It’s always difficult to speculate Hall of Fame chances for a professional athlete, especially one in the National Football League. A player can be on track for Canton, Ohio one day and rehabbing a potentially career-ending injury the next. That’s what makes it fun to guess which players will keep up their dominance.

I evaluated active players based on the usual criteria – individual positional statistics (except for offensive linemen), as well as accolades such as Pro Bowl selections, All-Pro nominations, and any major awards such as MVPs or Offensive/Defensive Player of the Year. Playing on a winning team helps a player receive national recognition that may be essential to getting HOF votes, and top performances in big games goes even further.

It’s probably stretching it to include players that debuted as recently as 2013, but I did allow players for this list as long as they have been in the league for at least three seasons (so don’t expect to see Odell Beckham, Jr., Aaron Donald, or Khalil Mack). Recently-retired players are ineligible for this list, so you won’t find names like Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson, Charles Woodson, Marshawn Lynch, Logan Mankins, and Jared Allen. 

You also won’t find players who don’t currently have an NFL team; that means that Andre Johnson, Dwight Freeney, Jahri Evans, Wes Welker, Kevin Williams, Charles Tillman, and Anquan Boldin aren’t eligible for this list. For players that are on the list, some like Tom Brady, could retire now and would be a shoo-in for the Hall. Others would need to keep up their current performance for several more seasons, which means you’ll generally find younger players ranked lower on this list.

 

50. Devin Hester

It will be interesting to see how Hall of Fame voters will view Devin Hester, arguably the most dominant special teams player of this era, but still just a kick/punt returner. Hester broke into the league with a bang, taking a punt back for a score in his first-ever game and finishing his rookie campaign with a ridiculous six total return touchdowns (three punts, two kickoffs, and a 108-yard missed field goal return), plus a kick return touchdown to start the Super Bowl. Hester added six more return scores during 2007, and he’s currently first all-time with 20 return touchdowns.

Hester’s candidacy will likely be compared to that of former Buffalo Bills standout special teams player Steve Tasker. Tasker made seven All-Pro teams as a gunner, helping Buffalo to four consecutive Super Bowls, but he’s been unable to get voted in. That may leave Hester – a limited offensive player during his career – on the outside looking in when he finally hangs up his cleats.

 

49. Marshal Yanda

Marshal Yanda will need a handful of more dominant seasons considering he’s a guard and not a tackle, but Yanda has had a strong career so far. He’s a nine-year starter for Baltimore and has made the last five Pro Bowls. He helped the Ravens win the 2012 Super Bowl, and he’s been a First-Team All-Pro at guard in 2014 and 2015. If Yanda – who is still just 31 – can continue his dominance into his mid-thirties, he’s going to get some HOF votes.

 

48. DeAndre Hopkins

Three years is still very early to project a player’s Hall of Fame chances, even when that player is a superstar receiver like DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins is fresh off a 111/1,521/11 campaign and he just turned 24 years old. If he can put up those numbers with Brian Hoyer as his quarterback, he should be able to top them with Brock Osweiler, especially if Osweiler turns into the star that the Houston Texans are paying him to be. The sky is the limit for Hopkins, who hasn’t missed an NFL game yet since being drafted in 2013.

 

47. NaVorro Bowman

NaVorro Bowman deserves a lot of credit for rebounding from the potentially career-ending injury he suffered in the 2013 NFC Championship Game loss to Seattle. Bowman missed all of ’14 but bounced back to start every game in 2015, posting 116 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and earning an AP First-Team All-Pro selection. Bowman has earned four such All-Pro distinctions in four years as a starter. He’s going to need to continue dominating for another half-decade, but Bowman is on the right track.

 

46. Ndamukong Suh

Fair or not, Ndamukong Suh’s Hall of Fame chances will be tied to that $100 million-plus contact he signed with the Miami Dolphins. If Miami doesn’t make the playoffs during Suh’s tenure with the team, he’s going to be viewed as a disappointment. Suh didn’t earn a Pro Bowl selection in his first year in Miami (2015), but he was better than people realize. 

Suh started every game, recording six sacks and even rating by Pro Football Focus as the third-best overall interior defensive lineman in the game. He can’t continue committing 18 penalties per season, as he did in ‘15, and his history of flagrant personal fouls will go against him. What Suh needs is to help Miami get to the playoffs, while continuing to stay as healthy as he has.

 

45. Jamaal Charles

Jamaal Charles doesn’t have the volume of your typical HOF-caliber running back, and he’s now 29 1/2 years old, rebounding from his second serious knee injury. Charles is at 7,220 rushing yards, so it’s doubtful he even reaches the 10,000-yard mark. 

What he does have to help his candidacy is the single greatest yards-per-carry average this league has ever seen from a starting running back. Charles’ 5.47 lifetime mark is the best in history. He holds the single-season record (min. 200 carries) at 6.38 YPC, and he’s never been under 5.0 yards per carry in a season. If Charles can come back strong in 2016 and put up at least two more seasons on par with what he’s done, then Canton, Ohio becomes a very realistic possibility.

