POTENTIAL 2014 PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CANIDATES: DEFENSIVE PLAYERS, PART 2

In three days, the pro football hall of fame will formally induct its newest members. And while I can't wait to see these men take their steps into immortality, I'm also looking towards next year. I'll be profiling fifty modern era candidates that could wind up wearing a gold jacket in 2014. Today, we'll be looking at the second half of the defensive players.

* indicates first year of eligibility
** indicates former hall of fame finalist

ALBERT LEWIS (DB)

1983-1993 Kansas City Chiefs, 1994-1998 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders

Accomplishments: 4x Pro Bowl selection (1987-1990); 2x 1st Team All-Pro (1989-1990)

Pros: Albert Lewis was a chugger, by which I mean that he was a reliable guy who just did his job and did it well, at a steady pace. Occasionally he picked up speed on that track and slowed a bit, but he always got to the same place at the same time. Great player.

Cons: Lewis doesn't really have a viable hall of fame resume to me. His stats are good, not great. He was honored with Pro Bowls and All Pro teams in the middle of his career, but didn't really get recognized early or late. He had two seasons of double digit AV, and pass deflections aren't recognized until 2001 on Pro-Football Reference, so I can't gauge how good he was against the pass. He was just really good, which isn't a bad thing. Just not a hall of fame worthy.

Overall: Lewis was a player who was a reliable guy for a long time. He had some really productive years in the mid to late 80s, and was largely good for the rest of his career. The hall of fame is probably a bit much for him, but he should be remembered as a really good player.

HoF Projection: Not This Year

JOHN LYNCH (DB)

1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-2007 Denver Broncos

Accomplishments: 9x Pro Bowl selection (1997, 1999-2002, 2004-2007); 2x 1st Team All-Pro (1999-2000); Super Bowl champion (2002)

Pros: John Lynch was one of the catalysts of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers going from being the laughing stock of the NFL to a competitive good team. He was a defensive leader on a team that was stacked with defensive leaders. He had a reputation for delivering strong hits and forced 16 fumbles in his career. He was durable as well, missing only eight games between 1996 to 2007.

Cons: Lynch's stats don't really jump off the page. Despite his reputation as a physical safety, he never had more than 81 tackles in a season. Going on AV, he had his best years in the middle of his career from 1997 to 2002, but he was only really good to meh early and late in his career. Also, and for whatever reason, the hall of fame has only inducted seven players that primarily played safety, which probably won't help.

Overall: Lynch will probably get in at some point. He's got the resume and reputation, and once he became starter, he never really fell off. After the dominant years, he was good to great at worst which will help as well. He may have to wait a while though, as some real accomplished defensive players are going to be up for the next few years. But he has a chance to go in this year.

HoF Projection: Slim Chance

CLAY MATTHEWS (LB)

1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-1996 Atlanta Falcons

Accomplishments: 4x Pro Bowl selection (1985, 1987-1989); 1,000 Tackles Club

Pros: He played for a really, really long time. Matthews played for almost twenty years, and was solid player for most of it. He recorded triple digit tackles in eight seasons. He played in 278 of a possible 296 games (93.9%), again, over nineteen seasons.

Cons: Despite playing for a long time, Matthews never really asserted himself as one the best linebackers at a given time. He was always overshadowed by guys like Jack Lambert, Lawrence Taylor, Mike Singletary, Rickey Jackson, Derrick Thomas and Junior Seau, who at their peaks were absolutely dominant. Matthews at his peak was just really good. Like Albert Lewis and John Lynch, his most productive seasons were in the middle of his career. But because he played for so long, the fact that he wasn't especially dominant later in his career or early really shines through.

Overall: Matthews falls into the great player, not a hall of famer mold of others I've profiled. With that said, if he makes it in one day, I think he'd belong for his durability alone. But hall voters haven't exactly been receptive of him making it in, getting him to the semi-finals once in over a decade of eligibility. But who knows, he might eek in one day.

HoF Projection: Slim Chance

KARL MECKLENBURG (LB)

1983-1994 Denver Broncos

Accomplishments: 6x Pro Bowl selection (1985-1987, 1989, 1991, 1993); 3x 1st Team All-Pro (1985-1986, 1989); 1,000 Tackles Club

Pros: Mike Singletary was the best middle linebacker in the NFL in the 80s. Karl Mecklenburg was the second best. He had over one hundred tackles six times from 1986 to 1992. He wreaked havoc on AFC offenses from the time he became a starter in 1985 until his second to last year in 1993. His AV count is also impressive, having double digits six times in his career, including a damn impressive and league leading 20 in 1989. And he had 79 sacks, more than Mike Singletary, Junior Seau, Brian Urlacher and Ray Lewis.

Cons: Honestly, the one thing I can point to as to why he's not in the hall of fame is because the Broncos never won the Super Bowl in his career, and were often torched by better teams in them. Mecklenburg also was rarely consistently dominant from year to year. He'd have a dominant year every other year, then a great year starting in the late 80s and lasting for the rest of his career.

Overall: Mecklenburg should be in the hall of fame. He should have been inducted years ago. He's made the semi-finals the last two years in a row so maybe his time is coming. Hey, Cortez Kennedy took seven years to finally be inducted, but he did get in. Maybe the same will happen to Karl Mecklenburg.

HoF Projection: Maybe

WILLIE MCGINEST* (DE)

1994-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2008 Cleveland Browns

Accomplishments: 2x Pro Bowl selection (1996, 2003); 3x Super Bowl champion (2001, 2003-2004)

Pros: McGinest was a key cog in the Patriots machine that won three Super Bowls in four years.

Cons: I'm getting a little tired of writing blurbs that amount to "he was great, he wasn't good enough to make the hall of fame." McGinest was better than Tedy Bruschi though.

Overall: See above. Seriously, I'm not doing it anymore.

HoF Projection: Not This Year

MICHAEL STRAHAN** (DE)

1993-2007 New York Giants

Accomplishments: 7x Pro Bowl selection (1997-1999, 2001-2003, 2005); 4x 1st Team All-Pro (1997-1998, 2001, 2003); NFL 2000s All-Decade Team (1st Team); AP Defensive Player of the Year (2001); Super Bowl champion (2007); 100 Sacks Club

Pros: Strahan was a mauler. He currently sits fifth all time in sacks, including the single season sack record of 22.5 in 2001, while recording double digit sacks in six seasons, leading the league twice. Strahan was durable as well, missing only two games in ten seasons from 1994 to 2003. He also was and remains an affable, charismatic personality who has stayed in the spotlight with his work on FOX and with Kelly Ripa, which helps with hall of fame candidacy.

Cons: Strahan didn't have a dominant season until his fifth. He also had durability problems later in his career, missing fifteen games in his last four seasons.

