Considered a shutdown Cornerback before there was such a term, Louis Wright would play his entire career with the Denver Broncos.  Drafted in the 1^st Round (17^th Overall) from San Jose State, Wright paid immediate dividends by being named to the First Team All-Rookie squad.  Denver was developing a reputation for their Orange Crush Defense, but if anyone got past them, they would have Louis Wright to contend with.  Wright was easily one of the best Corners in the late ‘70s, earning Pro Bowl selections in 1977, 1978, and 1979, and First Team All-Pro honors in the latter two seasons.  He was also crucial in helping Denver reach its first Super Bowl, losing to the Cowboys in Super Bowl XII.

Despite Denver's Super Bowl appearance, Wright's exploits didn't get national recognition.  One of the most adept at shadowing a receiver, Wright's instincts were incredible, and in every game he played, his opposing offensive coordinator planned schemes to avoid throwing to Wright.

Wright would go to two more Pro Bowls in the 1980s and was named to the Second Team All-Decade team of the 1970s.  Now that Randy Gradishar has received his due, could Wright follow him?

It is hard not to consider Clay Matthews Jr. as part of football royalty.

How can you not? 

He is the son of former San Francisco 49ers Clay Matthews Sr., the father of Clay Matthews III, the brother of Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews, and the uncle of Jake and Kevin Matthews.  As for this specific member of the Matthews clan, we have a 19-year veteran who spent 16 of those years with the Cleveland Browns.  In four of those seasons, he was named to the Pro Bowl.  Matthews Jr. may never have been a First Team All-Pro, but he had the longevity and relevance that overcomes that objection.  Matthews is currently third all-time in Tackles and in the top fifteen in Games Played. 

Clay Matthews Jr.’s resume is a great example of whether Canton wants to recognize a long period of being very good, even though he was never quite elite.

One of the early stars of the Green Bay Packers, Verne Lewellen, was an all-purpose Back who did it all for Green Bay.  The product of Nebraska (the state and the University) was named to four straight First Team All-Pro squads (1926 to 1929) and was a large part of their three consecutive NFL Championships (1929 to 1931). 

While no video of Lewellen's play survives, legendary figures like Art Rooney and George Halas extolled his virtues, and while stats were not well kept, it is believed he would have done well in box scores.  We do know that he scored 37 rushing touchdowns and 12 receiving touchdowns, an incredible number for his day, and held the overall TD record until it was shattered by Don Hutson.   

Lewellen later served as the Packers General Manager from 1954 to 1958, and may forever be a historical snub of Canton.

From SMU's football factory, Jerry Mays chose to stay in his home state with the Dallas Texans, who drafted him in the 5^th Round of the 1961 Draft.  The Minnesota Vikings of the NFL chose him in the 11^th Round.

The defensive tackle helped Dallas win the AFL Championship in 1962, and after the team relocated to Kansas City, he again helped his squad win two more AFL titles and their first-ever Super Bowl.  Mays was named to the All-AFL Team and was a six-time AFL All-Star, as well as a Pro Bowl Selection in 1970.  Mays was also a two-time First Team All-Pro and one of the most agile defensive linemen in the AFL.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame will likely elude him, but he earned a place years ago in the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame.