What will it take for Harrison Smith to make the Hall of Fame?

Longevity method

You can also call this the Brian Dawkins Method.

Former Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos free safety Brian Dawkins played until age 38. He was elite in his prime and played admirably to his date of retirement. Dawkins was also a four-time All-Pro selectee and a nine-time Pro Bowler.

Harrison Smith has his work cut out for him if this is the measuring stick.

Smith will be 32 next February. This would theoretically give Smith eight more seasons to nab three more All-Pro nods and four more Pro Bowl trips. Of course, this argument is predicated on colossal undertakings. It is very straightforward to conjure All-Pro and Pro Bowls hypotheticals in an analysis such as this. It is immensely difficult for a player to go do the work on Sundays well into his 30s and notch these achievements.

But Dawkins did it. If Harrison Smith followed in these fanciful footsteps, this is a plausible route to Canton. It just takes a clean bill of health, outright defiance of Father Time, and some luck.