15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2018 were revealed yesterday, including four "rookie candidates" who are in their first year of eligibility. Those four first finalists are linebackers Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher, wide receiver Randy Moss and guard Steve Hutchinson.
According to ESPN, tackle Tony Boselli, wide receiver Isaac Bruce, safety Brian Dawkins, guard Alan Faneca, tackle Joe Jacoby, running back Edgerrin James, cornerback Ty Law, safety John Lynch, center Kevin Mawae, wide receiver Terrell Owens and cornerback Everson Walls are the other finalists.
The list of 15 HOF finalists will be cut down to 10, and then five, at the Board of Selectors meeting on February 3rd, the day before Super Bowl LII, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Once the list is trimmed down to five, the Board of Selectors will simply vote "yes" or "no" on each player, with 80% of the vote required for enshrinement.
Of the four former players who are in their first year of eligibility, Ray Lewis has the most eye catching list of achievements on his resume, including 13 Pro Bowl selections, two Defensive Player of the Year Awards and a Super Bowl MVP. Chicago Bears legend Brian Urlacher was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and was the 2005 Defensive Player of the Year.
Randy Moss, a six-time Pro Bowler, caught 954 passes for 14,858 yards and 153 touchdowns during his 13 NFL seasons, and is one of three players to rank in the top five in NFL history in receiving yards, touchdown receptions and 100-yard games. The other two are Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens, who was a Hall of Fame finalist in 2017.
