The 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction featured one of the more star-studded classes in recent years. Among the notable names was Minnesota Vikings legend Randy Moss.

Although he would eventually become one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history, the verdict was still out on Moss before his career even started due to issues off the field. According to Don Banks of Bleacher Report, former Vikings running back Robert Smith admittedly had his doubts about whether the troublesome playmaker could walk the line en route to Canton:

“I don’t know about him off the field. But if he stays healthy, he’s going to be a Hall of Famer.”

Smith recalled making those comments after just the first day of training camp. Needless to say, they certainly carry plenty of weight considering the caliber of players he had seen up close and personal at that point in his career.

“I had been in the league five years at that point. I had seen Deion Sanders, and obviously I had played with Cris Carter and been on the same field as Jerry Rice. Just so many great players. So I had seen a lot of great athletes. I had never seen anything like that.

“This was the best player, maybe the best athlete I had ever seen in person.”

Moss burst onto the scene his rookie year and quickly became the gold standard for the new prototypical wide receiver. His unique blend of size and speed was paired with the ability to snatch the ball at its highest point. His knack for going up and over defenders has even made his name a common term used on gridirons throughout the nation.

It goes without saying that Moss's journey to the Hall of Fame was paved with difficulty. However, he managed to overcome his troubled past to become arguably the most electrifying player in history.