CHARLOTTE — A group of 16 former Panthers players and one of the current assistant coaches are among the 167 preliminary nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025.

That group includes a couple of significant first-time eligibles, who hope to one day join Class of 2024 inductee Julius Peppers.

Former linebacker Luke Kuechly and center Ryan Kalil are among the first-time eligibles this year, joining a group that includes wide receiver Steve Smith, who has made the cut to 25 semifinalists the last three years.

The big list of 167 players will be cut to 50 by a special screening committee, and those results will be announced in mid-October. The full Hall of Fame selection committee will then reduce that list to 25 semifinalists and then to 15 finalists.

In addition to Kuechly, Kalil, and Smith, the following players with Panthers ties are on the list of 167 preliminary nominees.

• QB Jake Delhomme
• RB Stephen Davis
• RB/WR/PR/KR Eric Metcalf
• WR Muhsin Muhammad
• WR Steve Smith Sr.
• TE Wesley Walls
• TE Jeremy Shockey
• OT Jordan Gross
• C Ryan Kalil
• DE Jared Allen
• LB Jessie Armstead
• LB Luke Kuechly
• LB Lee Woodall
• S Eugene Robinson
• CB Charles Tillman
• CB DeAngelo Hall (Current Panthers assistant coach)
• K John Kasay

The full list of 167 includes 16 first-timers, including quarterback Eli Manning; running backs Marshawn Lynch and Darren Sproles; wide receiver Demaryius Thomas; tight ends Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker; offensive linemen Travis Frederick, Kalil, Joe Staley and Marshal Yanda; linebackers Kuechly and Terrell Suggs; defensive backs Antoine Bethea, Aqib Talib, and Earl Thomas; and kicker Adam Vinatieri.

MODERN-ERA NOMINEES
FOR THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2025
*-Finalist for the Class of 2024.

QUARTERBACKS (10): Marc Bulger, Randall Cunningham, Jake Delhomme, Doug Flutie, Rich Gannon, Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, Eli Manning, Steve McNair, Tony Romo.
RUNNING BACKS (31): Shaun Alexander, Terry Allen, Jamal Anderson, Tiki Barber, Larry Centers (FB), Jamaal Charles, Stephen Davis, Corey Dillon, Warrick Dunn, Charlie Garner, Eddie George, Priest Holmes, Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, Thomas Jones, John Kuhn (FB), Vonta Leach, Dorsey Levens, Jamal Lewis, Marshawn Lynch, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), Glyn Milburn (also WR), Lorenzo Neal (FB), Clinton Portis, Tony Richardson (FB), Robert Smith, Darren Sproles (also PR/KR), Fred Taylor, Chris Warren, Ricky Watters, Ricky Williams.
WIDE RECEIVERS (21): Anquan Boldin, Donald Driver, Antonio Freeman, Irving Fryar, Torry Holt, Joe Horn, Chad Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Derrick Mason, Herman Moore, Muhsin Muhammad, Jordy Nelson, Andre Rison, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Demaryius
Thomas, Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker, Roddy White.
TIGHT ENDS (6): Ben Coates, Vernon Davis, Antonio Gates, Jeremy Shockey, Delanie Walker, Wesley Walls.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (26): Willie Anderson* (T), Bruce Armstrong (T/G), Matt Birk (C), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Jahri Evans* (G), Travis Frederick (C), Jordan Gross (T), Ryan Kalil (C), Lincoln Kennedy (T), Olin Kreutz (C), T.J. Lang (G/T), Nick Mangold (C), Logan Mankins (G), Tom Nalen (C), Jeff Saturday (C), Mark Schlereth (G/C), Josh Sitton (G), Chris Snee (G), Joe Staley (T), Dave Szott (G), Brian Waters (G), Richmond Webb (T), Erik Williams
(T), Steve Wisniewski (G), Marshal Yanda (G).
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (18): John Abraham (DE also LB), Jared Allen* (DE), La'Roi Glover (DT/NT), Casey Hampton (DT/NT), Robert Mathis (DE), Chester McGlockton (DT), Haloti Ngata (DT), Simeon Rice (DE), Clyde Simmons (DE/DT), Justin Smith (DE), Neil Smith (DE), Henry Thomas (DT/NT), Justin Tuck (DE), Ted Washington (NT/DT), Vince Wilfork (DT/NT), Jamal Williams (DT/NT), Kevin Williams (DT), Pat Williams (DT).
LINEBACKERS (20): Jessie Armstead, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Cornelius Bennett, Lance Briggs, Keith Brooking, NaVorro Bowman, Tedy Bruschi, Donnie Edwards, James Farrior, London Fletcher, James Harrison, Luke Kuechly, Willie McGinest (also DE), Ken Norton Jr., Julian Peterson, Bill Romanowski, Takeo Spikes, Terrell Suggs, Mike Vrabel, Lee Woodall.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (18): Eric Allen* (CB), Eric Berry (DB), Antoine Bethea (S), Dré Bly (DB), Kam Chancellor (S), Nick Collins (DB), Antonio Cromartie (CB), DeAngelo Hall (DB), Rodney Harrison* (S), Eugene Robinson (DB), Samari Rolle (DB), Allen Rossum (DB), Bob Sanders (S), Aqib Talib (CB), Earl Thomas (S), Charles Tillman (CB), Troy Vincent (CB), Darren Woodson* (S).
PUNTERS/KICKERS (15): David Akers (K), Gary Anderson (K), Darren Bennett (P), Jason Elam (K), Jeff Feagles (P), Jason Hanson (K), John Kasay (K), Sean Landeta (P), Shane Lechler (P), Pat McAfee (P), Brian Moorman (P), Matt Stover (K), Matt Turk (P), Mike Vanderjagt (K), Adam Vinatieri (K).
SPECIAL TEAMS (2): Josh Cribbs (KR/PR also WR), Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB).