Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has heard plenty of talk about him for years. From if he had what it took to be a quarterback at the NFL level to his accolades to his playoff record and more, there’s no shortage of topics that have been talked about when it comes to the fourth-year quarterback.
With the 2021 Hall of Fame class getting enshrined just a few days ago, a lot of conversations have been had about who could be next, including future candidates to be immortalized in Canton. Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports put some of the current NFL quarterbacks into Hall of Fame tiers based off of how their careers have gone so far. For Jackson, Benjamin placed him at the top of the “premature candidate” category.
“He has plenty to prove as a passer, especially in big games, but if you can’t see the path here, you’re not looking. Skeptics will cite Michael Vick and say Lamar is more electrifying than reliable, but Vick never posted 10+ wins more than once; Jackson’s already done it twice, with significantly more success through the air. If he can stay healthy, he’s bound to contend for years to come.”
Jackson still has a lot to prove before cementing a spot next to NFL legends, but he’s well on his way. If he keeps stacking together great seasons and adds to his legacy with at least one Super Bowl championship, the sky is the limit for the 24-year-old.
Even though he was listed as a premature candidate, Jackson was still one of the higher up players on the list. The only two categories to be ranked above the one where Jackson was placed were “Stone-cold locks” (Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger) and “Safe bets” (Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes). Deshaun Watson, Josh Allen and Justin Herbert joined Jackson in “Premature candidates” section.