FanHouse

A regular feature profiling each of the 17 candidates for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Name: Ray Guy

Position: Punter

Career: 1973-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders

Pros: One of the strongest legs in history; the Raiders liked him so much that they took the unprecedented step of spending a first-round pick on him in the 1973 draft. He was an all-pro six straight seasons and had a career average of 42.4 yards.

Cons: Regarded as more a distance punter than a directional punter; wasn't among the elites at dropping the ball deep in opposing territory while avoiding touchbacks. Some will argue that punters just aren't important enough to make it to the Hall of Fame.

Verdict: There has still never been a pure punter elected to the Hall of Fame (some position players who also punted are in), and some day that should change. But not this year, and not with this punter. Several members of the selection committee, including Paul Zimmerman and Peter King, have come out strongly against Guy because he sacrificed directional punting skills for the sake of distance. They're right. He gets a vote of NO.

Previous votes:
NO: Richard Dent, Fred Dean
YES: Russ Grimm
Note: By rule, the Hall of Fame must induct between three and six new members.