Steve Smith, Andre Johnson Headline Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022 Nominees

The Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2022 nominees were announced Wednesday, with a trio of big-name wide receivers headlining the list.

Steve Smith, Andre Johnson and Anquan Boldin highlight this year's group of first-year nominees.

Notable Nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022

Quarterback: Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair

Running Back: Shaun Alexander, Tiki Barber, Eddie George, Steven Jackson, Corey Dillon, Priest Holmes, Jamal Lewis, Fred Taylor, Brian Westbrook

Wide Receiver: Anquan Boldin, Devin Hester (also PR/KR), Andre Johnson, Steve Smith, Troy Brown, Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker

Offensive Lineman: Jake Long, Nick Mangold, Tony Boselli

Defensive Lineman: Robert Mathis, Vince Wilfork, Jared Allen, Richard Seymour, Justin Tuck

Linebacker: DeMarcus Ware, Tedy Bruschi, Sam Mills, Zach Thomas, Patrick Willis

Defensive Back: Antonio Cromartie, Ronde Barber, LeRoy Butler, Darren Woodson, Asante Samuel

Special Teams: Josh Cribbs (KR/PR)

Click here for the entire list of nominees.

Smith spent 13 of his 16 NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers. He earned five Pro Bowl selections and was named first-team All-Pro twice. Smith was awarded NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2005 when he led the league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns a year after suffering a broken leg.

Johnson played the majority of his 14-year career for the Houston Texans. He was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times and earned first-team All-Pro honors twice. Johnson ranks 11th all-time with 1,062 career receptions and 14,185 receiving yards.

Boldin was a three-time Pro Bowler and played for four teams in his career, most notably the Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens. Boldin was named 2003 Offensive Rookie of the Year after being drafted in the second round by the Cardinals. He was a member of the Ravens' Super Bowl XLVII championship team in 2012. Boldin was named Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2015.

In all, there are 122 modern-era nominees for the Hall of Fame class of 2022. The list will be cut to 25 semifinalists in November and 15 finalists in January.