Brian Dawkins among 15 finalists for 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

On Tuesday night, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 15 finalists for the 2017 class.

Among the finalists is former Eagles safety Brian Dawkins. Dawkins spent 13 years with the Eagles, from 1996 to 2008. He was drafted in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the organization and spent the next decade-plus cementing himself as one of the best players in franchise history.

He played 183 games with the Eagles, racking up 34 interceptions, 36 forced fumbles, 19 fumble recoveries, and 26 sacks. He made six Pro Bowls and was named All-Pro four times.

Dawkins also spent three years with the Broncos, from 2009 to 2011, where he picked up three interceptions, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and five sacks while being named to another pair of Pro Bowls.

Per the Hall of Fame itself, here’s the next step:

The Selection Committee meets annually on "Selection Saturday," the day before the Super Bowl in the host city to elect new members to the Hall of Fame. There is no set number of new enshrinees, but the Committee’s current ground rules do stipulate that between four and eight new members will be selected each year. Every candidate is carefully scrutinized and must receive at least 80 percent approval of the Committee at the annual meeting before he can be elected.

The enshrinement ceremony is usually held during the first full weekend in August.

This is Dawkins’ first year of eligibility for the HOF; getting this far is a victory in itself. Hopefully the committee recognizes what a sterling career Dawkins had and rewards it justly.