 

44. Haloti Ngata

Interior defensive lineman can have trouble making the Hall of Fame since they don’t typically produce eye-popping stats, and Haloti Ngata has led the life of a mammoth zero-technique nose tackle who takes on double teams constantly. As a result, no one will be too impressed by his 28 career sacks, six forced fumbles, or five interceptions.

What will go on Ngata’s resume are the personal accolades – he’s earned five Pro Bowl selections, two First-Team All-Pro berths, and helped the Baltimore Ravens win 10 playoff games and a Super Bowl championship after the 2012 season. Ngata is now on the Detroit Lions and will need a handful of more dominant seasons to warrant a strong-enough case.

 

43. Jimmy Graham

Jimmy Graham has the talent to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame; at his point, it will come down to whether or not he can rebound from the horrific torn patellar tendon injury he suffered late in 2015.

Graham’s first six seasons stack up nicely with the greatest tight ends ever. He produced over 5,300 receiving yards and 53 touchdowns, earning three Pro Bowl berths and nearly setting a single-season record for tight ends in touchdown receptions (16 in 2013). The shocking trade that sent Graham to Seattle means he doesn’t benefit from playing with Drew Brees anymore, but he still has one of the finest passing quarterbacks in the game in Russell Wilson. This is, assuming that the 29-year-old Graham can rebound and return to dominance (and that Seattle doesn’t cut ties with him).

 

42. Clay Matthews

Clay Matthews has been one of the most recognizable defensive players in the NFL since he was drafted. He’s registered 67.5 sacks with Green Bay, plus an additional 10 in 12 career postseason contests. Matthews is a six-time Pro Bowler and helped bring a Super Bowl title to the Packers in 2010. He’s still played just seven seasons and will have a much better HOF chance once he brings his career sack total over 100.

 

41. Terrell Suggs

By virtue of having been drafted at age 20, Terrell Suggs is still just 33 years old. He’s trying to come back from another serious injury, but if he does, Suggs may have enough left in the tank to continue adding to his already-impressive career numbers: 106 sacks, 25 forced fumbles, six Pro Bowls, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and a Super Bowl title with the Baltimore Ravens. If he’s unable to return to top form, Suggs will probably be on the outside looking in.

 

40. Adam Vinatieri

Adam Vinatieri may be just a kicker, but he’s had a Hall of Fame-worthy career. Vinatieri is the oldest player in the league, yet the Indianapolis Colts just signed the 43-year-old to a two-year contract extension. Vinatieri’s regular-season accomplishments are noteworthy – three Pro Bowls, three AP First-Team All-Pro selections, and over 500 field goals – but it’s what he has done in the playoffs that should eventually get him into Canton. Vinatieri famously nailed two Super Bowl-winning field goals with the New England Patriots, although his best kick ever was probably the 45-yarder in the 2001 Tuck Bowl game. Vinatieri has played in five Super Bowls, winning four, and he’s a notably factor in the New England Patriots’ dynasty.

 

39. Tony Romo

Hopefully Hall of Fame voters look last Tony Romo’s reputation as a choker, because he’s actually been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league over the last decade. Here are Romo’s career rankings in some of the most important passing statistics: second in net yards per passing attempt (7.09), third in passer rating (97.1), and fourth in completion percentage (65.3). Even in the postseason – where Romo’s lone two playoff wins won’t help his case – he does have a lifetime 4:1 TD:INT ratio and a solid 93.0 passer rating. If Romo’s collarbone holds up and he strings together a few more seasons with that incredibly talented offense, he’s going to be tough for voters to pass on.

 

38. Kam Chancellor

There aren’t many safeties like Kam Chancellor. He’s almost the size of a linebacker, which makes him an aberration as a safety. Chancellor is the power behind the Legion of Boom, the safety capable of pulverizing a wide receiver who dares cross the middle of the field. Chancellor is a four-time Pro Bowler in just five NFL seasons, and he’s a big-time playoff performer.

Chancellor had 10 tackles and an interception in Seattle’s Super Bowl win back in 2013. He intercepted Cam Newton and returned the pass 90 yards for a touchdown in the 2014 NFC Divisional Playoffs win over Carolina, and he forced a key fumble of Adrian Peterson in last year’s 10-9 victory over Minnesota in the NFC Wild Card Round. Chancellor is still just 28 and in the prime of his career, so he could wind up with seven or eight career Pro Bowls and another championship ring to his legacy.

 

37. Robert Mathis

Robert Mathis won’t have an easy time getting into the Hall, considering he’ll be going up around the same time as a slew of pass-rushers: Jared Allen, John Abraham, Julius Peppers, Terrell Suggs, James Harrison, and Mathis’ partner on the defensive line, Dwight Freeney. Mathis is 20th on the all-time sack list (118), and he has five Pro Bowl selections to go with a Super Bowl title and two appearances. 

