HOF prelim, 167 names

[JohnTurney]

QUARTERBACKS (10): Marc Bulger, Randall Cunningham, Jake Delhomme, Doug Flutie, Rich Gannon, Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, Eli Manning, Steve McNair, Tony Romo.

RUNNING BACKS (31): Shaun Alexander, Terry Allen, Jamal Anderson, Tiki Barber, LarryCenters (FB), Jamaal Charles, Stephen Davis, Corey Dillon, Warrick Dunn, Charlie Garner, Eddie George, Priest Holmes, Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, Thomas Jones, John Kuhn (FB), Vonta Leach, Dorsey Levens, Jamal Lewis, Marshawn Lynch, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), Glyn Milburn (also WR), Lorenzo Neal (FB), Clinton Portis, Tony Richardson (FB), Robert Smith, Darren Sproles (also PR/KR), Fred Taylor*, Chris Warren, Ricky Watters, Ricky Williams.

WIDE RECEIVERS (21): Anquan Boldin, Donald Driver, Antonio Freeman, Irving Fryar, Torry Holt*, Joe Horn, Chad Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Derrick Mason, Herman Moore, Muhsin Muhammad, Jordy Nelson, Andre Rison, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Demaryius Thomas, Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne*, Wes Welker, Roddy White.

TIGHT ENDS (6): Ben Coates, Vernon Davis, Antonio Gates*, Jeremy Shockey, Delanie Walker, Wesley Walls.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (26): Willie Anderson* (T), Bruce Armstrong (T/G), Matt Birk (C), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Jahri Evans* (G), Travis Frederick (C), Jordan Gross (T), Ryan Kalil (C), Lincoln Kennedy (T), Olin Kreutz (C), T.J. Lang (G/T), Nick Mangold (C), Logan Mankins (G), Tom Nalen (C), Jeff Saturday (C), Mark Schlereth (G/C), Josh Sitton (G), Chris Snee (G), Joe Staley (T), Dave Szott (G), Brian Waters (G), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G), Marshal Yanda (G).

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (18): John Abraham (DE also LB), Jared Allen* (DE), La’Roi Glover (DT/NT), Casey Hampton (DT/NT), Robert Mathis (DE), Chester McGlockton (DT), Haloti Ngata (DT), Simeon Rice (DE), Clyde Simmons (DE/DT), Justin Smith (DE), Neil Smith (DE), Henry Thomas (DT/NT), Justin Tuck (DE), Ted Washington (NT/DT), Vince Wilfork (DT/NT), Jamal Williams (DT/NT), Kevin Williams (DT), Pat Williams (DT).

LINEBACKERS (20): Jessie Armstead, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Cornelius Bennett, Lance Briggs, Keith Brooking, NaVorro Bowman, Tedy Bruschi, Donnie Edwards, James Farrior, London Fletcher, James Harrison, Luke Kuechly, Willie McGinest (also DE), Ken Norton Jr., Julian Peterson, Bill Romanowski, Takeo Spikes, Terrell Suggs, Mike Vrabel, Lee Woodall.

DEFENSIVE BACKS (19): Eric Allen (CB), Eric Berry (DB), Antoine Bethea (S), Dré Bly (DB), Kam Chancellor (S), Nick Collins (DB), Antonio Cromartie (CB), DeAngelo Hall (DB), Rodney Harrison* (S), Eugene Robinson (DB), Samari Rolle (DB), Allen Rossum (DB), Asante Samuel (CB), Bob Sanders (S), Aqib Talib (CB), Earl Thomas (S), Charles Tillman (CB), Troy Vincent (CB), Darren Woodson* (S).


PUNTERS/KICKERS (15): David Akers (K), Gary Anderson (K), Darren Bennett (P), Jason Elam (K), Jeff Feagles (P), Jason Hanson (K), John Kasay (K), Sean Landeta (P), Shane Lechler (P), Pat McAfee (P), Brian Moorman (P), Matt Stover (K), Matt Turk (P), Mike Vanderjagt (K), Adam Vinatieri (K).

SPECIAL TEAMS (2): Josh Cribbs (KR/PR also WR), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB).


Edit: Asante Samuel to be added

[Brian wolf]

Thanks John ...