Overall: Michael Strahan is hall of fame worthy. Last year he was left off the ballot in favor of Warren Sapp, which is understandable. This time around, Strahan doesn't have a slam dunk defensive lineman to compete against, so he's likely headed for Canton next year.

HoF Projection: Pretty Good

ZACH THOMAS* (LB)

1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys

Accomplishments: 7x Pro Bowl selection (1999-2003, 2005-2006); 5x 1st Team All-Pro (1998-1999, 2002-2003, 2006); NFL 2000s All-Decade Team (2nd Team); 1,000 Tackles Club

Pros: Zach Thomas is really underrated in my opinion. He compares quite favorably to Brian Urlacher, with stats slightly better or below number 54's for the most part. Thomas intercepted at least one pass in ten of his first eleven seasons. He forced at least two fumbles six times. He also recorded over 100 tackles four times. His AV stats are impressive as well, scoring double digits in eight of his thirteen seasons.

Cons: Thomas had durability issues, playing in all 16 games just six times. Also despite his numerous honors, his name doesn't really come up when you talk about great linebackers of the 2000s. It's not really his fault that the Dolphins didn't really do anything of note during his run, but thems the breaks as far as media perception goes.

Overall: Thomas has a hall of fame resume for sure, but I think he'll get overlooked because the teams he was on were rarely relevant come Janurary. Think about this: Derrick Thomas is one of the best linebackers ever, but it took him five tries to get in, because the Chiefs didn't do much during the postseason in his run with them. So Thomas may get in, but it may take longer than it should.

HoF Projection: Maybe

AENEAS WILLIAMS** (DB)

1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-2004 St. Louis Rams

Accomplishments: 8x Pro Bowl selection (1994-1999, 2001, 2003); 3x 1st Team All-Pro (1995, 1997, 2001); NFL 1990s All-Decade Team (2nd Team); 50 Interceptions Club

Pros: In the 90s, Deion Sanders and Rod Woodson were the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Right behind them was Aeneas Williams. Williams intercepted at least five passes in six seasons, forced at least two fumbles in seven seasons, and he didn't miss a game until his twelfth season. His nine interception returns for touchdowns are tied for fourth best ever along with Deion Sanders and Ken Houston. He is the only person who is eligible for hall of fame consideration with at least nine interception return touchdowns who isn't in the hall of fame.

Cons: Like Zach Thomas, but even more pronounced, the Arizona Cardinals in Williams time didn't do anything of note, and more often than not were horrendously bad. Williams also wasn't a very physical DB if his stats are anything to go by, forcing only eight fumbles in his career and never recorded more than 65 tackles in a given season.

Overall: Another guy who should have been inducted years ago. Williams should get together with Karl Mecklenburg and have a beer with him. Williams has been a finalist two years in a row, so things may be looking up for him in the not too distant future.

HoF Projection: Pretty Good

BRYANT YOUNG (DT)

1994-2007 San Francisco 49ers

Accomplishments: 4x Pro Bowl selection (1996, 1999, 2001-2002); 1st Team All-Pro (1996); NFL 1990s All-Decade Team (2nd Team); AP Comeback Player of the Year (1999); Super Bowl champion (1994)

Pros: Young got a lot of sacks for a guy who primarily played defensive tackle: a whopping 89.5, six more than La'Roi Glover. He also played in 92.8% of the possible games he could have in his fourteen NFL seasons and started all 208 of them.

Cons: Young was rarely dominant, scoring double digit AV three times. His stats are impressive, but not mind blowing.

Overall: Young's yet another great, not hall of fame worthy player in my opinion. He was better than some of the other players like that that I've profiled, but I still don't think that will cut it to hall voters.

HoF Projection: Not This Year

Five groups down, two more to go. Tomorrow we'll take a look at the special teams players and contributors.

POTENTIAL 2014 PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CANIDATES: DEFENSIVE PLAYERS, PART 1

In four days, the pro football hall of fame will formally induct its newest members. And while I can't wait to see these men take their steps into immortality, I'm also looking towards next year. I'll be profiling fifty modern era candidates that could wind up wearing a gold jacket in 2014. Today, we'll be looking at the first half of the defensive players.

* indicates first year of eligibility
** indicates former hall of fame finalist

STEVE ATWATER

1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets

Accomplishments: 8x Pro Bowl selection (1990-1996, 1998); 2x 1st Team All-Pro (1991-1992); NFL 1990s All-Decade Team (1st Team); 2x Super Bowl champion (1997-1998); 1,000 Tackles Club

Pros: Steve Atwater was the hard-hitting safety of the 90s, transitioning nicely from the Ronnie Lott years with the 49ers of the 80s. Atwater recorded 100 or more tackles five straight years to start his career. He was also very dependable, starting every game he played in except for one in his final year, and playing all 16 games six times. He only missed nine games, playing in 167 of a possible 176 games (94.9%).

Cons: Other than tackles, Atwater's stats aren't exceptional. He recorded only 24 interceptions, forced 6 fumbles and recorded 5 sacks. Pro-Football Reference doesn't compile pass deflections until 2001, so I don't know if Atwater did well in that area (I have to imagine he was good). Looking at AV, Atwater only had three double digit seasons, with most of the rest of his seasons being good, not great.

Overall: Atwater might fall into the "great player, not hall of fame worthy" category. His momentum has steadily increased, making it to the the semi-finals in the last two years. Plus he was on two Super Bowl teams, which might help his stock. I think he may go in at some point, but like his teammate Rod Smith, he'll likely only get there if there aren't any other viable candidates for hall voters to go with.

HoF Projection: Slim Chance

DERRICK BROOKS* (LB)

1995-2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Accomplishments: 11x Pro Bowl selection (1997-2006, 2008); 5x 1st Team All-Pro (1999-2000, 2002, 2004-2005), NFL 2000s All-Decade Team (1st Team); AP Defensive Player of the Year (2002); Super Bowl champion (2002), 1,000 Tackles Club

Pros: God damn, what a great player! The Buccaneers of his era had Warren Sapp, John Lynch and Ronde Barber, and Brooks may have been better than all of them. He forced at least 2 fumbles in seven seasons, recorded at least 90 tackles eight times (including 100 five times), and had 25 interceptions (pretty good for a linebacker). He played every possible game of his career (224) and started all but three of them. If you pay attention to AV, Brooks had double digits in eleven (!) seasons. Plus, he was Defensive Player of the Year in 1999 and won a Super Bowl. Christ!

Cons: What do you really expect me to say? Anything I can come up with would be nitpicking at best.

Overall: Brooks is the most sure fire sure fire candidate there is. I fully expect him to join his longtime teammate Warren Sapp in the hall come 2014.