It will be interesting to see how many members of the mid-2000s Indianapolis Colts teams make the Hall of Fame. Peyton Manning is a lock and Tony Dungy is already in. Marvin Harrison will likely get in eventually, and then there’s Reggie Wayne, Edgerrin James, Jeff Saturday, Freeney, Mathis, and Adam Vinatieri all vying for induction as well. That’s a lot of members to put in from one team, especially with the Colts having only won one Super Bowl. As a result, it may take Mathis some time if he gets in.

 

36. Cam Newton

Four seasons into his career, Cam Newton didn’t seem like he was on track for the Hall of Fame. And then he went out and put up 45 total touchdowns for the 2015 Carolina Panthers (just in the regular season!), leading them to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl berth. In the process, Newton won the league MVP award. That’s the step in the right direction that he needed, and that raw talent is why he went first overall back in the ’11 draft.

Newton is still just 27 years old. He’s in the prime of his career, and he’s managed to excel playing a style of football that makes him a one-of-a-kind quarterback throughout history. He’s going to shatter the lifetime record for rushing touchdowns for a quarterback by the time he retires. The difficult part will be sustaining the number of hits Newton takes, and when he does begin to lose his ability to run with the football, the question remains as to whether he will have the passing effeciency to keep on producing.

 

35. Dez Bryant

In terms of raw talent, it doesn’t seem like Dez Bryant can be stopped. He’s on par with the greatest red-zone receivers who ever lived, and he’s averaged 14 touchdowns per campaign in his last three full seasons. Bryant has an All-Pro quarterback in Tony Romo, and as long as Bryant and Romo can stay healthy for a few more seasons together, Bryant’s going to top 100 career touchdowns with ease and be tough to keep out of the Hall.

 

34. Nick Mangold

Being a center means flying under the radar. What Nick Mangold does have on his side is that he is a former first-round pick, seven-time Pro Bowler, and two-time AP First-Team All-Pro in 10 NFL seasons. 

Per Pro Football Reference, there have been three other centers throughout history to make at least seven Pro Bowls in their first 10 seasons; Chuck Bednarik and Jim Otto made the Hall of Fame, while Jon Morris did not. To be fair, Bednarik also played linebacker, so you could limit the sample size to just two other players and say Mangold has a 50-50.

 

33. Philip Rivers

It’s unfortunate that Super Bowl championships are the primary measure by which quarterbacks are judged, because Philip Rivers has had an elite career despite never making it past the AFC Championship Game. 

Rivers is a five-time Pro Bowler who has started 10 consecutive seasons’ worth of games. He’ll likely retire with over 50,000 passing yards and 350 touchdown passes; he has a chance at 60,000 yards and 375-400 touchdowns. Even in today’s inflated offensive days, it will be tough to keep Rivers out with those numbers.

 

32. A.J. Green

The biggest knock working against A.J. Green is the fact that he’s never been the best wide receiver in the NFL. He’s always been overshadowed by Calvin Johnson or Antonio Brown or Dez Bryant or Odell Beckham, Jr. or Julio Jones. 

Still, Green is a special player who routinely puts up elite offensive numbers. He’s been to five Pro Bowls in five seasons, averaging 83 receptions, 1,234 yards, and nine touchdowns since entering the league in 2011. There have been four wide receivers in history with more receiving yards in their first five campaigns, and it’s a Hall of Fame group: Jerry Rice, Torry Holt, Julio Jones, and Randy Moss. Better yet, Green is the only one of that bunch to make the Pro Bowl every season.

 

31. Justin Houston

Assuming Justin Houston can rebound successfully from his offseason torn ACL, he’s well on his way for a spot in Canton, Ohio. Houston has 56 sacks in his first five years, including a 22-sack campaign in 2014 that made him just the fourth player ever with that many in a single season. He’s backed on the opposite side by fellow perennial Pro Bowler Tamba Hali, and a defense of Marcus Peters, Derrick Johnson, and Eric Berry should continue putting Houston in good position to rack up sacks.

 

30. Vince Wilfork

Aside from Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, how many legitimate Hall of Famers are there from the 2000s New England Patriots teams? Randy Moss will make it, but he was only in Foxborough for 2 1/2 seasons. Asante Samuel and Ty Law won’t likely make it. Same with Rodney Harrison, Wes Welker, Matt Light, or Tedy Bruschi. Rob Gronkowski will make it eventually if he stays healthy, and who knows about Adam Vinatieri, who isn’t helped by the fact that he’s a kicker. 

Realistically, Wilfork may be the best bet to represent this defense in the Hall of Fame. He’s now on Houston, so even if he doesn’t see the playoffs again, he’s still been to five Pro Bowls, played in 22 postseason contests, and won two Super Bowls, while appearing in four. Wilfork’s stats don’t do him justice, but such is the life of a 350-pound zero-technique nose tackle. Hopefully voters remember his impact on the game and vote him in.

