Predicting the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2010

The Pro Football Hall of Fame's enshrinement ceremony for the class of 2009 is complete, and what a group it was.

The Class of '09 had a distinct defensive flavor, with two of the game's best pass rushers in Bruce Smith and Derrick Thomas and arguably the greatest defensive back in Rod Woodson. With

Next year's class is sure to be different.

Even though there's a good six months until the next crop of inductees are announced, here's a look at what the pro football hall of fame's class of 2010 should look like. Remember each inductee must receive a minimum 80 percent of the vote form the Hall of Fame panel. Also, no more than seven and no fewer than four inductees may be included in each class.

Automatic locks

Jerry Rice

Rice's induction in the Hall of Fame is as eminent as Babe Ruth's back in 1939. Due to the nature of the game and the variance among positions, it's impossible to accurately rank the greatest football players ever. But anyone who knows football should consider Rice in the top 10.

What isn't difficult to judge is Rice's place among NFL receivers. Simply put, Jerry Rice is the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game. He has more receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895) and touchdown receptions (197) than anyone. He was selected to 10 first team all-pro teams in an 11-year stretch and 13 pro bowls (including 11 straight from 1986-96). He was also named the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 1987 and 1993 and took home the Super Bowl MVP trophy in 1988.

So Jerry Rice is a Hall of Famer? Um, duh.

Emmitt Smith

The NFL's career rushing yards mark is the prime jewel of football records. Right along with baseball's home run record and basketball's points record, rushing yards is arguably the most prestigious record in sports.

It would only makes sense that the man who set the record gets inducted the first time he appears on the ballot.

Smith should become the last of the triplets enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2010, along with former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman and receiver Michael Irvin. The three led America's team to victories in Super Bowl XXVII, XXVIII and XXX.

It would be one thing if Smith only held the career rushing record with 18,355. But Smith's 164 rushing touchdowns is also most in history, 41 more than second place Marcus Allen. He was named to four straight first team all-pro teams from 1992-95 and eight pro bowls, including six straight from 1990-95. He was the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Rear in 1990, MVP in 1993 and Super Bowl MVP the same year. I barely have enough space to remind you he holds the single-season rushing touchdown record with 25 in 1995, he had 46 touchdowns in 1994 and 1995 and he had 11 straight seasons of at least 1,000 rushing yards from 1991-2001.

Smith has some competition if he wants to be considered the best running back of all time, but there's no doubt he deserves to be a first-ballot HOFer.

Should be safe

Cris Carter

It's a crime - an absolute crime!!! - that Carter isn't in the Hall. He narrowly missed the Hall of Fame in 2009 and the wait should be over next year.

Due to Rice's excellence, ranking the game's all-time receivers doesn't get interesting until No. 2. Is it Marvin Harrison? Maybe Randy Moss or Terrell Owes? How about Tim Brown?

No, no and no.

Cris Carter has to be considered the second-best receiver in football history, right behind Rice. The numbers tell the story, and they very rarely lie. Carter is third with 1,101 receptions, fourth with 130 touchdown grabs and seventh with 13,899 receiving yards. He was named to eight straight pro bowls from 1993-2000 and two first team all-pro teams.

If it were up to me, Carter would've been a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2008. If he isn't enshrined in 2010, expect me to be screaming bloody murder.

Shannon Sharpe

Sharpe is unanimously considered one of the top five tight ends ever, along with guys like Kellen Winslow, Ozzie Newsome, John Mackey and Mike Ditka. Despite the high regard, Sharpe may still be underrated.

Sharpe's career number blow away Winslow, Newsome, Mackey and Ditka. He's second among tight ends with 815 receptions and 62 touchdown catches. He's also one of two tight ends with more than 10,000 receiving yards (10,060). Only Tony Gonzalez, who leads in all three categories, has better career numbers than Sharpe.

Sharpe also has more first team all-pro selections (4) and pro bowl appearances (8) than Winslow, Newsome, Mackey and Ditka. Again, only Gonzalez has more of both.