HoF Projection: Slam Dunk

TEDY BRUSCHI* (LB)

1996-2008 New England Patriots

Accomplishments: Pro Bowl selection (2004); AP Comeback Player of the Year (2005); 3x Super Bowl champion (2001, 2003-2004)

Pros: Bruschi was the unquestioned defensive leader on the great Patriots teams of the early Belieck era. He won three Super Bowls and contributed to the 16-0 season that was a freak David Tyree catch away from completing a 19-0 season. He was one of the most respected players of his era.

Cons: Man this is going to be a long list. Bruschi stats are abysmal from a hall of fame perspective. He never topped 100 tackles in a season, and that's the bread and butter of middle linebackers. He's got 30.5 career sacks, which is good for a middle linebacker, and 12 interceptions which is decent. AV onlookers will note that he only had two seasons with double digits. None of these numbers jump off the page.

Overall: Bruschi was by no means a bad player. He was very good. That he came back from a stroke and still played well is absolutely inspiring. But does that translate into a hall of fame nod? No.

HoF Projection: Slim Chance (only because I think hall voters will really take a shine to Patriots Super Bowl players)

DONNIE EDWARDS* (LB)

1996-2001, 2007-2008 Kansas City Chiefs, 2002-2006 San Diego Chargers

Accomplishments: Pro Bowl selection (2002)

Pros: Edwards was quietly productive on a bunch of Chiefs and Chargers teams that didn't do a whole lot in the postseason. He recorded 100 or more tackles six times, forced at least two fumbles in four seasons, intercepted 28 passes in his career, and recorded 23.5 sacks (not bad for a middle linebacker). From 1997 to 2007 he missed only one game.

Cons: Edwards was quietly productive on a bunch of Chiefs and Chargers teams that didn't do a whole lot in the postseason. That's his greatest detriment. That and the fact that Edwards wasn't a consistently dominant player. He'd have a great year, then a decent year. Then he'd have another great year, then a couple good years. Not a really big hall of fame track record.

Overall: Edwards played the same position as Tedy Bruschi and they both played for the same length over the same years (1996-2008). Edwards also has just as many Pro Bowl selections as Bruschi (one). Edwards was ultimately the better player from a statistical standpoint. In fact, he utterly blows most of Bruschi's numbers out of the water. Ultimately, Edwards was a great player on teams that won't be remembered outside their respective fanbases. I think anonymity will be his greatest detriment, but also the fact that he wasn't really all that dominant.

HoF Projection: Slim Chance

LA'ROI GLOVER* (DT)

1996 Oakland Raiders, 1997-2001 New Orleans Saints,
2002-2005 Dallas Cowboys, 2006-2008 St. Louis Rams

Accomplishments: 6x Pro Bowl selection (2000-2005); 1st Team All-Pro (2000); NFL 2000s All-Decade Team (2nd Team)

Pros: What great player does La'Roi Glover compare favorably to? Try Warren Sapp on for size. Most of La'Roi Glover's careers stats are all slightly below but right in line with Sapp's. He has three less forced fumbles (16 to Sapp's 19), played in five fewer games (193/198), had two less interceptions (2/4), and recorded two fewer tackles (436/438). He had 83.5 sacks in his career which is fantastic for a defensive tackle. And speaking of sacks, he led the damn league in sacks in 2000 with 17. Did I mention he was a defensive tackle?

Cons: Anonymity for one. Real life anecdote: In putting together these articles, I searched for pictures for all fifty people I'm profiling. All of these searches resulted in hundreds of results, except for La'Roi Glover. My search function netted a whopping two pictures of him, one of which was during his time with the Rams at the end of his career (which wasn't a good picture) and another of him in a suit (and I'm not even sure it was La'Roi Glover in the suit). So up there, the picture you see of him is off of his Wikipedia page. I swear to God, that was the only good picture I found of him. This is a guy who played in the NFL for 13 seasons (and for the God damn Cowboys, even!) and went to six straight Pro Bowls. You almost have to try to not have a notable profile with a career like that, but there he is, two pictures of him on a modern internet search engine.

Overall: Glover was a great defensive tackle, and if you're just behind Warren Sapp in career stats, that's good enough for me as far as hall of fame consideration is concerned. But the fact that he doesn't seem to have a big profile even with his numbers and awards, I don't like his chances while not completely dismissing them.

HoF Projection: Maybe

KEVIN GREENE** (LB)

1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-1995 Pittsburgh Steelers,
1996, 1998-1999 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers

Accomplishments: 5x Pro Bowl selection (1989, 1994-1996, 1998); 2x 1st Team All-Pro (1994, 1996); 100 Sacks Club

Pros: Damn it all, if Kevin Greene could sack guys. Greene recorded a whopping 160 sacks during his fifteen year career, the third most in history. In fact, he is currently the only player in the top four in sacks who isn't in the hall of fame. Green also helped the teams he was on be better than they would've been without him. Would the Rams have been as good in the late 80s without him? No. Would the Steelers have broken through as AFC contenders in the mid 90s after a long lull in the 80s without him? No. Would the Carolina Panthers, in their second season mind you, have won their division and make it to the NFC Championship Game without him or Sam Mills? No. No. How can't he be in the hall of fame?

Cons: Greene's a weird ass guy. He spent some of his later offseasons risking serious injury by wrestling a bit in WCW (hey, remember WCW?). Beyond his odd habits, Greene could be difficult to deal with, having notable disputes and short stays with the Carolina Panthers in 1996 and the San Francisco 49ers in 1997 (he returned to the Panthers in 1998). Also, he once choked his position coach in the middle of a game. Probably didn't help his case there.

Overall: Greene was one of the best linebackers of the late 80s and 90s. The fact that he hasn't made it yet is beyond dumb. He's made the finals in the last two years, so his time may be coming. But to get there, he needs to get past another hall snub with character concerns...

HoF Projection: Pretty Good

CHARLES HALEY** (LB)

1986-1991, 1998-1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-1996 Dallas Cowboys

Accomplishments: 5x Pro Bowl selection (1988, 1990-1991, 1994-1995); 2x 1st Team All-Pro (1990, 1994); 5x Super Bowl champion (1988-1989, 1992-1993, 1995); 100 Sack Club

Pros: Haley was a superb defensive player who helped the teams he was on win a combined five Super Bowls, the most a single player has ever won. He forced at least one fumble in his first eleven seasons and recorded double digit sacks in six seasons. He was one of the top players on the defensive side of the ball in the late 80s and 90s.

Cons: Haley has a reputation for being a legendary asshole. He was generally unpleasant to media members, fellow teammates, coaches, etc. He'd basically walk around like he was king shit of the world, pissing in people's cars, wiping his ass then throwing the violated t.p. at a coach, and openly masturbated in the locker room. Allegedly. To not make it to the hall of fame with his numbers and accomplishments, he must have pissed off every human on Earth at some point. Um, yep.

