Many Hall of Fame candidates watch their push for the Hall build and build.  This doesn’t seem to be the case for Lester Hayes, who was a finalist in his first four years of eligibility but has only been a semifinalist six years thereafter.

Lester Hayes is best known for two things.  The first was in 1980, when he had 13 picks and won Defensive Player of the Year. The year after, the “Lester Hayes” rules were put into effect, banning players from the use of “stickum,” an adhesive that Hayes was using to get a better grip on the ball.  Hayes was more than that, with his bump-and-run coverage and route disruption showing few peers in professional football.

Hayes' 1980 season was so good that he was forever associated with that year.  Had he had another monster year, perhaps he would not be seeing his chances diminish as appears to be happening now.  Regardless, Hayes was a key contributor on a Super Bowl championship team, where he was a top defensive player.  That alone places him ahead of other Hall of Fame candidates.

A lot of people talk about “Playstation” numbers, whereby offensive stars put up offensive numbers that don’t seem realistic.  John Hadl put up those types of numbers when Quarterbacks generally played more conservatively, decades before the Madden craze took over.

On three separate occasions, John Hadl eclipsed 3,000 yards passing.  This is expected of many Quarterbacks now, but it was very impressive considering the era he played in.  He was one of the game's early gunslingers and, as such, posted very impressive touchdown pass numbers.  That led to a lot of interceptions, and he finished his career with more picks than TD passes. 

Regardless of those IT numbers, Hadl was an exciting Quarterback and different from anyone else in his era.  It would be interesting to see how he’d be used in today’s game. 

Maxie Baughan had a successful eleven-year career in professional football, making the Pro Bowl for nine of those years. Despite this, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has not recognized him as he deserves. Baughan started his career at Georgia Tech and played for the Philadelphia Eagles.

He was a key player in their championship-winning season in 1960, and his linebacker skills made him the team's best defender. He earned five Pro Bowl selections and was a First Team All-Pro while with the Eagles. However, as the team's fortunes declined, the Eagles traded Baughan to the Los Angeles Rams in 1966.

Baughan continued to play well for the Rams, earning four consecutive Pro Bowl selections and four Second Team All-Pros from 1966 to 1970. He was a great fit for the team's Head Coach, George Allen, who knew how to make the most of Baughan's skills. After an injury-plagued 1970 season, Baughan retired but later rejoined Allen as a player-coach in 1974.

Baughan's acrimonious departure from the Eagles likely delayed his induction into their franchise Hall of Honor until 2015. It's unclear when the Pro Football Hall of Fame will recognize him, if at all.

Punters typically don't have much of a chance to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. However, Deron Cherry's focus on being a Safety paid off, and he became one of the best at his position, benefiting the Kansas City Chiefs. Using his athletic abilities, Cherry became a top defensive star in the NFL and was consistently one of the league's best players. Even though he never led the league in interceptions, Cherry was an exceptional open-field tackler and rarely lost in one-on-one situations. As a result, Cherry was selected to the Pro Bowl six times and was named to the NFL All-Decade Team for the 1980s.

Cherry's impressive skills allowed him to record 35 interceptions, and he ranked in the top six in that category five times, including a second-place finish in 1986. It is surprising that he was never named a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist.