Fred Taylor, Tony Boselli Named Semifinalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame released its list of 25 modern-era semifinalists for the 2020 class, and two Jacksonville Jaguars have found themselves among those who have made the cut.
Running back Fred Taylor (1998-2008) and offensive tackle Tony Boselli (1995-2001) were each named as semifinalists this year, a positive step for each player's candidacy for Canton.
This is the first time Taylor has ever been named a semifinalist for the hall of fame and comes a few weeks after Taylor said on NFL Network that he believes he had a productive enough career to make it to Canton. It is the fifth consecutive year that Boselli has made the list.
Boselli was the Jaguars' first-ever draft selection, being picked by the team in the 1995 NFL Draft out of the University of Southern California. He had a dominant run with the Jaguars before shoulder injuries cut his career short, making five-consecutive Pro Bowls from 1996-2000 and being named an All-Pro at left tackle in three-consecutive seasons from 1997-’99. Boselli was also made a part of the NFL’s “All-’90s Team” by the league’s writers.
Taylor, a 13-year pro, spent the majority of his career with the Jaguars before playing out his final seasons with the New England Patriots. He was the epitome of consistency during his career, recording 13,632 total yards and 70 touchdowns, with the vast majority of those coming with Jacksonville. He is the all-time leading rusher in franchise history with 11,271 yards, more than 3,000 more than the back behind him.
It is unlikely Taylor makes it into the hall this season, but the fact that he at long last been named a finalist is encouraging considering what he did throughout his NFL career, especially since he is 17th all-time in career rushing yards despite splitting a backfield in Jacksonville with Maurice Jones-Drew for a short period.