Overall: Haley belongs in the hall, even with all the baggage he brought with him. He's been a finalist four years in a row, so his time is probably coming. Plus, if Haley's former teammate Michael Irvin can get into the hall after his life and career of coke fueled douchebaggery, then Charles Haley's probably got a good shot.

HoF Projection: Pretty Good

RODNEY HARRISON* (DB)

1994-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-2008 New England Patriots

Accomplishments: 2x Pro Bowl selection (1998, 2001); 2x 1st Team All-Pro (1998, 2003); 2x Super Bowl champion (2003-2004)

Pros: Rodney Harrison, like Steve Atwater and Ronnie Lott before him, was a hard hitting safety. He was the first player in NFL history to record at least 30 sacks and 30 interceptions. He was also a huge boon to the Patriots teams he was on, intercepting 4 passes in the 2004 playoffs. His hard hitting style led to the tune of at least 90 tackles in six seasons.

Cons: Like Atwater, Harrison's numbers outside of tackling aren't very impressive, and even then, he didn't reach the 1,000 tackle milestone that Atwater did. Harrison also achieved a reputation as a dirty player, being fined numerous times over his career for flagrant hits. He also had a problem with durability, playing in 186 of a possible 224 games (just 77.5%).

Overall: Harrison was a real help to the Patriots teams of the 2000s and the fact that he was so productive for two Super Bowl winning teams will definitely help his cause. He might run into some road blocks concerning his reputation and relative lack of eye-popping stats, but being an active part in a dynasty will likely win out.

HoF Projection: Pretty Good

JOE KLECKO (DT)

1977-1987 New York Jets, 1988 Indianapolis Colts

Accomplishments: 4x Pro Bowl selection (1981, 1983-1985); 2x 1st Team All-Pro (1981, 1985)

Pros: Klecko was one of the best players on the Jets defenses of the 80s, often the better side of the ball compared to the anemic offenses the Jets trotted out. Klecko also was one of the better defensive tackles in the NFL at his peak. He was also pretty durable for an interior defensive lineman, playing 155 of a possible 182 games (85.2%).

Cons: Sacks, deflected passes, and tackles didn't become recognized stats until 1982, 2001 and 2000 respectively, and Pro-Football Reference doesn't even have estimates for those categories on Klecko's page. As such, it's back to the AV well, and it's not exactly great shakes for him. Klecko compiled three double digit AV seasons in five years, but outside of those years, he didn't put up very impressive numbers.

Overall: Klecko may have been the premier defensive tackle in the AFC during his career, but it hasn't really translated into hall of fame consideration. Klecko has never reached the finals or semi-finals, and if he does get in, it likely won't be as a modern candidate.

HoF Projection: Not This Year

Four groups down, three more to go. Tomorrow we'll take a look at the second half of the defensive players.

POTENTIAL 2014 PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CANIDATES: OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

In five days, the pro football hall of fame will formally induct its newest members. And while I can't wait to see these men take their steps into immortality, I'm also looking towards next year. I'll be profiling fifty modern era candidates that could wind up wearing a gold jacket in 2014. Today, we'll be looking at the offensive linemen.

* indicates first year of eligibility
** indicates former hall of fame finalist

Quick note: I tend to agree with Dave Dameshek of NFL.com, that you can't really evaluate offensive linemen unless you've watched them on film. As such these blurbs are probably going to be a little lighter than the other ones, and I'll be going on stats I generally try not to put much emphases on normally. I'm using Pro-Football Reference as the source on player stats for these columns, and they don't really have any for offensive linemen besides games played and games started. As such, I'm putting more stock on the previously mentioned approximate value stat for the o-linemen. Anyway, on to the column.

WILLIE ANDERSON* (OT)

1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens

Accomplishments: 4x Pro Bowl selection (2003-2006); 3x 1st Team All-Pro (2004-2006)

Pros: Willie Anderson was durable, which is one of the main criteria when looking at offensive linemen. He missed only two games in his first twelve seasons, with a whopping 174 games played in that time. Anderson had four straight years of double digit AV, including a career high 18 in 2005.

Cons: Anderson didn't have a lot of dominant years outside of the four year stretch from 2003 to 2006. He had one double digit AV year before then (in 1997, his second year), but in the rest of his career, he only got as high as a 7 in a given year. He also didn't make a Pro Bowl until his eighth season, which is a bit disconcerting.

Overall: Anderson was a good player, and at his peak, he was one of the better tackles in the game. But for most of his career, he simply wasn't dominant. I'm not sure he's hall of fame worthy, but he was durable and had a great streak. So who knows if he gets some support, but given the guys he's up against (really guy, see below), I don't like his shot this year.

HoF Projection: Not This Year

TONY BOSELLI (OT)

1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars

Accomplishments: 5x Pro Bowl selection (1996-2000); 3x 1st Team All-Pro (1997-1999); NFL 1990s All-Decade Team (2nd Team)

Pros: Boselli was one of the best offensive linemen in the late 90s. He had a streak of five straight double digit AV. He was one of the brightest spots on some great Jaguars teams.

Cons: Boselli's career was cut short due to injury, playing only seven seasons. Even at his peak, he struggled with staying on the field, playing in all 16 games just three times.

Overall: Like Terrell Davis and Sterling Sharpe, Boselli had a hall of fame career going for himself, but injuries ultimately derailed it. He hasn't gotten any support from hall voters, and unfortunately that's probably the way it'll always go for him. It's sad, but that's the way it goes when you don't have a lot of stats that back up your greatness.

HoF Projection: Not This Year

JOE JACOBY (OT)

1981-1993 Washington Redskins

Accomplishments: 4x Pro Bowl selection (1983-1986); 2x 1st Team All-Pro (1983-1984); NFL 1980s All-Decade Team (2nd Team); 3x Super Bowl champion (1982, 1987, 1991)

Pros: Jacoby was a starting offensive lineman on the most famous offensive line in football in the 80s. Jacoby was part of the Hogs in Washington D.C., one of the NFL's most physical and flamboyant o-lines. He was the blindside protector in four Super Bowls and part of three Super Bowl wins.

Cons: This goes for pretty much all of the Hogs: they were dominant as a unit, but you can't put a group into the hall of fame. Jacoby had concentrated stretches of dominance, but only put up consecutive double digit AV once, and had four double digit AV seasons overall. He also had a problem staying on the field, playing in 170 of a possible 200 games (85%), and starting 148 (74%).

Overall: The only Hog to make it to Canton is Russ Grimm, and it took a long time for him to get there. Obviously, Joe Jacoby isn't Russ Grimm, but he's having the same problems with enshrinement. Unlike Grimm, Jacoby has never been a finalist (Grimm was a finalist five straight years before he finally pushed through). Jacoby's numbers are similar to Grimm's, so it wouldn't be surprising if he gets in, but he hasn't made it past the semi-finals in his fifteen years of eligibility, so he may break through, but it might take a while.