 

29. Brandon Marshall

I think most people would be surprised to see how well Brandon Marshall’s career statistics stack up against some of the all-time great wide receivers. He has nearly as many yards and touchdowns as Calvin Johnson, and significantly more receptions. In fact, Marshall holds the NFL record with six 100-catch seasons, and even at age 32, he’s coming off arguably his best season – 109/1,502/14.

Marshall is renowned for his blocking abilities, and he’s shown no signs of slowing down as he enters his 11th NFL campaign. Detractors will point to the fact that he’s never been to the playoffs, but it seems unfair to put the blame on Marshall – a five-time Pro Bowler – simply because he’s had the rough fortune of never playing in the postseason.

 

28. Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck entered the NFL with extremely high expectations, as is the case when a franchise ‘sucks for Luck’ and takes him first overall to replace a legend in Peyton Manning. Luck immediately took a 2-14 team to the postseason and through three seasons, he’s been the catalyst for a Indianapolis Colts team that has made the playoffs every year and wouldn’t have sniffed it otherwise.

Luck’s 2015 campaign was a season to forget; he was injured for numerous games and when he did play, he was turnover-prone and ineffective. Luck’s performance to date suggests ’15 was an aberration and not the new norm, and he has a receiving corps loaded with talent (T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief, and Phillip Dorsett). He now has a giant bull’s-eye on his back after signing a contract with $87 million guaranteed, but Luck’s body of work suggests he can live up to that deal. Realistically, the only thing that can stop Luck from eventually making the Hall of Fame is injuries. Like all quarterbacks, Luck’s case will be dramatically improved with a Super Bowl championship.

 

27. Patrick Peterson

Five seasons into his NFL career, Patrick Peterson is viewed as one of the league’s premier lockdown cornerbacks. He’s been to the Pro Bowl every season – the first as a kick returner and the last four as a cornerback. Peterson has never missed a game since being drafted fifth overall, recording 17 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries during that span. He’s been named to three First-Team All-Pro squads, and he’s still just 25 years old. With hybrid corner/safety Tyrann Mathieu in the same defensive backfield, expect Peterson to continue thriving for years to come.

 

26. Eli Manning

When he finally hangs it up, it will be difficult for voters to keep Eli Manning out of the Hall of Fame. He’s definitely not Peyton, but Eli has never missed a start due to injury and he could wind up with 60,000 passing yards and 350 touchdowns when he’s finished.

Odell Beckham, Jr. was the best thing to ever happen to Manning; since OBJ entered the league in 2014, Eli ranks sixth in the league in passing yards and third in passing touchdowns, and there’s no reason to expect that trend to slow down now that last year’s offensive coordinator, Ben McAdoo, is the team’s new head coach.

And Eli’s remarkable Super Bowl performances against the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick New England Patriots will be enough to get him in eventually – beating a 16-0 team is already impressive but then knocking off the Patriots again in the Super Bowl four years later is Manning’s claim to fame.

 

25. Jason Peters

A former college tight end and undrafted NFL free agent is now in line for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Such is the story of Jason Peters, who possesses freakishly elite athleticism for a big man. Peters has been named to eight Pro Bowls already and two First-Team All-Pro squads, and he didn’t miss a beat after that 2012 Achilles’ tendon injury. He won’t last forever – Peters is already 34 years old and beginning to show his age – but one or two more Pro Bowls should lock him in as a future Hall of Famer.

 

24. Frank Gore

He’s 33 years old and well past the prime age of a typical NFL running back, but don’t tell that to Frank Gore. Gore ground out 967 tough yards for the weakened Andrew Luck-less Indianapolis Colts in 2015, moving him into 15th place on the all-time career rushing list (12,040).

Gore has never won a league rushing crown, and he hasn’t topped 1,300 rushing yards in a season since 2006. But a continued streak of 1,000-yard campaigns – plus his remarkable durability that has allowed him to suit up for every game since ’11 – will give him a strong case. Another quality year in 2016, hopefully with a healthy and productive Andrew Luck, will push Gore over the edge.

 

23. Von Miller

Von Miller’s dominating performances in the 2015 postseason – six sacks and the Super Bowl MVP award – gives him serious ammunition in his quest to be the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player. Getting such a contract would be both a blessing and a curse – name recognition goes far for defenders but Miller will need to make sure he lives up to the enormous expectations that come with a nine-figure deal.

Assuming Denver retains Miller long-term, there’s no reason for Broncos fans to be concerned about his performance going forward. Miller has averaged 12.0 sacks and 3.4 forced fumbles per season since he was drafted. He’s a four-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, a former Defensive Rookie of the Year, and a runner-up to the Defensive Player of the Year award.

He also rebounded nicely from a miserable 2013 season that saw him hit with a six-game PEDs suspension and then dealing with a torn ACL; Miller’s play since then has shown ’13 was a fluke and not the norm.

 

22. Earl Thomas

Safeties historically have a difficult time getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but Earl Thomas is a rare talent who should buck the trend. Thomas, a 2010 first-round pick, has never missed an NFL game, starting all 96 regular-season contests and earning Pro Bowl selections the last five years.

