There aren’t too many first-year locks in the 2027 class.
Next year’s class of first-year eligible players is strong, but it should leave space.
At the top of next year’s class are tight end Rob Gronkowski, running back Adrian Peterson, cornerback Richard Sherman and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Who are locks?
Gronkowski is a four-time Super Bowl winner, but his 9,286 career receiving yards rank sixth all-time among tight ends and far behind Witten (13,046), who is still waiting for his Hall call. “Gronk” was a five-time Pro Bowler while Witten went to 11.
Peterson’s 14,918 career rushing yards are ranked fifth all-time. He was the MVP in 2012, when he came up just short of breaking Eric Dickerson’s record for most rushing yards in a single season. However, Gore ranks third in all-time rushing yards and is still waiting.
Sherman was a lock-down cornerback in the “Legion of Doom” for a long stretch, but he has five Pro Bowls and one Super Bowl on his resume. Woodson was also a five-time Pro Bowler, a three-time Super Bowl champion, and is still waiting.
Is Roethlisberger far ahead of Manning? Roethlisberger was a two-time Super Bowl winner, just like Manning. Roethlisberger has six Pro Bowls to Manning’s four. Roethlisberger ranks seventh all-time in passing yards (64,088) to Manning’s 11th (57,023).
Suggs and Roethlisberger going into the Hall of Fame in the same class would be poetry. A maximum of five modern-era finalists can be selected for enshrinement each year.