Will look at players that were ommitted, not that it matters. This new voting process I feel, will help first ballot candidates like Kuechly. Will it help strong candidates like Evans, Yanda or Thomas however?

[SeahawkFever]

How many remain after the first cutoff and when is that announced?

[rewing84]

Thanks John ...

Will look at players that were ommitted, not that it matters. This new voting process I feel, will help first ballot candidates like Kuechly. Will it help strong candidates like Evans, Yanda or Thomas however?

I think it will help Evans kuechly yanda not sure about thomas

[Bryan]

QUARTERBACKS (10): Marc Bulger, Randall Cunningham, Jake Delhomme, Doug Flutie, Rich Gannon, Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, Eli Manning, Steve McNair, Tony Romo.

RUNNING BACKS (31): Shaun Alexander, Terry Allen, Jamal Anderson, Tiki Barber, LarryCenters (FB), Jamaal Charles, Stephen Davis, Corey Dillon, Warrick Dunn, Charlie Garner, Eddie George, Priest Holmes, Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, Thomas Jones, John Kuhn (FB), Vonta Leach, Dorsey Levens, Jamal Lewis, Marshawn Lynch, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), Glyn Milburn (also WR), Lorenzo Neal (FB), Clinton Portis, Tony Richardson (FB), Robert Smith, Darren Sproles (also PR/KR), Fred Taylor*, Chris Warren, Ricky Watters, Ricky Williams.

WIDE RECEIVERS (21): Anquan Boldin, Donald Driver, Antonio Freeman, Irving Fryar, Torry Holt*, Joe Horn, Chad Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Derrick Mason, Herman Moore, Muhsin Muhammad, Jordy Nelson, Andre Rison, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Demaryius Thomas, Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne*, Wes Welker, Roddy White.

TIGHT ENDS (6): Ben Coates, Vernon Davis, Antonio Gates*, Jeremy Shockey, Delanie Walker, Wesley Walls.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (26): Willie Anderson* (T), Bruce Armstrong (T/G), Matt Birk (C), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Jahri Evans* (G), Travis Frederick (C), Jordan Gross (T), Ryan Kalil (C), Lincoln Kennedy (T), Olin Kreutz (C), T.J. Lang (G/T), Nick Mangold (C), Logan Mankins (G), Tom Nalen (C), Jeff Saturday (C), Mark Schlereth (G/C), Josh Sitton (G), Chris Snee (G), Joe Staley (T), Dave Szott (G), Brian Waters (G), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G), Marshal Yanda (G).

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (18): John Abraham (DE also LB), Jared Allen* (DE), La’Roi Glover (DT/NT), Casey Hampton (DT/NT), Robert Mathis (DE), Chester McGlockton (DT), Haloti Ngata (DT), Simeon Rice (DE), Clyde Simmons (DE/DT), Justin Smith (DE), Neil Smith (DE), Henry Thomas (DT/NT), Justin Tuck (DE), Ted Washington (NT/DT), Vince Wilfork (DT/NT), Jamal Williams (DT/NT), Kevin Williams (DT), Pat Williams (DT).

LINEBACKERS (20): Jessie Armstead, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Cornelius Bennett, Lance Briggs, Keith Brooking, NaVorro Bowman, Tedy Bruschi, Donnie Edwards, James Farrior, London Fletcher, James Harrison, Luke Kuechly, Willie McGinest (also DE), Ken Norton Jr., Julian Peterson, Bill Romanowski, Takeo Spikes, Terrell Suggs, Mike Vrabel, Lee Woodall.

DEFENSIVE BACKS (18): Eric Allen (CB), Eric Berry (DB), Antoine Bethea (S), Dré Bly (DB), Kam Chancellor (S), Nick Collins (DB), Antonio Cromartie (CB), DeAngelo Hall (DB), Rodney Harrison* (S), Eugene Robinson (DB), Samari Rolle (DB), Allen Rossum (DB), Bob Sanders (S), Aqib Talib (CB), Earl Thomas (S), Charles Tillman (CB), Troy Vincent (CB), Darren Woodson* (S).

