Ranking the HoF chances of the 10 ex-Patriots who were nominated

Earlier this week, the Pro Football Hall of Fame included 10 ex-Patriots on its list of 108 modern-era nominees. Which players on that list have the best shot — and are most deserving — of getting a Hall call this time around? In order, here’s a look at the chances (and overall worthiness) of each one.

10. Chad Johnson: He’s 35th all time in receiving yards (11,059) and catches (766), and while he’s in the same neighborhood as the likes of Hall of Famer Michael Irvin (11,904 and 750), it’s going to be a long shot for the Artist Formerly Known As Ochocinco for a few reasons, including the fact that Hall voters prefer their receivers with either postseason success or a playoff signature moment. Johnson has neither. The truth here is that while he had a terrific stretch before he came to New England and established himself as one of the NFL’s great showmen, he’s going to finish just out of the running.

9. Tedy Bruschi: Bruschi was the defensive face of the franchise in New England for more than a decade, and one of the bedrocks of the team that won three in four years. He's earned his red jacket as a member of the Patriots Hall of Fame. But it’s hard to argue for the linebacker as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

8. Ben Coates: In many ways, Coates was Gronk before Gronk, a big rangy tight end with great hands who could dominate as a receiver and as a blocker. He finished with 499 catches for 5,555 yards and 50 touchdowns. He had five seasons of 60-plus catches, he was a two-time All-Pro, and landed on the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-1990s team as a second stringer. For what it’s worth, it was a different era, but numbers-wise, he certainly compares favorably to the likes of Kellen Winslow, who ended his career 541-6,741-45. At the very least, you could have made a really good argument for Coates if he had hung around an extra year and come close to replicating Winslow’s numbers. In the end, he might have an outside shot, but would need someone in the room working as an advocate on his behalf.

7. Corey Dillon: Dillon is another guy who could have used one more elite-level season to solidify his candidacy. The occasionally ill-tempered back, who was in New England from 2004-2006, had 11,241 career rushing yards in 10 seasons, 20th all time. That’s better than Hall of Famers John Riggins (11,352 yards in 15 seasons) and O.J. Simpson (11,236 in 11 seasons), and way better than new Hall of Famer Terrell Davis (7,607 yards in seven seasons). There was no denying his talent, but his moodiness with the media will almost certainly work against him. (For what it’s worth, the cutoff for backs appears to be the 12,000-yard mark. No back who is HoF eligible who has reached 12K hasn’t gotten in. If Dillon could have had one more good year, he could have hit 12,000. As it stands now, he’s on the outside looking in.)

6. Willie McGinest: This should be a pretty good debate. He had 86 sacks in his career and was a part of three Super Bowl champions. By way of comparison, that’s a better resume than the likes of Hall of Famer Howie Long, who ended his career with 84 and one Super Bowl ring. But like 12,000 yards for a running back, 100 sacks seems to be the cutoff point, at least as it relates to pass rushers and the Hall. Only two guys with less than 100 sacks are in: Warren Sapp and Long. Basically, if McGinest had reached 100 sacks and added three rings, then you’d have a very solid candidacy. As it stands now, it’ll be a good debate. (It’s also worth mentioning that while he was a marquee performer for an extended stretch at the start and close of his career, the two-time Pro Bowler suffered — by his standards — a couple of relatively average years near the middle of his career that might have ultimately made the difference.)

5. Fred Taylor: By the time he got to New England, there was almost nothing left in the tank (424 rushing yards in two injury-shortened seasons). But when it comes to total rushing yards, he’s the guy who’s highest on the all-time list (11,765 yards, 17th overall) who isn’t in the Hall of Fame. A likeable dude who carved out a niche as a franchise cornerstone with the Jaguars, he rushed for over 1,000 yards in seven of his 11 seasons in Jacksonville. He was only an All-Pro once and he made just one Pro Bowl, but everybody loved Fred, and that in itself could be enough to put him over the top. Basically, while his numbers are fairly comparable to Dillon — and he doesn’t have a ring — Taylor is more likely to get in than Dillon because he was a nice guy who had a terrific career.

4. Rodney Harrison: Look, we’re Harrison apologists. He was the only safety in the history of the game to record at least 30 sacks and 30 interceptions. He’s only one of 12 players in league history to finish with 20 sacks and 20 picks in his career. Known for his hard hits and blunt approach with the media, after leaving San Diego, he came to New England and won a pair of titles. He’s going to be automatically disqualified by some because of the 2007 HGH bust and his rep as one of the dirtiest players in the game. But at the very least, from this perspective, Harrison deserves to be a part of the conversation.

3. Richard Seymour: The thinking man’s choice whose candidacy will probably age well, Seymour was a tenacious, versatile defensive lineman who was a cornerstone in Foxborough from 2001 through 2008. A contributor to three Super Bowl winners and a three-time All-Pro who was named to seven Pro Bowls, he played a number of different spots in his eight seasons with the Patriots. While the sack totals will be held against him by those who didn’t see him play on a regular basis (57.5, 126th overall), he was one of the most important guys on the defensive side of the ball for New England for almost a decade. (Even though the sack totals aren’t gaudy, it’s worth mentioning he has more for his career than Hall of Famers Dan Hampton and Randy White.)

2. Ty Law: His candidacy has been gaining steam as of late — he was a finalist for the first time last year — and this could be the year he gets his gold jacket. He spent 15 seasons in the NFL, 10 of them with the Patriots, and ended his career with 53 picks, good enough to tie him with Deion Sanders for 24th on the all-time list. It also puts him in a pretty good neighborhood alongside the likes of Hall of Famers like Sanders, Willie Brown and Darrell Green (54 each). A two-time All-Pro who has three Super Bowl rings, he could be the next longtime Patriot to get the call.

1. Randy Moss: This is his first year eligible. Feelings about him be damned: if you don’t put Moss in on the first ballot, why even have a Hall of Fame? For his career, he'™s second all-time in receiving touchdowns with 156 (trailing only Jerry Rice), third in all-time receiving yards (behind Rice and Terrell Owens) and 15th on the list of all-time catches (982). He spent three-plus seasons in New England, and put his name to one of the great single seasons of any receiver in the history of the game in 2007 when he had 98 catches for 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns. You wonder what sort of numbers he could have had if he established any sort of consistency over the course of his career like Rice. Part of that was his own fault. But regardless, you can’t argue with the fact that when he was on, he was a transformative presence who loomed large over the game for more than a decade.