Super Bowl production. Aaron Rodgers has had a lack of weapons on the Green Bay Packers The only thing likely to keep him out of Canton is an electorate that habitually underrates interior offensive linemen in favor of an endless stream of running backs. Returning to form and earning a seventh Pro Bowl nod in his first season with the Ravens got Thomas back on track. Elliott has already won two rushing titles across his first four seasons, and that might be enough on its own. Through Week 9 of the 2019 season, Evans has played 85 career games. Heres the top 10 in NFL and AFL history in receiving yardage through 85 games. Kiper's draft grades for every team ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN The one-time tight end has made nine Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro twice. Charley Taylor. Grading the Jamal Adams trade In the running (40% to 69%): QB Dak Prescott, WR Amari Cooper. But history tells us that's a lot to ask. Work to do (10% to 39%): C Alex Mack, DT Grady Jarrett. Both players are on a streak, and their chances depend on keeping that streak going. With three rushing titles, a 2,000-yard season and an MVP award in his trophy room, Peterson will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Guy earned six Pro Bowl nominations and three All-Pro picks before turning 30. He started his career with seven Pro Bowls in seven seasons, which is rarefied air. Reggie Wayne, a Senior Bowl Hall of Famer, prepped Jalen Wayne for what to . But given the relatively small number of modern-era inductees each year a minimum of three and maximum of five now is a good time to look at the ballot in upcoming years and notable players wholl become eligible for election and may impact Johnsons fate with voters. Art Monk<br>1980-1995. If pro football did what hockey used to and waive the waiting period for the likes of Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, it could be argued Brady deserves the same treatment. It's tough to rack up interceptions in the modern NFL, but Peters has 27 since entering the league, nine more than any other player. The former star wide receiver on Thursday was not elected in his second time as a modern-era finalist in as many years of eligibility. Although the Texans struggled through much of his career with the team, the franchise and fans always knew they could rely on him for stellar numbers. If he can follow in Patrick Mahomes' footsteps and win a Super Bowl this year, Jackson will have an impeccable rsum to start his career. I've split players into four groups. Former Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, ex-Giants quarterback Eli Manning, ex-Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs and longtime Patriots/Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri are the notables on the 2025 ballot. In the running (40% to 69%): QB Cam Newton, CB Stephon Gilmore. He doesn't need that sort of individual production to make it to the Hall of Fame, but the guys who made it in without a single first-team All-Pro appearance needed something else. Bakhtiari, likewise, is blocked by Tyron Smith. He has eight Pro Bowl appearances, but he has never been a first-team All-Pro, never really been a viable pick as the best quarterback in football and has a total of four MVP votes across 14 seasons as a starter. 1 min read. More on the Ring of Honor found on the team website. In the running (40% to 69%): QB Lamar Jackson, CB Marcus Peters, K Justin Tucker. Six of the seven men ahead of him are in the Hall, with the exception of Peppers. He ranks seventh all-time in receiving touchdowns (116), 30th in yards (11,841) and 17th in receptions (955). People in favor of him will point to his stats, which are clearly better than those of Eli Manning, but that ignores the point; Manning isn't getting into the Hall because of his regular-season stats. He could roll off a string of these nods in the years to come. Seymour made it to seven Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams and hasn't made it to the Hall of Fame, but Thomas was more conspicuous at safety and was a key member of a legendary defense. Five seasons of 100 receptions or more plus a few others that flirted with 100 make Johnson one of the most reliable wide receivers in NFL history. Carmichael was one of the best wide receivers of his era. Marcedes Lewis has been in the NFL for a long time. Only nine players have done that in league history; outside of Green, the only player of the bunch who isn't in the Hall of Fame or a lock to get in is offensive tackle Richmond Webb, who played a much less notable position. The second-best trade in Reid's history might have been trading a first-rounder to the Bills in 2009 for Peters, who has held down left tackle for 10 of the past 11 seasons in Philadelphia and will return to play guard in 2020. You could make a case Jones belongs in the Likely category based on his 2017 and 2019 seasons, although I'd argue there's a significant gap between those two campaigns and the rest of his career. Here's everything we know, Richardson sets QB mark for vertical, broad jump, QB Young 5-10 1/8, 204 pounds at NFL combine, Sources: Patriots tell QB Hoyer he's being cut, Horns' Robinson: Versatility worthy of early pick, Jones: Not fixated on Cowboys' drought, just '23, Sources: Raiders plan franchise tag for Jacobs, WR Addison to Steelers' Pickett: 'Come get me', Wolverines' Turner wows with 4.26 40 at combine, Everything you need to know about Geno Smith's contract negotiations. The 49ers' two-decade-plus string of Pro Bowl quarterbacks and near-two-decade run of employing an all-time receiving talent abruptly stopped in 2004. Work to do (10% to 39%): DE DeMarcus Lawrence, DT Gerald McCoy, LB Leighton Vander Esch. Six players have done that since the merger: Murray, Cam Newton, Sam Bradford, George Rogers, Billy Sims and Earl Campbell. The only exceptions are a pair of interior offensive linemen (Alan Faneca and Steve Wisniewski) and safety John Lynch. Guy made only one Pro Bowl after turning 30, and Hekker probably needs a couple more All-Pro appearances to earn serious consideration. When I last attempted something like this column in June 2016, I gave Beckham a 50% chance of making the Hall of Fame after two dominant seasons as a pro. Outside of that one year, though, he has three Pro Bowl nods, no first-team All-Pro spots and a 2-5 record in the postseason. Ryan's case is trickier. Longtime teammate Jeff Bagwell, meanwhile, had to wait until his seventh year on the ballot before gaining enshrinement to Cooperstown. Julio or Hopkins: Who's the better bet to lead in receiving? Of the 16 