Thomas’ status as a Legion of Boom member will enhance his case; that, and the fact that he’s still just 27 years old and can add to an already-impressive resume. Helping Seattle to another Super Bowl championship will help Thomas’ case.

 

21. Luke Kuechly

Luke Kuechly has played just four NFL seasons; a lot can happen to a player in terms of personnel, health, and production on the field. But Kuechly is certainly on the right track. After the Carolina Panthers took Kuechly ninth overall in the 2012 draft, Kuechly rewarded them with a Defensive Rookie of the Year award in his first season and then a Defensive Player of the Year award in year two. The only other player to win those awards in successive seasons? The great Lawrence Taylor.

Kuechly hasn’t missed a beat in the last two seasons; he was a First-Team All-Pro selection in both 2014 and 2015 (plus 2013). He’s quite simply always around the ball – once he recorded 26 tackles in a game – and he’s the rare linebacker who can stick with a wide receiver in pass coverage. Barring injury, Kuechly will go down as one of the all-time greats.

 

20. Antonio Brown

A former sixth-round pick, Antonio Brown isn’t your traditional physical specimen of a wide receiver like Dez Bryant or Julio Jones. But no matter, Brown is quite simply the closest thing the NFL has seen to Jerry Rice since… Jerry Rice.

Brown broke out with a 110/1,499/8 season in 2013, then followed it with a 129/1,698/13 campaign in 2014, and then remarkably topped it with a 136/1,871/10 statline a year ago. His ’15 numbers project to over 150 receptions and 2,000 yards with a healthy Ben Roethlisberger, and football fans should fully expect to see him hit those numbers sometime soon.

Brown is the smoothest wide receiver in the league, and his chemistry with Roethlisberger is close to unbeatable. Remember what Brown did to Chris Harris last year? He renders the elite cornerbacks ineffective. Brown is still just 28 years old and he plays a style of football that should keep him producing elite numbers well into his thirties.

 

19. Russell Wilson

The Seattle Seahawks had no idea what they were getting into when they drafted Russell Wilson; if they had had even the faintest clue, they wouldn’t have waited until the third round and they certainly wouldn’t have signed Matt Flynn to a $25 million contract.

Wilson is the rare sub-six foot tall quarterback who can thrive in the NFL, but remember, he’s the exception, not the rule. For every Wilson, there are 10 other quarterbacks who can make plays with their legs – the difference is that Wilson can pass as well as anyone in the league, he’s never injured, and he’s a proven winner on the league’s biggest stage.

Four seasons into his career, Wilson has 118 total touchdowns to just 34 interceptions. He’s never missed a start due to injury. He’s won one Super Bowl, been to two, and already won a career’s worth of playoff games (7). His career ranks in some of the NFL’s most important passing statistics: passer rating (second), interception percentage (third), yards per attempt (fourth), and completion percentage (eighth). Wilson benefits from playing in the offense-inflated era, but he took that next step as a passer in 2015 (without Marshawn Lynch and Jimmy Graham!), and he’s squarely on track to be a top-15 quarterback of all-time.

 

18. Richard Sherman

The NFL’s most outspoken cornerback since Deion Sanders may also be the game’s best since Prime Time. Seriously, Sherman is that good.

He’s a true shutdown corner, and in 2015, he started shadowing opposing wide receivers as opposed to covering just the one side of the field. Cornerback is an incredibly difficult position to play in today’s era – forget being able to make any contact with a wide receiver – but Sherman is nearly without his flaws at the position.

He’s started all 80 games since entering the league as a fifth-round pick, and his 26 interceptions during that span dwarf his nearest competitor at cornerback (the ageless Charles Woodson with 18), and Sherman has three Pro Bowl selections and three First-Team All-Pro nominations to his name. He’s also responsible for nearly single-handedly ending the San Francisco 49ers’ reign of NFC success. Sherman is 28 years old at a position where players start to decline as they reach 30, but Sherman should have a handful of dominant seasons left in him.

 

17. DeMarcus Ware

DeMarcus Ware played in an era that features a slew of Hall of Fame-caliber pass-rushers, all of whom will be vying for votes alongside him – Julius Peppers, Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Jared Allen, and John Abraham. But Ware is the youngest of the bunch, and he’s coming off an 11-sack campaign (including the playoffs), having played a crucial role for the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos. With nine Pro Bowls, four All-Pro selections, and 134.5 sacks already, Ware needs just a season or so to cement his case.

 

16. Julio Jones

Only injury can stop Julio Jones from assaulting the NFL’s record book, and he seems to have put his early-career injury woes behind him, having suited up for 31 of the last 32 regular-season contests.

Jones’ finest season yet came in 2015, as he led the NFL with 136 receptions and 1,871 yards, each the second-highest single-season total in the league’s history. Jones was targeted a ridiculous 203 times, and there’s no reason to think that should change in ’16. He’s still just 27 years old and the career leader in average receiving yards per game; if Jones can continue his current production, it’s not whether he’ll make the Hall of Fame, but how high up the list of greatest wide receivers he will climb.

