Let me preface this by saying that I’m a firm believer that Hall of Fames are diluted. I don’t begrudge the guys who make it, I simply believe that the construct of the processes has resulted in the cliche “Hall of Very Goods.”

That being said, Rod Smith’s retirement announcement immediately kicks off the debate about whether he should be enshrined in Canton. I think he absolutely deserves a spot.

Compared to the current crop of 19 Hall of Fame receivers, Smith has more career receptions (849) than all but Art Monk. His yardage totals (11,389) rank seventh. And while those comparisons are skewed because Smith played in an era of evolved passing, his achievements (including two Super Bowl wins and three Pro Bowls) compare favorably with the contemporary pass-catchers in the group, especially Michael Irvin. He proved effective in big games, as well, catching five receptions for 152 yards and a touchdown (an 80-yard catch) in Super Bowl XXXIII. He had two stellar seasons in 2000 and 2001, but also showed consistency, posting eight 1,000-yard seasons, including six in a row from 1997-2002.

It also might seem like a double standard, as prominent NFL draftees are warned that it’s not how they get there, but what they do once they get there, but Smith rose from the ranks of undrafted free agency to ascend to those heights and did it with character — he was a finalist for the league’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2004.

Smith will suffer from his workmanlike demeanor and relative lack of name power, as well as the fact that even in his prime he was never the NFL’s best receiver, even for a season. And with a lot of prominent names looking to enter Canton in the near future, including Cris Carter, Tim Brown, and Jerry Rice at his own position, Smith would have to wait a few (possibly many) years. In the end, though, I think the evidence stacks up that he should be in Canton someday.