HoF Projection: Slim Chance

WALTER JONES* (OT)

1997-2008 Seattle Seahawks

Accomplishments: 9x Pro Bowl selection (1999, 2001-2008); 4x 1st Team All-Pro (2001, 2004-2005, 2007); NFL 2000s All-Decade Team (1st Team)

Pros: Where do I start? Walter Jones simply put, was one of the best tackles of his era, if not all time. He started every game he played in (180 out of a possible 192 games, or 93.75% of possible games). From 1999 to 2007, he had double digit AV in eight of those nine seasons. The Seahawks running game was exquisite during his run, culminating in Shaun Alexander's historic 2005 season. I don't know what else to say. He's one of the strongest candidates up for induction.

Cons: I've got nothing. Really, the only con I can think to put out there is that the Seahawks line wasn't as dominant after Steve Hutchinson left after the 2005 season, but Jones himself still was. *Shrug*

Overall: If Jones doesn't make it into the hall this year, I'll be absolutely shocked.

HoF Projection: Slam Dunk

TOM NALEN (C)

1994-2007 Denver Broncos

Accomplishments: 5x Pro Bowl selection (1997-2000, 2003); 2x 1st Team All-Pro (2000, 2003); 2x Super Bowl champion (1997-1998)

Pros: Nalen played on some fantastic offensive lines for the Mike Shanahan era in Denver. Nalen was also one of the most under appreciated linemen of the 2000s, posting double digit AV in seven of nine years from 1997 to 2005. Nalen was durable overall, playing in all 16 games ten times in his career.

Cons: The Broncos offensive line under Mike Shanahan had a reputation for dirty play, and Nalen got it too. Nalen also played in a lot of games (194 of a possible 224 games, 86%), but not as many as some really durable lineman in the past. Nalen also didn't make it past the preliminary nominees in his first year of eligibility, though who knows what that really means.

Overall: Nalen was really good on some really good teams. Who knows how he'll fare in future ballots, but I think he belongs in the hall. He could get in this year, or wait a while, but I think he'll get in eventually.

HoF Projection: Maybe

WILL SHIELDS** (OG)

1993-2007 Kansas City Chiefs

Accomplishments: 12x Pro Bowl selection (1995-2006); 2x 1st Team All-Pro (2002-2003); NFL 2000s All-Decade Team (2nd Team)

Pros: Shields was one of the most dominant guards of his era. He played in every possible game of his career (a whopping 224) and started all but one of them. The Chiefs running game was also very strong during his run, notably with Marcus Allen, Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson in the backfield.

Cons: The Chiefs teams that Shields was a part of didn't do a whole lot in the postseason, winning only one playoff game in his career. That shouldn't matter to a hall honoring an individual's achievements, but the fact that Shields, who has first ballot hall of famer written all over him, hasn't made it in yet is pretty telling.

Overall: Shield's going in one day, maybe even this year. He was one of the best linemen of his era, and he'll get his due. He's also been a finalist every year he's been eligible, so he's got a good shot.

HoF Projection: Pretty Good

Three groups down, four more to go. Tomorrow we'll take a look at the first half of the defensive players.

POTENTIAL 2014 PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CANIDATES: WIDE RECEIVERS

In six days, the pro football hall of fame will formally induct its newest members. And while I can't wait to see these men take their steps into immortality, I'm also looking towards next year. I'll be profiling fifty modern era candidates that could wind up wearing a gold jacket in 2014. Today, we'll be looking at the wide receivers.

* indicates first year of eligibility
** indicates former hall of fame finalist

TIM BROWN**

1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Accomplishments: 9x Pro Bowl selection (1988, 1991, 1993-1997, 1999, 2001); NFL 1990s All-Decade Team (2nd Team); 1,000 Receptions Club; 10,000 Receiving Yards Club; 100 Receiving Touchdowns Club

Pros: Tim Brown played a long time, and was productive well into his thirties. He gained 1,000 or more yards in nine straight seasons, all while catching passes from the Raiders' largely uneven set of quarterbacks at that time. Brown is ranked in the top ten in every major category for a receiver: receptions (5th), receiving yards (5th) and receiving touchdowns (7th). Brown also had a great career as a return man, ranking 5th all time in punt return yards.

Cons: Brown took a while to get going as a receiver. It wasn't until his sixth season that he started to put up big numbers you'd expect from great ball catchers. The Raiders played in only five playoff games in three outings during his first twelve seasons, and his numbers don't really leap off the page in those games for the most part. It doesn't help that he played at the same time when Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin were tearing shit up in the postseason every year.

Overall: Brown certainly has the hall of fame numbers, and he's clearly got support: he's been eligible since 2010, and has made it among the final fifteen names each time. But Brown has never pushed through to gold jacket territory. It should be noted that if you're a wide receiver who's name isn't Jerry Rice, you generally have to wait a while to get enshrined. Michael Irvin took three tries to finally be elected, and Cris Carter had to go on six ballots before getting his due. And those two are all time greats. Brown was certainly seen as a great receiver, but hall of fame worthy? He doesn't have the signature performances that Rice or Irvin had, and he wasn't as productive as Rice or Carter were at their peaks. It doesn't surprise me that he's had to wait. But the fact that he's been a regular finalist makes me think he'll get in soon enough.

HoF Projection: Pretty Good

MARVIN HARRISON*

1996-2008 Indianapolis Colts

Accomplishments: 8x Pro Bowl selection (1999-2006); 3x 1st Team All-Pro (1999, 2002, 2006); NFL 2000s All-Decade Team (1st Team); Super Bowl champion (2006); 1,000 Receptions Club; 10,000 Receiving Yards Club; 100 Receiving Touchdowns Club

Pros: Marvin Harrison was putting up good numbers for a young wide receiver in his first couple seasons. Then the Colts drafted Peyton Manning, and Harrison's production just got ridiculous. He is 3rd, 6th and 5th for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, respectively. During his eight straight Pro Bowl years, he gained 1,000 receiving yards every year (leading the league in 1999 and 2002) and hauled in between 10 and 15 touchdowns in that time. His 2002 season is one of the single best seasons a wide receiver has ever had; he caught more passes in a single season than anyone before or since and his 1,722 receiving yards is currently the 5th most ever over a single year. Plus, he's a Syracuse guy, which grants him a thumbs up from me.

Cons: Having Peyton Manning as your quarterback is a double edged sword; on the one hand, you're probably going to put up some incredible numbers (which he did), but most of it will usually be attributed to number 18's skills as a quarterback rather than your own as a receiver. Sadly, Harrison can't escape that either, so some have knocked him simply for having an all time great quarterback throwing balls in his direction.

