This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/nfl by /u/Ralphie_V on 2024-06-18 17:37:47+00:00.
2020 Draft 3-year Retrospective from Last Year
This is a retrospective on the 2021 NFL Draft. We are only 3 years out, but many players have separated themselves from the pack. Since the inception of the NFL Draft in 1936, there have been an average of 4.3 Hall of Famers selected every year.
We are now 3 full seasons away from the 2021 draft, which is long enough to start to get a picture of these players and the potential course of their careers. Let’s take a look at the players from 2021 that have a chance at making the Hall of Fame:
1st Team All Pros
5 players have earned a 1st Team All Pro from 2020, and so they are a good place to start if we are looking for around 5 potential HOFers. None have earned more than 1, so they are sorted by the number of Pro Bowls earned:
| Team | Pos | Player | PBs | Accomplishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAL | LB | Micah Parsons | 3 | 2x 1st Team All Pro, 1x 2nd Team All Pro, 3x Pro Bowl, 2x DPOY Runner-Up, 1x DROY, Class Leader in Sacks, 2x NFL Top 100, 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| DET | OL | Penei Sewell | 2 | 1x 1st Team All Pro, 2x Pro Bowl, 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| DEN | DB | Patrick Surtain II | 2 | 1x 1st Team All Pro, 2x Pro Bowl, Tied for Class Leader in INT, 1x NFL Top 100, 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| DET | WR | Amon-Ra St. Brown | 2 | 1x 1st Team All Pro, 2x Pro Bowl, 1x NFL Top 100, Class Leader in Receptions |
| SF | S | Talanoa Hufanga | 1 | 1x 1st Team All Pro, 1x Pro Bowl, 1x NFL Top 100, Tied for Class Leader in INT |
Pro Bowlers
These are players that haven’t been selected 1st Team All Pro, but have been selected to at least 1 Pro Bowl.
| Team | Pos | Player | PBs | Accomplishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIN | WR | Ja’Marr Chase | 3 | 1x OROY, 1x 2nd Team All Pro, 3x Pro Bowl, Class Leader in Rec Yds & Rec TDs, 2x NFL Top 100, 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| PHI | OL | Landon Dickerson | 2 | 2x Pro Bowl |
| KC | OL | Creed Humphrey | 2 | 1x 2nd Team All Pro, 2x Pro Bowl, 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| JAX | QB | Trevor Lawrence | 1 | 1x Pro Bowl, 1x NFL Top 100, Class Leader in Pass Yds & Pass TDs |
| ATL | TE | Kyle Pitts | 1 | 1x Pro Bowl, 1x NFL Top 100, 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| LAC | OL | Rashawn Slater | 1 | 1x 2nd Team All Pro, 1x Pro Bowl, 1x NFL Top 100, 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| NE/JAX | QB | Mac Jones | 1 | 1x Pro Bowl, 1x NFL Top 100, 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| PIT | RB | Najee Harris | 1 | 1x Pro Bowl, 1x Touch Leader, Class Leader in Rush Yds & Rush TDs, 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| CLE | LB | Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah | 1 | 1x Pro Bowl, 2021 All-Rookie Team |
Other Players of Note
I chose these players off vibe (and by sorting the draft class by Pro Football Reference Weighted Career Approximate Value). Some Hall of Fame Players don’t accrue personal achievements until a few years into their career, so it is worth it to look at other notable players from this draft.
| Team | Pos | Player | Accomplishments |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHI/PIT | QB | Justin Fields | 1x NFL Top 100, 1x Yds/Rush Leader, 1x Fumbles Recovered Leader |
| PHI | WR | DeVonta Smith | 1x NFL Top 100 |
| MIA | WR | Jalen Waddle | 1x Yds/Reception Leader, 2x NFL Top 100, 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| HOU | WR | Nico Collins | N/A |
| JAX | RB | Travis Etienne | N/A |
| DEN | RB | Javonte Williams | 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| NE | RB | Rhamondre Stevenson | N/A |
| KC | OL | Trey Smith | 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| MIN | OL | Christian Darrisaw | N/A |
| BUF | OL | Spencer Brown | N/A |
| IND | DL | Kwity Paye | 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| NE | DL | Christian Barmore | 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| MIA | DL | Jaelan Phillips | 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| DET | DL | Alim McNeill | N/A |
| KC | LB | Nick Bolton | Class Leader in Solo Tackles, 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| BAL | DE/LB | Odafe Oweh | 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| MIA | S | Jevon Holland | 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| LV | S | Tre’Von Moehrig | 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| JAX | DB | Andre Cisco | Tied for Class Leader in INT |
| CLE | CB | Greg Newsome II | 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| NO | CB | Paulson Adebo | Tied for Class Leader in INT |
| CIN | K | Evan McPherson | 2021 All-Rookie Team |
| MIN | KR | Kene Nwangwu | 1x 2nd Team All Pro, 2021 All-Rookie Team |
How Many HOFers?
Bringing it back to the question in the title: How many Hall of Famers were selected in the 2021 NFL Draft? Which players are on a HOF trajectory, and which players are on the cusp to you? I know that a few of these players don’t belong in the same conversation as others, but I wanted to be complete and largely objective in terms of players to name. Did I miss any?
Interested to hear your thoughts!