Indianapolis Colts Pro Football Hall of Fame watch

The Pro Football Hall of Fame will induct the class of 2023 on Aug. 5. Here are players from the 2023 Colts who could join the immortals in Canton someday: 

Fringe Hall of Famer

Quenton Nelson, guard: Nelson is only 27 and already has three first-team All-Pro selections, one second-team All-Pro selection and five Pro Bowl nods. He has allowed just four sacks through his first four seasons, surrendered 20 or more pressures just twice and never allowed more than 18 hurries or six QB hits, according to Pro Football Focus.

Nelson also helped paved the way for Jonathan Taylor’s 1,169-yard, 11-touchdown rushing rookie season in 2020 and NFL-leading 1,811-yard, 18-touchdown rushing season in 2021.

For argument’s sake, let’s say Nelson plays for at least five more seasons and makes at least three more Pro Bowls and is a first-team All-Pro two more times. Every guard with at least five first-team All-Pro selections—not including Zack Martin, who’s still an active player—is in the Hall of Fame. And of the 15 guards with eight or more Pro Bowl selections, nine of them (not counting Martin) are Hall of Famers.

Young players who could develop into Hall of Famers

Jonathan Taylor, running back: Taylor is only three seasons into his NFL career and has already earned a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. In his second season, he led the NFL in rushing yards and touchdowns. While injuries limited him to just 861 yards rushing in 11 games in 2022, if he’s fully healthy, there’s no reason Taylor couldn’t finish as one of the all-time great running backs.

If Taylor plays at least 10 seasons (roughly the average for Hall of Fame RBs) at his current pace, he will retire with the 10th-most rushing yards (12,803) all time and he’d tie Walter Payton for the fifth-most rushing touchdowns (110) of all-time.

Shaq Leonard, linebacker: The 27-year-old Leonard has been a tackling machine since his rookie season in 2018, racking up 120 or more tackles in his first four years before injuries limited him to just 11 tackles in three games in 2022.

Before the injuries, however, Leonard had three first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections and a second-team All-Pro selection. In 2018, he was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Leonard also led the league in tackles as a rookie and forced fumbles in 2021. Only 11 inside linebackers have more first-team All-Pro nods than Leonard does now, and seven of them are in Canton.