Freeney, Gates Head Pro Football Hall's 15 Finalists for Class of 2024

Defensive end Julius Peppers and tight end Antonio Gates headline the 15 finalists named Thursday by the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame to its modern-era Class of 2024 ... and let’s be honest: Neither was a surprise. But you can’t say that about four others who, like Peppers and Gates, are first-time finalists.

That would be cornerback Eric Allen, guard Jahri Evans, safety Rodney Harrison and running back Fred Taylor.

Unlike Gates and Peppers, they’re not in their first years of eligibility or first-ballot favorites. In fact, with the exception of Evans (first eligible for the Class of 2023), all waited nine or more years for this call – with Allen, in his 18th year of eligibility, the most senior.

The rest of the class is composed of the nine returning finalists from the Class of 2023. Only cornerback Albert Lewis, whose modern-era eligibility expired this year when he wasn't elected, is absent.

But enough already. Let’s go the board and introduce the 15 finalists on the Hall’s ballot for its modern-era Class of 2024:

ERIC ALLEN, CB – 1988-94 Philadelphia Eagles; 1995-97 New Orleans Saints; 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders.

JARED ALLEN, DE – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs; 2008-13 Minnesota Vikings; 2014-15 Chicago Bears; 2015 Carolina Panthers.

WILLIE ANDERSON, OT – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals; 2008 Baltimore Ravens.

JAHRI EVANS, OG – 2006-16 New Orleans Saints; 2017 Green Bay Packers.

DWIGHT FREENEY, DE/LB – 2002-12 Indianapolis Colts; 2013-14 San Diego Chargers; 2015 Arizona Cardinals; 2016 Atlanta Falcons; 2017 Seattle Seahawks.; 2017 Detroit Lions.

ANTONIO GATES, TE – 2003-18 San Diego Chargers.

RODNEY HARRISON, S – 1994-2002 San Diego Chargers; 2003-08 New England Patriots.

DEVIN HESTER, PR/KR, WR – 2006-13 Chicago Bears; 2014-15 Atlanta Falcons; 2016 Baltimore Ravens.

TORRY HOLT, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams; 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars.

ANDRE JOHNSON, WR – 2003-14 Houston Texans; 2015 Indianapolis Colts; 2016 Tennessee Titans.

JULIUS PEPPERS, DE – 2002-09, 2017-18 Carolina Panthers; 2010-13 Chicago Bears; 2014-15 Green Bay Packers.

FRED TAYLOR, RB – 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars; 2009-10 New England Patriots.

REGGIE WAYNE, WR – 2001-14 Indianapolis Colts.

PATRICK WILLIS, LB – 2007-14 San Francisco 49ers.

DARREN WOODSON, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys.

As you can see, offense has the edge, though not by much. Eight candidates are from that side of the ball; seven from defense. Two positions predominate … or three, if you consider cornerback and safety as one --defensive back. There are three wide receivers, three pass rushers and three defensive backs (two safeties and one cornerback). 

Anything else? Plenty. So let’s get started.

FIRST-BALLOT FEVER. For the second straight year, we should have two first-ballot Hall-of-Famers -- Peppers and Gates. With 159-1/2 sacks, Peppers ranks fourth all-time -- 20 more than Jason Taylor, a first-ballot choice in 2017. Then there's Gates. With 116 career touchdown receptions, he ranks first among all tight ends -- including Tony Gonzalez (111), a first-ballot choice in 2019, and Rob Gronkowski (92). If there's a cautionary tale, it's only this: Peppers is a half-sack behind Kevin Greene, who wasn't elected to Canton until his 12th year of eligibility. Don't ask me why, but that's not going to happen. As far as Gates, I'd only mention that there hadn't been a first-ballot tight end ... ever ... until Gonzalez was elected in 2019. Now that there has, however, make way for Gates.