The one thing Sharpe does have over Gonzalez is championships. Sharpe played on the Denver Broncos when they won Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII. Gonzalez has yet to play in a Super Bowl.

Taking Super Bowl rings into consideration, it's safe to say no tight end in NFL history has been more decorated than Shannon Sharpe. It's even safer to say it's his time to move his bust into the Hall of Fame.

The right side of the fence

John Randel

It's general consensus that Reggie White is the best interior defensive lineman ever. Well, former Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle John Randel is right behind.

Randel flew a little under the radar because of White's brilliance. But there has never been a more intimidating football player than John Randel.

His combination of defensive tackle size and defensive end speed made Randel one of the top pass rusher in football history. Along with White, Randel is one of two defensive tackles on the top 10 list of career sacks with 137.5. He had at least 10 sacks eight straight seasons from 1992-99, including a career-high 15.5 in 1995.

His dominance in the 1990s brought on a plethora of accolades. Randel received six first team all-pro selections from 1993-98 and appeared in seven pro bowls.

He was a rock in the Vikings defensive line for 11 years and three more with the Seattle Seahawks. His bust will be in the Hall for many more.

Commissioner Paul Tagliabue

The Georgetown University alum served as the NFL's commissioner from 1989 to 2005. During that time, Tagliabue led the NFL as it become the premier professional sports league in this country.

Under Tagliabue's watch, three new NFL franchises were brought to Carolina, Jackonville and Houston. Three others - the Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Rams - were relocated. Three years after the Cleveland Browns left for Baltimore, Tagliabue helped bring the team back to Cleveland. The Raiders also returned to Oakland in 1995.

Tagliabue's legacy is unquestioned. Some sports writers even go as far a calling him the greatest commissioner in North American sports history. In his 17 years as commissioner, Tagliabue was able to steer clear of a lockout. During the same time, the NBA commissioner David Stern and MLB commissioner Bud Selig weren't as fortunate.

Even though some football fans - especially those in Cleveland, Houston and L.A. - still have sour grapes over expansion issues, the positive things Tagliabue did far outweigh the negatives. His place in the Hall is reserved, and it should be occupied in 2010.

Waiting one more year

Tim Brown

It seems crazy, right? Tim Brown is fourth all-time with 1094 receptions ad third with 14,934 receiving yards. He's one of six receivers ever to catch 100 touchdowns. He has nine pro bowls and helped lead his Oakland Raiders team to the Super Bowl in 2002.

No one would argue Brown is among the top 10 receivers ever. Maybe even top five.

But Cris Carter serves as an accurate blue print for wide outs in that class. Carter should already be a Hall of Famer, but he's been forced to wait at least three years for the honor. The two receivers have similar numbers. Both rank in the top seven in receptions, touchdown receptions and receiving yards. The only thing that makes Carter's career slightly more impressive is his two first team all-pro selections. Brown has none.

Looking at what went down with Carter, it's safe to assume the voters won't induct Brown the first time his name appears on the ballot.

Andre Reed

Speaking of the Hall's tendency to make wide receivers wait, look at what's happened to Andre Reed the past five years.

The former Buffalo Bills wide out is widely considered one of the game's top 10, if not top five. His 951 career receptions are sixth in NFL history. He's also 10^th with 13,198 receiving yards and 11^th with 87 touchdown catches.

Reed was the leading receiver on a Bills team that won four straight AFC Championships in the early '90s. Also on that team were quarterback Jim Kelly, running back Thurmon Thomas and defensive end Bruce Smith, all of whom are enshrined.

I think this would be Reed's year if not for Rice and Carter. I don't see the Hall inducting three receivers in 2010. But he should join Brown in the Class of 2011.

So there you have it. Expect Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, Cris Carter, Shannon Sharpe, John Randel and Paul Tagliabue to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, while worthy receivers Tim Brown and Andre Reed will be forced to wait another year. The Class of 2009 was one for the greats. But next year's crop may be the greatest in the Hall's history.