On Tuesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 108 Modern Era Finalists for the 2018 Class of the Hall of Fame. The list includes 53 offensive players, 38 defensive players, five special teams players, and 12 coaches. There are 11 first-year eligible players.
The 108 modern-era nominees will be reduced to 25 semifinalists in November and then to 15 finalists in January. The 2018 Hall of Fame Class will be announced on the eve of Super Bowl LII.This Hall of Fame whittling is a tough task. People tend to forget that as the voters get far more grief than praise. I do think that the Senior Committee should take a closer at a few players that played before 1950. But that's just me. And a few others.
Here are the 108 Modern-Era Nominees.
Bold - players in their first year of eligibility
* - finalist in 2017
Quarterbacks
Randall Cunningham, Rich Gannon, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, Phil Simms
Running Backs
Tiki Barber, Ernest Byner, Roger Craig, Corey Dillon, Eddie George, Edgerrin James, Lorenzo Neal, Fred Taylor, Herschel Walker(also KR), Ricky Watters
Wide Receivers
*Isaac Bruce, Donald Driver, Henry Ellard (also PR), Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, Randy Moss, *Terrell Owens, Sterling Sharpe, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Steve Smith (NYG), John Taylor, Hines Ward
Tight Ends
Mark Bavaro, Ben Coates, Ferrell Edmunds, Jay Novacek
Offensive Linemen
Willie Anderson, Matt Birk, *Tony Boselli, Lomas Brown, Rueben Brown, Ray Donaldson, *Alan Faneca, Bill Fralic, Jay Hilgenberg, Chris Hinton, Kent Hull, Steve Hutchinson, *Joe Jacoby, Mike Kenn, Kevin Mawae, Tom Nalen, Nate Newton, Bart Oates, Jeff Saturday, Richmond Webb, Steve Wisniewski
Defensive Linemen
La'Roi Glover, Leonard Marshall, Keith Millard, Leslie O'Neal, Michael Dean Perry, Simeon Rice, Richard Seymour, Neil Smith, Greg Townsend, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Bryant Young
Linebackers
Carl Banks, Cornelius Bennett, Tedy Bruschi, Seth Joyner, Ray Lewis, Greg Loyd, Wilber Marshall, Clay Matthews, Willie McGinest, Karl Mecklenburg, Sam Mills, Joey Porter, Darryl Talley, Zach Thomas, Brian Urlacher
Defensive Backs
Eric Allen, Steve Atwater, Ronde Barber, LeRoy Butler, *Brian Dawkins, Rodnery Harrison, *Ty Law, Albert Lewis, *John Lynch, Dennis Smith, Everson Walls, Darren Woodson
Kickers/Punter
Gary Anderson, Sean Landeta, Nick Lowery
Special Teams
Brian Mitchell, Steve Tasker
Coaches
*Don Coryell, Bill Cowher, Tom Flores, Mike Holmgren, Jimmy Johnson, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Richie Petitbon, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, Clark Shaugnessy, Dick Vermeil
Those that make the cut to 15 will be joined by the previously announce Senior Nominees:
Jerry Kramer
Robert Brazile
and Contributor Nominee:
Bobby Beathard
All of the votes are tough but this one looks especially tough. I think that first-year eligibles Randy Moss, Ray Lewis, and Brian Urlacher make it. That leaves room for only two more. I think that Steve Hutchinson had the sort of career that should get him elected in his first year. Isaac Bruce, Terrell Owens, Tony Boselli, Alan Faneca, Joe Jacoby, Brian Dawkins, Ty Law, John Lynch, and Don Coryell were finalists last year. It's a tough call.
If it were up to me the 2018 Class probably would look like this.
Ray Lewis
Randy Moss
Brian Urlacher
Brian Dawkins
Clark Shaugnessy
Jerry Kramer
Robert Brazile
Bobby Beathard
I doubt that Clark Shaugnessy has much of a shot. I just think that he should already be honored in Canton. He may have only spent a couple seasons as a head coach but his impact on the game was huge. In terms of innovation he may have done more than any other coach.
No matter how the votes fall the 2018 Class will be a great one.
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