Overall: Any of Harrison's drawbacks from hall of fame consideration are superficial at best. Were his numbers inflated by Manning's presence? Absolutely. He still caught 100 passes four times and is high on the all time lists in every major category for receivers. Manning is certainly an all time great, but that shouldn't be a detriment to Harrison. Hell, Jerry Rice caught passes from not one, but two all time great quarterbacks in Joe Montana and Steve Young, and Rice waltzed right into Canton, no questions asked, as he should have. That same fate should befall Harrison. But he is in a strong group of first time eligible candidates, and wide receivers generally have a tough time getting enshrined as is. I think he's got a really strong chance of going in this year, but because of my previous points, he's not the slam dunk he should be.

HoF Projection: Pretty Good

ANDRE REED**

1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins

Accomplishments: 7x Pro Bowl selection (1988-1994); 10,000 Receiving Yards Club

Pros: Andre Reed was Jim Kelly's number one target on those great Bills teams of the late 80s and 90s. Reed was a key part in the teams that went to four straight Super Bowls from 1990 to 1993. Without the trio of Kelly, Reed, and Thurman Thomas, the Bills offense wouldn't have clicked as much as it did for all those years.

Cons: Reed, despite being the number one receiver on a strong offense, never really had eye-popping numbers. There are years where he was certainly great, but he never really asserted himself among the other great receivers of his day. His final career numbers ultimately fall just on the fringes of the top ten all time, further miring him in the great, not immortal category he's been saddled with.

Overall: Reed was undoubtedly one of the best players on the Bills in their dominant years, but just because you were a key contributor on championship caliber teams, doesn't immediately grant you a ticket to the hall of fame. He's made it to the finals every year since 2007, but he feels like a guy I'd vote in if there was no one better at his position and overall. He's got a shot, but he's got two receivers for competition in Tim Brown and Marvin Harrison that will make it tough to break through.

HoF Projection: Maybe

STERLING SHARPE

1988-1994 Green Bay Packers

Accomplishments: 5x Pro Bowl selection (1989-1990, 1992-1994); 3x 1st Team All-Pro (1989, 1992-1993)

Pros: Talk about what could have been. Sterling Sharpe bent the NFL over and had his way with it from the moment he stepped onto a pro field. He led the league in receptions three times (1989, 1992-1993), receiving yards once (1992), and receiving touchdowns twice (1992, 1994). Plus he gained 1,000 receiving yards five times overall, and caught 90 passes while hauling in double digit touchdowns four times each. All in his first seven seasons. He had an all time great career going for himself.

Cons: Then he got hurt. Sharpe's career was cut short by a neck injury, ending a sure fire hall of fame career after just seven seasons. Like Terrell Davis, Sharpe was truly dominant at his position for a short period of time. Unlike Davis, Sharpe wasn't a key contributor in Super Bowl victories, putting his hall of fame candidacy in serious question.

Overall: When Shannon Sharpe, Sterling's brother, was inducted into the hall of fame, he mentioned in his speech that he was the only hall of famer that was just the second best football player in his family. Shannon Sharpe was one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, and he wasn't screwing around. At all. The fact that Sterling Sharpe hasn't received any support from hall of fame voters is an absolute crime. If he played even two more seasons, just nine overall, he'd have over 10,000 receiving yards and likely 90 or so touchdowns, plus the added bonus of a Super Bowl ring. I could play "woulda coulda shoulda" all day with him, but I can just as easily point to what he actually accomplished and marvel at it. His numbers weren't simply good, they were dominant. He was a force of nature in football pads and cleats. He should get more support than he has, but I think that he'll have to hope the veteran's committee drums up a serious campaign for him starting in 2020.

HoF Projection: Not This Year (and that's a damn shame)

JIMMY SMITH

1992-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1995-2005 Jacksonville Jaguars

Accomplishments: 5x Pro Bowl selection (1997-2001); 2x Super Bowl champion (1992-1993); 10,000 Receiving Yards Club

Pros: Not a bad player to have on your first ever team roster. Some of you may not believe this, but the Jaguars used to be good. No really! And Smith was one of the biggest reasons for that. He went from a marginal player on the Cowboys to putting up crazy numbers for long stretches of time in north Florida. There are only three people in the hall of fame that have more receptions than him, and only five that have gained more yards through the air. Simply put, he was one of the best receivers in the late 90s and early 00s.

Cons: If Jimmy Smith gets elected to the hall of fame in the next few years, he likely won't be able to make his own induction ceremony. Smith had a serious cocaine problem during his playing days (some of that Cowboys magic rubbing off on him) and it continued into his retirement. He's currently serving under house arrest for weapons and cocaine possession. Now many hall of famers have had sordid pasts filled with drugs and other very bad things, most famously Lawrence Taylor and Michael Irvin. Smith also is in the same boat as Brown and Reed, in that he put up great numbers at a time when Jerry Rice, Cris Carter and Michael Irvin were putting up ridiculous stats.

Overall: Smith's off the field concerns are his ultimate road block into the hall. While Lawrence Taylor did and still does have numerous issues, he was an all time great player with the stats and rings to back him up. Smith had a phenomenal career, but I'm not sure it's enough for him to get in. His numbers are definitely hall worthy, and it's bogus to apply the dreaded character clause on some players while ignoring it for others. He's one of the few truly great Jaguars of all time, but that may never translate into a gold jacket.

HoF Projection: Not This Year

ROD SMITH

1994-2006 Denver Broncos

Accomplishments: 3x Pro Bowl selection (2000-2001, 2005); 2x Super Bowl champion (1997-1998); 10,000 Receiving Yards Club

Pros: I didn't expect this, but in doing a little research, Rod Smith is actually really underrated. He put up strong numbers starting in his third season in 1997 and continuing on for pretty much the entirety of the rest of his career. His playoff games are also really impressive, catching 4 or more passes in seven of his thirteen career postseason contests. He's in the top 25 all time in receptions and receiving yards.

Cons: Rod Smith is underrated for a reason; his numbers are good, even great, but not amazing. He's very comparable to Andre Reed; he contributed greatly to the Broncos passing game, but his career numbers get left in the dust by peers like Terrell Owens and Randy Moss. Not helping his cause is that the Broncos passing game was a distant second in importance after Terrell Davis running all over the place in the Super Bowl years, and John Elway generally gave precedence to Shannon Sharpe as far as throwing passes went. Smith became the clear number one in the 2000s, but by then, the Broncos days of contending were largely over, and so was his shot at a lot of eyes looking at him be great for a great team.

