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Pro Football Hall of Fame: Predicting the 2019 HOF class

By Patrick Schmidt

NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Ed Reed #20 of the Baltimore Ravens gestures on the field in the second half against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Ed Reed #20 of the Baltimore Ravens gestures on the field in the second half against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Now that the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame class has been announced, who is in the running to make the 2019 Hall of Fame class?

The 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame class is stacked and next year’s class figures to be as well.

The class is a star-studded group featuring two of the greatest middle/inside linebackers since Dick Butkus, with Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher going in together. And a pair of wide receivers is going in together with Randy Moss, the first receiver to go in on the first ballot since Jerry Rice, and Terrell Owens who had to wait a bit. Former Eagles and Broncos safety Brian Dawkins join them as the fifth member of the class. Jerry Kramer, Robert Brazile and Bobby Beathard made it via the senior and contributor committees, respectively.

Some of the Hall of Fame finalists who didn’t get the call this year will surely be back in this position next year where they hope to get a gold jacket and a bust in Canton, Ohio. I thought this year’s group of finalists was as loaded as I can recall and thought there was 12-15 Hall of Fame-worthy players, but because only five can go in at a time, there were plenty of snubs this year. But those guys will regroup and could be among another fab five that gets in the 2019 class.

There are three players eligible for the first time in 2019 that I think are slam dunks to get in so that only leaves room for two of this year’s snubs to get in.

First-year eligible players

Ed Reed, safety – For my money, the former Ravens standout is the greatest safety of his generation and one of the best to ever line up in the back of the secondary. Reed should be the first safety to get in on the first try since 1986 when Ken Houston was elected. The 004 Defensive Player of the Year led the league in interceptions on three occasions and was a five-time first-team All-Pro. As smart as he was physically gifted, Reed was also a dangerous return man and a threat to take it to the house with the ball in his hands.

Tony Gonzalez, tight end – The greatest tight end of all time and he has the stats to back it up. The former Chiefs and Falcons player never got to the pinnacle with a Super Bowl but he did just about everything else in his illustrious career. Gonzalez ranks sixth in NFL history with 15,127 yards and seventh with 111 touchdowns. Chiefs fans are already planning their trek to Canton.

Champ Bailey, cornerback – No cornerback ever made more Pro Bowl appearances than Champ Bailey’s 12. The former first round pick of the Washington Redskins, Bailey really hit his peak after he was traded to the Denver Broncos for Clinton Portis. In Denver, Bailey led the NFL with 10 interceptions in 2006 and finished his 15-year career with 52 interceptions. He was a shutdown corner with the longevity and the elite production to merit induction on the first ballot.

Returning finalists

There can only be two from this group as I have the three first-timers getting in so this is where it’s going to be tough. There will be Hall of Fame worthy players who should have gotten in this year that still won’t get in next year, but that’s the exclusivity of the Pro Football Hall of Fame for you.

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Tony Boselli, tackle – The first draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars was the gold standard at left tackle during his injury-shortened seven-year career. For his first six years, Boselli was a three-time All-Pro and a five-time Pro Bowl selection. He helped lead the expansion team to a pair of AFC Championship Games before injuries ended his career. He won’t have the longevity of his contemporaries like Jonathan Ogden, Walter Jones and Orlando Pace but for six years he was as good, if not better than all of those Hall of Famers.

Isaac Bruce, receiver – If not for the numbers game, Bruce would already be in the Hall of Fame. The four-time Pro Bowler is fifth in NFL history with 15,208 yards, 12th with 91 career touchdowns and 13th with 1,024 receptions. He had eight, 1,000-yard seasons and went to two Super Bowls with the Greatest Show on Turf Rams, winning one. With Terrell Owens and Randy Moss getting in this year, the time is now for Bruce to get in.

Honorable Mention: John Lynch, Steve Hutchinson, Alan Faneca, Edgerrin James, Ty Law.

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