 

15. Tyron Smith

Only Joe Thomas prevents Tyron Smith from being the game’s finest offensive lineman, but Thomas is 31 years old and entering his 10th NFL season; Smith, despite having already played five years, is still just 25.

Smith is a master in pass protection, and he’s the anchor of an offensive line that should help rookie Ezekiel Elliott approach record-setting numbers. Smith has made three consecutive Pro Bowls, he’s missed just one start in five seasons, and he should be a fixture on the Pro Bowl list for years to come. The only thing that can stop Smith from the Hall of Fame is injury.

 

14. Ben Roethlisberger

The Ben Roethlisberger of the early Pittsburgh Steelers was a talented player, but more of a product of a dominant Steelers running game and defense; this Roethlisberger is playing the finest football of his career.

Roethlisberger is 34 years old and coming off a season in which he missed four games due to injury. But he’s leading an aerial attack that can’t be stopped when it’s clicking; Roethlisberger led the NFL with a 328 yards-per-game average in 2015, and his 68.0 completion percentage was the best mark of his career.

Even without Martavis Bryant in 2016, Roethlisberger has Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell; there’s no reason to think Big Ben will let up anytime soon. Two Super Bowl championships and a third appearance to go with what will be gaudy statistics when he’s all finished is enough to ensure Roethlisberger makes the Hall.

 

13. Rob Gronkowski

By the time he’s finished playing, there’s a good chance Rob Gronkowski will be viewed as the greatest tight end of all-time. He’s a 6’6″, 270-pound athletic freak who already has more career touchdown catches (66) in just 80 NFL games than Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe had in his 204-game career (80) – plus a ridiculous nine more in 10 postseason contests.

Gronk battled injuries early in his career – and in college – but he’s now suited up for 35 of 37 games (playoffs included) since the start of the 2014 campaign. Gronk isn’t just an oversized wide receiver masquerading as a tight end – per Pro Football Focus, Gronk routinely grades out as one of the best blockers at his position; PFF ranked him No. 1 as a run-blocker among his peers in 2015.

It’s hard to believe Gronkowski is still just 27 years old and thick in the prime of his career. He’s going to shatter the league’s all-time scoring records by the time he’s done, as long as he can stay off the trainer’s table.

 

12. Steve Smith

In the history of the league, has there ever been a wide receiver quite like Steve Smith? He’s a 5’9″, 205-pound player with a running back’s build but the career resume of one of this generation’s most dominant all-around playmakers.

Smith has been an All-Pro return man (2001, his rookie season), a Triple Crown-winning receiver (2005), a dominant playoff performer, and a five-time Pro Bowler who has continued thriving even as he left Carolina for Baltimore. Smith heads into 2016 with his most daunting challenge yet – attempting to return from a brutal torn Achilles’ tendon injury – but is there any reason to bet against Smith now, after he’s consistently defied odds his entire career?

Despite routinely playing with an underwhelming collection of quarterbacks, Smith is 15th on the NFL’s all-time receptions list (976) and 11th in receiving yards (13,932). The Pro Football Hall of Fame can’t possibly say no to Smith.

 

11. J.J. Watt

It’s not whether or not J.J. Watt will make the Hall of Fame; it’s whether or not he will eventually overtake Lawrence Taylor, Reggie White, and Mean Joe Greene as the most dominant defensive players in this league’s near-hundred-year history.

I can’t rank Watt higher than 11th out of respect for the veterans ahead of him who have played in substantially more games and been around this league for a decade-plus. But what Watt has accomplished in just five seasons is already the resume of a Hall of Fame player.

Not once, not twice, but three times, Watt has been voted the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. The only other man who can make that claim is the great LT. Watt is a four-time Pro Bowler, four-time First-Team All-Pro, and owner of 74.5 career sacks – and two 20-sack campaigns – at a position in which 6-8 sacks is viewed as an exceptional year. After all, 3-4 defensive ends are generally supposed to do the dirty work so their teammates can make plays; don’t tell that to Watt, though. In addition to his sacks, he’s recorded 15 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, and two touchdowns – plus another five sacks and a touchdown in the playoffs. At just 27 years old, there is really no limit to what Watt can accomplish in this league.

 

10. Antonio Gates

Antonio Gates entered the league as an undrafted tight end having never played college football; now he’s an eight-time Pro Bowler and a consensus top-10 tight end in league history.

Gates has a career 844/10,644/104 receiving line, and he and Philip Rivers have been the NFL’s most prolific QB-TE combo of all-time. Gates has certainly been blessed with great quarterbacks – before Rivers was early-career Drew Brees, a Pro Bowler in his own right even if he wasn’t yet a perennial 4,500-yard passer – but there’s no denying Gates’ talent.