Overall: Smith should get more support than he does, but I feel like Reed before him, it'll be tough for him to make it in. His numbers in single games and years are better overall than Reed, and he does have two Super Bowl rings to Reed's zero, but guys like Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, Isaac Bruce, Torrey Holt, and Randy Moss will always get looks over him. He's likely headed to the "I'll vote for him if there's nobody else" fate, sad as it is.

HoF Projection: Not This Year

Two groups down, five more to go. Tomorrow we'll take a look at the offensive linemen.

POTENTIAL 2014 PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CANIDATES: RUNNING BACKS

In seven days, the pro football hall of fame will formally induct its newest members. And while I can't wait to see these men take their steps into immortality, I'm also looking towards next year. I'll be profiling fifty modern era candidates that could wind up wearing a gold jacket in 2014. Today, we'll be looking at the running backs.

* indicates first year of eligibility
** indicates former hall of fame finalist

 OTTIS ANDERSON

 1979-1986 St. Louis Cardinals, 1986-1992 New York Giants

Accomplishments: 2x Pro Bowl selection (1979-1980); 1st Team All-Pro (1980); AP Offensive Rookie of the Year (1979); AP Comeback Player of the Year (1989); 2x Super Bowl champion (1986, 1990); Super Bowl MVP (1990); 10,000 Rushing Yards Club

Pros: If John Riggins was the Diesel, then Ottis Anderson was that old truck that got a lot of mileage in its glory days, but could still get you to where you needed to go long after those days were over. Anderson began his career as the 1979 Offensive Rookie of the Year, barreling ass and scoring touchdowns like you'd expect from a pro. He capped his career off with a Comeback Player of the Year award and a Super Bowl MVP, all while running in career highs in touchdowns. Not bad for a running back in his thirties. Anderson's 10,273 rushing yards were the eighth most ever at the time of his retirement, where his 81 rushing touchdowns were ranked sixth on the all-time list.

Cons: Anderson had a strong start to his career and a memorable finish, but there was a stretch in the middle that wasn't much to brag about. Starting in about 1984, injuries and general ineffectiveness started adding up. He'd remain largely irrelevant for about five years, which is an eternity in the football world. His mid-career anonymity wasn't helped by the fact that he spent his prime years playing for a largely pedestrian and nationally overlooked  St. Louis Cardinals team. The Cardinals made the playoffs once during his stay and appeared on Monday Night Football all of four times. And in those big games early in his career, Anderson was either absent, or so ineffectual he might as well have been. On being traded to the Giants in 1986, Giants head coach Bill Parcells outright stated that Anderson's best days were behind him and he would be used only as a backup. Now obviously Anderson had a couple of productive years after that, but... damn!

Overall: Anderson has never been a finalist or even a semifinalist in the hall voting, and he's been eligible since 1998. You'd think a guy like this would get some looks for his story alone: a guy has a bunch of productive years, has a career slump, gets traded, is considered washed up, then has a career resurgence, culminating in a championship season where he plays an integral role in reaching those heights. He's Kurt Warner ten years before Kurt Warner was Kurt Warner. Now he could have a resurgence in support this year which could lead to a deserved, if late induction, and it's not like languishing in the votes for years and coming out of nowhere to finally get in isn't an unprecedented phenomena. But it seems like he would have been in by now if he was going to get in. I think he'll get in eventually... though he may have to hitch his ride on the veteran's committee to get it done.

HoF Projection: Slim Chance

SHAUN ALEXANDER*

2000-2007 Seattle Seahawks, 2008 Washington Redskins

Accomplishments: 3x Pro Bowl selection (2003-2005); 1st Team All-Pro (2005); NFL 2000s All-Decade Team (2nd Team); AP MVP (2005); AP Offensive Player of the Year (2005); 100 Rushing Touchdowns Club

Pros: Shaun Alexander could score. He had double digit rushing touchdowns five years in a row, which is insane. I did a little research on all-time great running backs and only found two that equaled or surpassed that total (LaDainian Tomlinson from 2001-2009 and Adrian Peterson from 2006-2012). He was this good from his second season in 2001 until 2005, when he had one of the greatest single seasons a running back has had in history. He rushed for 1,880 yards, scored 27 touchdowns (a single season record at the time), and guided the Seahawks to a team record 13 wins and the top seed in the NFC. The Seahawks went all the way to Super Bowl XL and Alexander was a crappy officiating crew away from being named MVP of the game. How can't he be a slam dunk hall of famer?

Cons: All those productive seasons from 2001-2005? It didn't hurt that the Seahawks had two hall of fame caliber offensive linemen in Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson blocking for him. In fact, once Hutchinson left in free agency after the 2005 season, things started to go downhill. Fast. After 2005, Alexander never again rushed for more than 1,000 yards, never again scored double digit touchdowns, and injuries really began to hamper him. In fact, he was out of the game entirely after 2008, where he spent the year running for a measly 24 yards and starting zero games. That logs nine years on his career, and if I had to pin down what hall voters hate the most (besides Charles Harley), its modern candidates that didn't play for at least ten years.

Overall: Shaun Alexander was certainly great, I don't want to seem like I'm belittling him. 2005 was without question his best season, but he wasn't a one year wonder either. He was truly great and dominant for five years. Before or after those five years? Nothing special. Now because he was so dominant, even for as short a time as it was, he might still get consideration. And honestly, I wouldn't object to him making it in one day. But with so many strong candidates in their first year of eligibility, plus the sheer number of greats who haven't gotten the nod yet, he's probably going to wait a while, if he gets in at all. But at least he'll always have that 2005 season...

HoF Projection: Not This Year

TIKI BARBER

1997-2006 New York Giants

Accomplishments: 3x Pro Bowl selection (2004-2006); 1st Team All-Pro (2005); 10,000 Rushing Yards Club

Pros: Most players, regardless of their position, have their most productive seasons when they're younger. Running backs especially tail off when they're within hair-greying distance of their thirtieth birthdays. To expect a running back to have great seasons near the end of their careers would be pretty unreasonable. Then again, Tiki Barber is a rather unreasonable man. Barber's best seasons were his last three, equaling or surpassing previous career highs in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, yards per attempt and yards per game. His prior seven seasons were good, some even great, but the fact that he was doing so well so late in his career, it's really a testament to how good he really was.

Cons: Tiki Barber is a notorious douche. I could rattle off a bunch of reasons for why that's the case, but the folks at Pro Football Talk already did it for me. Beyond his general unpleasantness as a human being, Barber was also fairly notorious for fumbling problems during Jim Fassel's tenure as Giants head coach (a.k.a., most of his career). Tom Coughlin is just about universally recognized for fixing Barber's shaky hands and turning him into the great running back he was in his last years. Barber thanked Coughlin by calling his coaching ability into question as a member of the media after he retired. But that's kind of circling back to the first point, isn't it?

