New Orleans Saints: 6 Most Probable Saints Headed for the Hall of Fame

There is no greater individual honor in professional sports than to be named to the Hall of Fame of your given sport. 

Some people would argue that such an honor has been cheapened in recent years--especially in baseball, with the steroids era and the more liberalized voting standards. But football continues to hold to higher standards for its Hall of Fame.

Because of this, the honor of being named a member (or even being nominated) remains the ultimate honor.

Today I want to give Saints fans, and football fans, reason to believe there are six men currently calling 500 Airline Drive in Metairie their work home who could one day be enshrined in Canton, Ohio, and the Hall of Fame.

The order they are listed is irrelevant, as once in the hall, rank no longer matters.

Darren Sharper, Safety

Up until this past season, Sharper had never played fewer than 13 games in a season, making him one of the most durable players in today's modern NFL. More impressively, Sharper has 63 interceptions, 11 of which he's turned into touchdowns over the course of his career.

The former William & Mary product was a college teammate of Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin. This matters because Tomlin's influence on Sharper seems to have made him an instinctive defensive back who adds intensity to the mix to make for one of the finer safeties the NFL has ever seen.

The 63 interceptions rank him sixth on the all-time list, and the 11 touchdowns is third all-time. Sharper has been a key member of two teams that have gone to the Super Bowl...and of course one championship. It is also of note that he made the 2000s NFL All-Decade Team. 

But his 2009 season, where he recorded nine interceptions and scored three touchdowns, put the icing on the cake of his Hall of Fame nomination.

More than the numbers, Sharper's presence in the lineup created a natural intensity and attitude for causing deception which led to turning the opposing offense over. And that is the reason the 2009 team won the Super Bowl.  

Drew Brees, Quarterback

St. Drew has become accustomed to giving speeches over the last few years. Winning a Super Bowl, SI Sportsman of the Year, among other honors, will do that for you. And this is obviously a good problem to have if you're Brees and the Saints.

In his entire 10-year career, Brees has completed 3,145 passes out of 4,822 good for over 65 percent. He has thrown for over 35,000 yards and 235 TDs to just 132 interceptions.

He has also run into the end zone seven times over his career, and as a member of the Chargers even caught a touchdown from the most prolific passing running back of all time, LaDainian Tomlinson.

And any mention of Brees' Hall chances should included the very fact he started his career playing in a highly prolific, yet run-based offense in San Diego. If the Chargers had been built as they are now, or as the Saints are, Brees likely would have been putting up similar numbers to his Saints numbers.

In other words, Brees could have all-time great statistics already. That being said, he's made the Pro Bowl four times, has twice been named the League's Offensive Player of the Year, and of course was the Super Bowl MVP in the 2009 season. Few players have the kind of impact on his new team as Drew Brees has since coming to NOLA.

I expect the Saints to win at least one more Super Bowl title, if not more than one, during Drew Brees' tenure in The Big Easy. If he does that, and can capture a League MVP, the Hall of Fame is a mere lock.

Sean Payton, Head Coach

Few head coaches have as seamlessly and successfully maneuvered the intricately difficult tasks of being a game manager and offensive play-caller. Payton's offense has been the most consistent offense in the entire NFL since Payton took over in 2006.

In his first five seasons, Payton has led the franchise to three postseason trips, twice playing in the NFC Championship Game, and has compiled a 53-33 record, including the postseason--good for a .616 winning percentage.

If he concludes at this pace for another five seasons (hardly unreasonable), he will win over 100 games in his career.

My guess is that he will actually improve in his overall winning percentage, since he now has a defense capable of holding down the fort when the offense struggles. And it is likely the offense isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

As I predicted with Brees, I expect the Saints to win at least one more Super Bowl. The marriage between Brees and Payton is known as one of the most unique and close as any QB-Head Coach relationship in league history. The two almost have to go into the Hall together.

Jahri Evans, OG

The very fact a 6'4", 318-pound man could contort his body in such a manner is an impressive feat. The fact that same man weekly holds his own against men even bigger than he, and is considered the key cog on one of the best pass-protection offensive lines in the NFL, is even more impressive.

Evans has started all 80 games since he was drafted in the fourth round out of Bloomsburg in 2006. His durability and production is so impressive that Sean Payton considers him the best guard in football. He's been named in consecutive seasons to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams.

If he continues on this pace even for five more seasons, he will go down as one of the best guards in the history of football.

Malcolm Jenkins, DB

This selection may surprise some, as Jenkins is such a young player. But in just two seasons, Jenkins has proven he can effectively play both safety and corner.

He has made huge game-changing plays in several games in two years. And Jenkins has had the opportunity to learn from another future Hall of Fame safety in Darren Sharper.

The more comfortable Jenkins gets at safety, the more Gregg Williams is going to use his unique ability to pressure the quarterback in blitz packages.

Jenkins will end up as one of the finest two way safeties in league history once Gregg Williams is done with him. I can't wait to see the results.

I fully expect Jenkins to develop into the same kind of player that Charles Woodson has been in his 10-plus seasons in the NFL, and guess what, he's a future Hall of Famer.

Jimmy Graham, TE

For a kid that played only one season of college football, but played three full seasons of college basketball, Graham has quickly developed into one of the most explosive tight ends in the entire league in just his first season of professional football.

Graham really came on in the second part of 2010, making Jeremy Shockey's release nearly inevitable.

The young tight end, with his basketball background, has a chance to experience a similar career arc to that of former Kent State power forward and current San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates. He certainly has the right quarterback throwing him the ball.

And if the Saints are going to improve their running game in 2011 and beyond, Graham is going to have to be an integral part of that growth. If he is, his stock as a tight end on the rise is only going to increase and the talk will get louder.  

Other Nominees

There are two Saints who I strongly believe could be Hall of Fame candidates if their play was better understood.

Recently, Marques Colston and Jonathan Vilma were placed on the NFL Network's Top 100 Players list. Colston was placed at No. 53, while Vilma was No. 37; both indications that today's players appreciate these guys' talent.

But those numbers also indicate neither Colston nor Vilma are headed for the Hall of Fame. The 53rd and 37th players don't go to the Hall of Fame.

Both could be candidates if they do some amazing things from now until their careers end, but it's going to take better finishes to their career than the beginning if that is to happen.

This takes nothing away from these guys. Both are among the best at their respective positions, and playing in New Orleans and its relatively small market doesn't help their case.

But if the team keeps winning games with regularity, people will know just how good these guys are, and that will get them closer to the Hall of Fame.