CANTON, Ohio -- Listening to Larry Allen address the crowd Saturday night at a cool, breezy Fawcett Stadium, the realization that I'd seen nearly every snap of the former Dallas Cowboy's career hit home ... along with the realization that close to the same will hold true for the next 50 players to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Many of you reading this now are in the same boat. If you've followed the game closely since the 1990s, you will be able to speak with at least some authority on who should be next in line at the Hall.
The Next 50. That just sounds cool.
Selecting the next 50 Hall of Famers in order is a formidable task. The process comes with a measure of responsibility, one that requires looking at the average size of a class (typically six or seven players), taking into consideration that one or two Senior nominees make the cut every year, and recognizing that some positions -- like wide receiver -- are far stickier than others.
The following are the next 50 players to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, clear through the Class of 2021. Make no mistake, speculation runs rampant when it comes to the later classes, as no one knows exactly when Peyton Manning or Champ Bailey or Julius Peppers will hang 'em up. But that is part of the fun of this exercise. So take a look and let us know what you think.
Follow Elliot Harrison on Twitter _@HarrisonNFL_.