Overall: Barber played ten years, satisfying the unwritten rule for hall of fame candidacy from a tenure standpoint. If he had played even two more seasons, his numbers would likely be rivaling some all-time greats, plus he'd have a Super Bowl ring, which greatly matters to a player's voting stock. Ultimately his candidacy falls on the "what could have been" principle, which is great for an episode of Fringe, not so much when discussing who to put in a hall of fame. He may get some recognition at some point, but he'll also likely alienate someone before they get the chance to talk him up.

HoF Projection: Not This Year

JEROME BETTIS**

1993-1995 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers

Accomplishments: 6x Pro Bowl selection (1993-1994, 1996-1997, 2001, 2004); 2x 1st Team All-Pro (1993, 1996); AP Offensive Rookie of the Year (1993); AP Comeback Player of the Year (1996); Super Bowl champion (2005); 10,000 Rushing Yards Club (6th All-Time); 10th All-Time Rushing Touchdowns

Pros: Bettis put up big numbers in his career, even though he rarely put up big numbers in single seasons. He retired with the fifth most rushing yards in NFL history and the eighth most rushing touchdowns ever. He was very durable, continuing to be productive into the twilight of his career.

Cons: One of the biggest cons is how hard it is to find pros about him. It's weird, Bettis was great, you'd be crazy to not say that, but man are his stats a mishmash of perfectly acceptable and not much else. He'd have a year or two of dominance, but he never had long stretches.

Overall: Bettis was first up for induction in 2011, along with Marshall Faulk and Curtis Martin. All three made the finals. Faulk got the nod. The next year, Bettis and Martin returned to the finals. Martin got the nod this time. Faulk is one of the best running backs of all time, Martin was quietly one of the most prolific running backs of all time. Strong candidates for sure. Last year Bettis got to the finals for a third time, this time without any strong competition from other running backs. He was again denied. And that may be the most damning evidence. Bettis was a great running back, but hall of fame worthy? That's the real question. There's clearly support for him; you don't make it to the final fifteen names three years in a row if you're some schlub. His final stats are indeed impressive and making the hall of fame isn't an offensive thought. But he's clearly on the "I'll vote for him if there aren't any stronger candidates" list.

HoF Projection: Maybe

ROGER CRAIG**

1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-1993 Minnesota Vikings

Accomplishments: 4x Pro Bowl selection (1985, 1987-1989); 1st Team All-Pro (1988); NFL 1980s All-Decade Team (2nd Team); AP Offensive Player of the Year (1988)

Pros: Roger Craig was Marshall Faulk, but in the 80s. Craig was the guy Joe Montana handed the ball off to, but Craig did things that no other running back had ever done at the time. Craig was also a key receiving threat, catching 70 or more passes four times. He was also the first running back to rush for over 1,000 yards and gain 1,000 receiving yards in the same season. So yeah, he was really good. And if you give credence to Pro Football Reference's approximate value stat, Craig had double digit AV seven years in a row (hint: that's good).

Cons: The fact that Craig was great at carrying the football and catching it may have unknowingly been his undoing. Craig never really excelled at either, but was good at both. Hence his numbers tended to split the difference with his rushing yards cutting into his receiving yards, and visa versa. The Marshall Faulk comparisons also don't do him justice in the long run, as Faulk has almost twice as many rushing touchdowns and receiving touchdowns as Craig.

Overall: Craig was an integral part to the great 49ers teams of the 80s; had he not been on those teams, they wouldn't have been quite as explosive as they were. His numbers show that the offense really benefited from his presence, giving defenses fits by making the 49ers a well balanced attack with a good run game and explosive passing game. Like Ottis Anderson, he should've been inducted years ago. He's received more support than Anderson; Craig was a finalist in 2010, and he's made it to the semifinals three times in four years. Who knows, he might get in this year. Or not. Eh, who knows?

HoF Projection: Maybe

TERRELL DAVIS**

1995-2001 Denver Broncos

Accomplishments: 3x Pro Bowl selection (1996-1998); 3x 1st Team All-Pro (1996-1998); NFL 1990s All-Decade Team (2nd Team); AP MVP (1998); 2x AP Offensive Player of the Year (1996, 1998); 2x Super Bowl champion (1997-1998); Super Bowl MVP (1997)

Pros: Terrell Davis probably had the most dominant three year run any running has ever had from 1996-1998. He led the league in rushing in 1998, becoming the 4th running back to ever rush for more than 2,000 yards (2,008 for the record). He led the league in rushing touchdowns in 1997 and 1998 (15 and 21, respectively). Record numbers, numerous awards, everything's going his way. What could possibly go wrong?

Cons: Early in the 1999 season, Terrell Davis destroyed his knee making a routine tackle. He was lost for the year, and never again reached the heights he had reached pre-injury. That's literally the only con; if he didn't get hurt, he'd be in the hall by now.

Overall: Even with his career lasting only seven years and only being productive for four of them, Davis has been a finalist every year he's been eligible for hall of fame consideration (six years and running). While he's never quite made the leap from finalist to immortal, Davis has a strong chance of making it every year. The comparisons to Shaun Alexander are inevitable; Alexander had a very small window of success and production, played behind a great offensive line, won an MVP award, and retired early due to injuries. All those details could be used to describe Davis. Unlike Alexander, Davis was a very physical runner and was an integral part of two Super Bowl winning teams. Simply put, without Davis, the Broncos don't win both of those Super Bowls. Hell, they might not even be able to reach them. With John Elway clearly in his twilight years, Davis put the Broncos on his back and ran them into contention and history. He's the main reason they won as much as they did and got the rings they deserved. And it seems the hall has recognized that fact, short career or no. I'd like to think that his induction is only a matter of time.

HoF Projection: Pretty Good

WARRICK DUNN*

1997-2001, 2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2002-2007 Atlanta Falcons

Accomplishments: 3x Pro Bowl selection (1997, 2000, 2005); AP Offensive Rookie of the Year (1997); 10,000 Rushing Yards Club

Pros: Like Jerome Bettis, Warrick Dunn was very durable, having productive seasons into his thirties. Taking his approximate value stats into account, Dunn had seven seasons where he produced double digit AV. The teams he was on didn't have great offenses otherwise, but he was a valuable weapon for his teams and was the greatest reason for their successes on that side of the ball. Also, he was and still is one of the classiest players to ever strap on a helmet.

Cons: Also like Bettis, Dunn doesn't really assert himself in the year by year stats, except for approximate value. And even then, you could argue that Dunn was a good piece on largely mediocre offenses, not necessarily someone who was a game breaker.

Overall: Dunn had a good career, but he's not really of hall of fame consideration to me. Especially compared to his fellow running backs. And let's not get started where he stacks with other positions.

HoF Projection: Not This Year

One group down, six more to go. Tomorrow we'll take a look at the wide receivers.