Does Stephon Gilmore have Hall of Fame potential? Patriots great thinks so

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The New England Patriots lost two future Pro Football Hall of Famers this offseason when Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But if you ask Ty Law, there's still a Canton-bound player on New England's roster.

The former Patriots cornerback, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year, told the Boston Herald's Karen Guregian he believes Stephon Gilmore will follow in his footsteps.

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"He's the real deal," Law told Guregian. "And he still seeks advice and asks questions. He’s still eager to learn.

"If he keeps it up, he’ll be around a long time. One day, you’ll see him in the Patriots Hall of Fame, and the NFL Hall of Fame, as well."

Law has been one of Gilmore's biggest advocates over the past several years, telling the Patriots cornerback he's "next up" when Gilmore attended his Hall of Fame enshrinement last August.]

Law also is impressed with Gilmore's workout routine, as the South Carolina native has been training with former Pro Bowl cornerback Dre Bly this offseason.

"That's what the great ones do, he is amongst the giants of the league and has a desire to be the best and stay there," Law told Guregian. "I’m loving what he is doing and looking forward to another big year for him."

Gilmore has a tough act to follow after winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2019, becoming the first cornerback to win the award since Charles Woodson in 2009.

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But does Gilmore have Hall of Fame credentials? While he's been in the NFL for eight years, he didn't make his first Pro Bowl until his final season with the Buffalo Bills in 2016.

The 29-year-old has been elite since coming to New England, though, consistently ranking as one of the league's top cornerbacks (and top players overall) over the last three seasons.

He'll likely need to continue that elite play for at least five more seasons -- Law made five Pro Bowls over his 15-season career, while Gilmore has three Pro Bowl nods through eight seasons -- to warrant a call to the Hall, but he's certainly on the right track.

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