BIGGEST SURPRISE. RB Fred Taylor. One of four backs in the queue as semifinalists, Taylor ranks 17^th all-time in rushing with 11,695 yards and a per-carry average of 4.6 yards that exceeds all but two of the 16 backs ahead of him -- Jim Brown (5.3) and Barry Sanders (4.0). Plus, of those 16, all who are eligible for Canton already are in. So why is this a surprise? Several reasons: 1) Taylor was an All-Pro once, and that was second-team; 2) he was a one-time Pro Bowler; 3) he wasn’t an all-decade choice and 4) his 66 rushing touchdowns are tied for 42^nd all-time, one behind Todd Gurley. This is Taylor’s ninth year of eligibility and the first time any running back has been a finalist since Edgerrin James was elected to the Class of 2020.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT. Take your pick. For me, it’s wide receiver Hines Ward, with Robert Mathis not far behind. Ward was the most complete of the six wide receivers who were semifinalists. He could run. He could catch. He could block. And he could score TDs. In fact, his 86 TDs are more than any of the others. But with three receivers ahead of him, it was going to be difficult not only for him to advance' but for Steve Smith and Anquan Boldin, too … and they didn’t. With Mathis, it’s simple. He had one-and-a-half career sacks fewer than teammate Dwight Freeney but played three fewer seasons and produced an NFL-record 54 forced fumbles. His numbers are almost identical to Freeney, a teammate with Mathis in Indianapolis for 10 seasons. Freeney was the more dangerous pass rusher; Mathis was the more complete player. Voters made a choice, and they picked Freeney for the second straight year.

MOST INTRIGUING. CB Eric Allen. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro who had 54 interceptions, good for 21^st all time. But he’s also in his 18^th year of eligibility as a first-time finalist. That makes him somewhat similar to another cornerback who slipped through the cracks this year, former Chiefs’ and Raiders' star Albert Lewis. He wasn’t a finalist until his 20^th … and last … year of eligibility, and he nearly made it to the finish line – lasting until the final cut from 10 candidates to five. That might put voters on alert to act quickly, except that Allen has three years left before his modern-era eligibility expires. I just don't know how they'll respond. Remember, cornerback Everson Walls also became a first-time finalist in 2018 in his 20^th … and last … year of eligibility. He was a three-time first-team All-Pro, four-time Pro Bowler and produced 57 interceptions, or three more than Allen. He also led the NFL three times in annual interceptions, tying him with Hall-of-Famer Ed Reed for the league record. Yet he wasn’t elected. Worse, he didn’t make the first cut from 15 to 10.

MOST INTRIGUING II. Returner Devin Hester. He's the outlier here because he really didn't play a position. He was the game's most dangerous return specialist. Ever. He's in his third year of eligibility, and, eventually, will be elected. That's not the question. But this is: When does it happen? In his first year as a finalist (2022), he was a Top Ten finisher, which put him in the on-deck circle for the Class of 2023. Except it didn't. He went backward this year, not making the first cut from 15 to 10. I'd expect that to change in 2024, with Hester moving forward again. I just don't know how far.

THE FAVORITES. I make Peppers and Gates first-ballot Hall-of-Famers. Then I go to the Top 10 of the Class of 2023 and start with Jared Allen. This is his fourth consecutive year as a finalist, and it’s an ideal time for him to move forward. Some people question if electing another pass rusher would hurt his chances, and the answer is no. In six of the past seven modern-era elections, we’ve had at least two inductees at the same position. In fact, in 2018, it happened twice, with linebackers Brian Urlacher and Ray Lewis elected to the same class as wide receivers Terrell Owens and Randy Moss. So that leaves two spots, and guaranteed, at least one – maybe two – goes to a wide receiver, with Andre Johnson the favorite. Unlike Reggie Wayne and Torry Holt, he didn’t have wide receivers as teammates already elected to Canton. Marvin Harrison preceded Wayne, and Isaac Bruce was elected ahead of Holt. That might leave one wild card, and linebacker Patrick Willis could be the choice. I know, he hasn't made the cut to 15 in two previous tries. But look at his resume: With six All-Pro teams (including five first-teams), seven Pro Bowls and an all-decade selection, he’s the most qualified. If there’s a question, it’s only with longevity. He played eight years – or one more than tackle Tony Boselli, elected to the Hall in 2022. Nevertheless, longevity shouldn’t be a concern … not after Boselli in 2022 and Terrell Davis and Kenny Easley in 2017.

WHAT‘S NEXT. The Hall’s board of selectors will meet next month to elect five players from this list to the Class of 2024 and vote on coach/contributor finalist Buddy Parker, as well as seniors candidates Randy Gradishar, Steve McMichael and Art Powell. The results will then be made public on Feb. 8 during the “NFL Honors” presentation.