PUNTERS/KICKERS (15): David Akers (K), Gary Anderson (K), Darren Bennett (P), Jason Elam (K), Jeff Feagles (P), Jason Hanson (K), John Kasay (K), Sean Landeta (P), Shane Lechler (P), Pat McAfee (P), Brian Moorman (P), Matt Stover (K), Matt Turk (P), Mike Vanderjagt (K), Adam Vinatieri (K).

SPECIAL TEAMS (2): Josh Cribbs (KR/PR also WR), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB).

I've bolded some guys who I think are either worthy or will probably make it (E. Manning), but as I got more into the list the harder it got. The OL and DB categories are really difficult. I think the watering down of the HOF makes each subsequent year that much harder, as you can't really distinguish a HOFer from a HOVGer. One guy who won't get in but who was a great player IMO was Justin Smith. He was a beast but didn't rack up sack numbers.

[Brian wolf]

In a normal election with five modern players, there was a tendency to clear the queue of waiting players, but with a top seven list, voters may tend to elect the most worthy, which can help a first ballot case like Kuechly--though Patrick Willis had to wait--but we will see. Like Willis, he only played 8 seasons, but would his argument be stronger than a guard like Evans or receivers Wayne and Holt, who have waited a long time?

It may not even matter. Clark Judge hinted in his TOFTWO article that five will still get elected but it will be interesting voting. Many great players are on the ballot and coming up, so they probably should clear the queue before starting to look at the 2026 election which could see Brees, Fitz and Witten possibly being first ballot elected. Witten like Gates, should probably be first ballot elected but wont. Hopefully, he can go in with Gronk, who will be first ballot in 2027 along with Adrian Peterson.

[Hail Casares]

I've bolded some guys who I think are either worthy or will probably make it (E. Manning), but as I got more into the list the harder it got. The OL and DB categories are really difficult. I think the watering down of the HOF makes each subsequent year that much harder, as you can't really distinguish a HOFer from a HOVGer. One guy who won't get in but who was a great player IMO was Justin Smith. He was a beast but didn't rack up sack numbers.

You have Tillman bolded, which I think is interesting. I don't view him as a HOF guy. Fun player "Peanut punch" etc...but HOF worthy? I don't know......

[Brian wolf]

Tillman is extremely underrated, thats for sure. He tackled --unlike some HOF corners--forced turnovers and scored 9 defensive TDs.
He played on very strong, opportunistic defenses that might have won a championship with the right QB. His accolades were low though, similar to another underrated player, Lavonte David.

Still, 38 interceptions and 45 Forced Fumbles? His argument is just as good as Ken Riley or Dick LeBeau.

[Brian wolf]

For SeahawkFever ... the cutdown after Sept 30th will be 50. Then 25 in October, 15 in late December, then 10 and 7 in January. Can five being elected out of seven happen in late January? Clark Judge on TOFTWO believes so, especially if they clear the queue but I feel just four ...

Time is running out for these players, who need to make the list of 25 ... L Brown, Nalen, Webb, E Williams, Wisniewski, N Smith, Bennett and Allen, who had momentum last year. Can Lechler make headway and can Vinatieri make the final 15?

[Hail Casares]

Tillman is extremely underrated, thats for sure. He tackled --unlike some HOF corners--forced turnovers and scored 9 defensive TDs.
He played on very strong, opportunistic defenses that might have won a championship with the right QB. His accolades were low though, similar to another underrated player, Lavonte David.

Still, 38 interceptions and 45 Forced Fumbles? His argument is just as good as Ken Riley or Dick LeBeau.

Tillman has approached the level where so many people have said he's underrated that he's now become overrated. He was good player. Had one elite season.

Comparing him to Lebeau and Riley is off base. Both of those guys had over 60 career INT's. Tillman had less than 40.

A lot of people combine the forced fumbles as a way to make up for the turnover margin there, but Tillman had a lot of FF's that didn't end up generating turnovers. I looked into this a long time ago and walked away somewhat unimpressed.

Tillman just doesn't move the needle for me as a HOF CB. LeBeau and Riley are two of the least credentialed DB's in the entire HOF. If we can't even say for sure that Tillman clears that bar....that's not a very good case.

He's universally loved as a "great guy" though so I'm sure that will sneak him in at some point. I just don't think he belongs.