Gates can outjump the finest defenders, and his red-zone success will be the first reason he’ll get so many HOF votes. Gates has four seasons of at least 10 touchdown catches, and 10 years of at least seven scores. Those are unprecedented numbers for a tight end.

 

9. Jason Witten

Jason Witten and Antonio Gates arrived at opposite ends of the spectrum – Witten as a second-round pick and Gates as an undrafted player with no football experience – but over a decade later, they’ve had two of the best careers of any tight end ever.

Witten’s NFL accomplishments are simply remarkable. He’s suited up for all 16 contests for every season since 2004. He’s caught at least 60 passes for 700 yards every year during that span, four times topping 1,000 yards and topping out in receptions at a ridiculous 110 in 2012.

Witten doesn’t look like the new basketball-playing tight end that has overtaken the league, and he’s certainly not one. He’s slow of foot, buy somehow always finds a way to get open, always comes up with that key third-down grab, and it seems that he never goes down with the first tackle attempt. Even entering year 14 in the league, Witten is still coming off a very respectable 77/713 season. If there’s any valid criticism of Witten, it’s that he doesn’t score a lot of touchdowns – Witten has just 60 for his career and he’s never reached the double-digit figure for a season.

 

8. Julius Peppers

Julius Peppers is quite possible the most athletic defensive end to ever play in the National Football League, and he’s still a highly productive player, even as he gets set to enter his 15th NFL season – and at a position other than the one in which he was drafted.

Peppers has had a phenomenal career, racking up nine Pro Bowl selections, 136.0 sacks, 48 forced fumbles, 17 fumble recoveries, and an absurd six defensive touchdowns. Peppers has a freakish wingspan that has allowed him to bat down 75 passes during his career, to go with 11 interceptions. He’s missed just two games due to injury since 2002, and has racked up double-digit sacks on nine occasions. Quite simply, he should be an easy first-ballot Hall of Famer.

 

7. Darrelle Revis

Darrelle Revis is probably the NFL’s most dominant cornerback since Deion Sanders. In an era in which the shutdown corner has all but faded from the game, Revis has continued to remain that lockdown player capable of single-handedly shutting down an opponent’s best receiver.

When quarterbacks do challenge Revis, he’s made them pay to the tune of 28 interceptions over nine seasons, plus three more in the playoffs. Last year, Revis flashed in his return to New York, securing five picks and four fumble recoveries, giving him an absurd nine turnovers generated in just 14 contests. Revis already has seven Pro Bowl selections, four First-Team All-Pro nominations, and a Super Bowl ring (with New England), and he’s just 30 years old. That makes him an easy Hall of Famer.

 

6. Joe Thomas

Joe Thomas is a special talent. He entered the NFL as a third overall pick and was immediately one of the game’s finest offensive linemen. To date, Thomas has played nine seasons. He’s been named to nine Pro Bowls and six AP First-Team All-Pro squads. He’s never missed a snap due to injury in his career, let alone a full game. Thomas is the model for what all offensive linemen should strive to be, and he will be an easy Hall of Famer when he finally decides to retire.

 

5. Larry Fitzgerald

Larry Fitzgerald has established himself as one of the game’s most consistent performers. He’s by far the greatest receiver in Arizona Cardinals’ history, and a strong case could be made for him as one of the 8-10 best wideouts in league history.

Fitzgerald has been to nine Pro Bowls in 12 seasons. He’s put up over 1,000 receptions and 13,000-plus receiving yards, and just posted a remarkable 109/1,215/9 statline at age 32. There’s reason to believe Fitzgerald can continue producing well into his thirties, especially since the Cardinals have played him primarily in the slot, as of late, where he’s been able to take advantage of undersized slot corners.

Fitzgerald is the owner of one of the greatest playoff runs of all-time, setting a record with 546 yards and seven touchdowns in a single postseason (2008), even catching what would have been a game-winning touchdown grab in the Super Bowl had his defense only been able to hold off Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes. Besides being a perennial superstar, Fitzgerald is one of the genuine good guys in the league, and playing for the same team his whole career will help make him an easy yes on his future election day.

 

4. Adrian Peterson

How many running backs in league history have had Adrian Peterson’s raw ball-carrying skills? Jim Brown, Eric Dickerson, and O.J. Simpson are probably the closest counterparts. Walter Payton and Barry Sanders didn’t have the power element to their game that AP has, and LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshall Faulk were greater all-around backs but not the running talent that Peterson is.

AP entered the league with a bang, bucking the trend of a running back by committee. He put up 1,341 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns in 14 games as a rookie, averaging a ridiculous 5.6 yards per carry and etching his name into the record books with a 296-yard game.

In nine seasons, Peterson has made seven Pro Bowls and four First-Team All-Pro squads. He won a league MVP (2012), a year in which he nearly set the league’s single-season rushing record (2,097 yards) just nine months removed from a devastating knee injury. AP missed nearly all of 2014 due to child abuse allegations, then bounced back in ’15 to win his third rushing crown – at the ripe age of 30.