Hall-eligible first-rounders who were first-team All-Pros as rookies, nine are enshrined. What do Johnsons future prospects look like? In his other two seasons, he racked up a combined 23 sacks and made a pair of Pro Bowls. In the running (40% to 69%): DE Joey Bosa, S Derwin James. That's just about a magic formula for getting into the Hall. Unless he really hangs on into his 40s, he'll finish as the second-most-productive tight end in history, behind Tony Gonzalez. Meanwhile, Johnson spent the first 12 years of his career with the expansion Texans, who didnt make the playoffs until his ninth season with quarterback play that ran the gamut from dreadful to above average. In his final college season, he had a nice 69 receptions for 1,394 yards and 12 touchdowns in 13 games as a redshirt sophomore. Heyward reminds me a lot of Campbell; they're prototypical five-technique ends who upped their pass-rushing performance when given more opportunities to get after the quarterback. The Cal product has five Pro Bowls and a first-team All-Pro appearance through his age-30 season. Itll be interesting to see if that stellar stretch is good enough to get him in Canton. Likely (70% to 99%): RB Ezekiel Elliott, G Zack Martin, OT Tyron Smith. If you want to know why people are excited about the Cowboys' offense in 2020, consider that they could have as many as five future Hall of Famers lining up when everyone's healthy. No promotions available. Graham has five Pro Bowls to his name, but I don't think he has done enough to earn a gold jacket. OBJ hasn't made a Pro Bowl since 2016, and while this could be a bounce-back year for the former Giants star, another middling campaign would push him into the "Work to do" tier. There are questions about Roethlisberger's character; he has twice been accused of sexual assault. There aren't any Dolphins who would appear to have greater than a 10% chance of making the Hall of Fame. The Notre Dame product probably needs a second one to have a viable shot at Canton. Not all elite prospects turn into Hall-of-Famers, but given Evans draft capital, physical profile and college production, its reasonable to say that what hes done in the NFL hasnt been a random fluke. Mack is entering what is likely to be his final season with the Falcons. Winning an MVP in Year 2 obviously leaps Jackson into consideration on its own, but it doesn't seal it. Published: August 24, 2021. Green. 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While Tucker would be the overwhelming choice as the best kicker in football, the Hall has elected just two full-time kickers in its history. Rodgers inked a three-year, $150 million extension with the Packers last March, but reports . Lock (100%): WR Larry Fitzgerald. So Johnson still has plenty of time for his credentials to be debated by the 49-person selection committee. Work to do (10% to 39%): RB Melvin Gordon, DE Jurrell Casey. With their city hosting the Final Four, the Cougars don't shy from national title talk. The star inside linebacker made his first Pro Bowl last season, which is incredible given that it was his age-21 season. He probably needs two more All-Pro seasons to finalize his case. Exhibits Interactive Experiences Gear Shop Pit Stop Caf Accessibility Champ the Cheetah. Erica Farber and Bill Siemering, prominent figures in U.S. commercial radio and public radio, respectively, are among eight new members of the Radio Hall of Fame. Future Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, though, has a different team in mind for Rodgers. Harris has four Pro Bowls and a first-team All-Pro appearance in 2016, but his play has slipped over the past couple of years, and smaller cornerbacks typically don't do well after they turn 30. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. McShay's favorite pick for all 32 teams Jones should make up some of that difference in 2020, and after Fitzgerald retires, he should be able to challenge the Cardinals great for that second spot. Only Chandler Jones and Aaron Donald have more sacks since the start of 2017. There are four notable first-time eligibles on this ballot: running back Adrian Peterson, tight end Rob Gronkowski, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver Antonio Brown. He was a Pro Bowler in 2017 and has 37.5 sacks over his first four pro seasons, but he was overshadowed a bit by Campbell over that time frame. (Justin Simmons, who was one of the NFL's best safeties a year ago, is still waiting for his first Pro Bowl appearance.). I would put Gronkowski's chance somewhere around 99%. Warren Moon played until he was 44. Unless he turns things around dramatically this season, he would fall out of the "Work to do" category altogether. Skeptics will point out that Rivers was 5-6 in the postseason and only made it as far as one AFC Championship Game, but he's also sixth in NFL history in passing yards and passing touchdowns. Work to do (10% to 39%): QB Kyler Murray, S Budda Baker. Mahomes' rsum -- a league MVP and Super Bowl MVP -- is usually enough to get a player into the Hall of Fame, let alone doing it over two seasons as a starter. Five of the 40 defensive players chosen among the top three picks of the draft since 1970 who are eligible for the Hall are enshrined, a percentage that will rise as players like Julius Peppers and Von Miller eventually become eligible. As it stands, though, Gurley doesn't have enough on his rsum to get in. When: 1999-2004 These two probably had the greatest four-year stretch in NFL history. Jalen and Reggie Wayne connected while he was in college, and his uncle has helped him every step of the way since. Rivers is probably the most difficult case to parse among veteran players. Top-10 picks who make it to the Pro Bowl as rookies have a great track record. Hightower has made huge plays in two Super Bowls, having stuffed Marshawn Lynch at the 1-yard line and strip-sacked Matt Ryan, but he has rarely gotten the regular-season attention he deserves. The guy who hasn't played a single NFL snap? (1:43). Lattimore has two Pro Bowl appearances in his first three seasons; if you throw out early-career players like Lattimore, Jalen Ramsey and Marcus Peters, eight of the 11 corners to pull that off since the merger are either in the Hall of Fame or going there. But history suggests that his on-field performance makes him a Hall of Fame lock. To use an example, I don't think Eli Manning has the rsum of a Hall of Fame quarterback, but history tells us that most quarterbacks who win two Super Bowls typically get in. Inductees Nominees Induction Weekend Induction Process Landmark Award Squier-Hall Award Blue Jacket & Class Ring.