Fumbles have always been an issue with Peterson, but that didn’t stop Dickerson from making the Hall of Fame and it won’t slow down AP, either. It will be interesting to see how long Peterson can continue dominating at a position that is merciless to veterans. AP has openly talked about playing until he’s 40; that’s pretty unrealistic, but then again, this is a player who seems to defy expectations every times he’s doubted. Going forward, AP’s best bet of continued success is tied to Teddy Bridgewater’s development. If Bridgewater – a second-year player who is almost TD-averse – can break through as a legitimate downfield passer, it will force defenders to play deep, allowing more opportunities for AP to excel. If Bridgewater can’t escape the game manager role, AP may start to play more like the traditional 31-year-old running back, and not a perennial Pro Bowler.

Even so, there’s no reason AP won’t be an immediate Hall of Famer upon eligibility; at this point, it’s simply a matter of how high he will climb on the list of all-time greatest running backs.

 

3. Drew Brees

It’s not Drew Brees’ fault his last decade of absolute dominance coincided with the two greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game; if not for Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, we would absolutely be talking about Brees as arguably the greatest quarterback who ever lived. And no, that’s not a far-fetched claim.

Brees may benefit from the football equivalent of the steroid era, but what he’s accomplished since joining New Orleans is hard to believe. Since 2006, Brees has averaged 4,855 passing yards and 35 touchdowns per season to go with a 67.6 completion percentage, 7.7 yards per attempt, and 99.0 passer rating. He’s missed exactly two starts during that span – one was when the Saints had home-field advantage already clinched, and the other was last year when Brees suffered a rotator cuff injury but missed just one game – this a decade after an injury to his shoulder was supposed to potentially end his career. Oh, and Brees has never played with a Pro Bowl wide receiver in New Orleans (despite what Jimmy Graham may think about his own position on the field).

Brees didn’t just bring football respectability back to New Orleans; he delivered a Super Bowl championship to the city after the 2009 season, beating Peyton Manning on the NFL’s biggest stage. Brees is already over 60,000 career passing yards and at 428 touchdowns; while he’s 37 years old, he’s a serious threat to take down Manning’s records in both categories (71,940 yards and 539 touchdowns).

 

2. Aaron Rodgers

There are those who believe Aaron Rodgers will one day be called the greatest quarterback in league history. In terms of pure physical tools, Rodgers may be the most gifted signal-caller this league has ever seen. He’s blessed with a rocket of an arm, one we saw on full display last year when he tossed up not one, but two incredible Hail Mary throws – plus a 4th-and-10 conversion to Jeff Janis in the playoffs that showcased everything that makes Rodgers a superstar.

Rodgers suffered through a ‘down’ year in 2015 – if you call 31 touchdown passes to just eight interceptions a down year – and that was with no Jordy Nelson and an ineffective Eddie Lacy. Trust me, Rodgers will be back and wreaking havoc on the league in ’16. He’s still just 32 years old in a league now flooded with mid-to-upper thirties quarterbacks; that means Rodgers legitimately may have six to eight more seasons of dominance.

Rodgers is the NFL’s current all-time leader in passer rating and touchdown-to-interception ratio. Those numbers may drop as Rodgers plays more seasons, but then again, Rodgers is right smack in the prime of his career. The odds are better that he adds to his two regular-season MVP awards and one Super Bowl MVP award, and if he can do that, he’s going to overtake Brett Favre and Bart Starr as the consensus greatest quarterback in Green Bay’s storied history. What puts Rodgers ahead of Brees on this list is the fact that he’s been slightly more dominant in his prime; while Brees has been a model of Pro Bowl consistency over the last decade, he’s never been the best quarterback in the league. Rodgers has been arguably the league’s best QB since 2011, and it’s doubtful he relinquishes that status anytime soon.

 

1. Tom Brady

It’s Peyton Manning or Tom Brady as the greatest quarterback who ever played, and with Manning’s retirement this past offseason, Brady gets the top spot on this list.

If you follow football at all, you’re aware of Brady’s accomplishments over his 16-year career, and don’t expect any of that #Spygate or #Deflategate nonsense to impact his HOF chances. Brady is a success story like the NFL has never seen before, as he’s a former sixth-round pick who has now been to 11 Pro Bowls, won two league MVP awards, and been crowned the AP Male Athlete of the Year. He’s a four-time Super Bowl champion and he’s a defensive stop away from having an unprecedented six rings.

And remarkably, he’s still going strong at age 39. Brady is fresh off a season in which he led the NFL in touchdown passes – for the fourth time – in addition to 4,770 passing yards, just seven interceptions, and a 102.2 passer rating. Brady is blessed with possibly the most dominant offensive weapon in the game in Rob Gronkowski and a mastermind genius of a head coach in Bill Belichick. There’s reason to believe Brady can continue his reign of excellence well into his forties. By that point, we may be talking about him as not just the greatest quarterback, but greatest football player to ever wear a uniform.

 

 

Follow Cody Swartz on Twitter (@cbswartz5).