PHOENIX — An impressive list of 18 Pro Football Hall of Fame candidates, ranging from three first-year eligibles to two six-time finalists, will be trimmed to as many as eight inductees for the Class of 2015 when the 46-member selection committee meets at 7 a.m. Mountain Time Saturday.

As usual, the discussions and voting are expected to take all day, but the decisions need to be made in time for the NFL Honors show that will be nationally televised.

The selectors know some of these prospects all too well, such as former Raiders/Buccaneers receiver Tim Brown and 49ers/Cowboys defender Charles Haley, who both have been finalists for six consecutive years.

At the other end of the spectrum, the first-time eligibles who made it through the process all the way to the finals are former linebacker Junior Seau (Chargers, Dolphins, Patriots) and two stars for the St. Louis Rams’ Greatest Show on Turf — quarterback Kurt Warner and his talented protector at left tackle, Orlando Pace.

It is this constant influx of new names each year that redefines the pecking order in such a way to keep returnees such as Brown and Haley from getting what almost everybody agrees is the place they deserve in the Hall of Fame.

With an impressive array of future prospects nearing eligibility — meaning they last played five years ago — the committee needs to consider clearing the way by inducting those who have been finalists so many years that it is obvious they belong in the Hall.

Along with Brown and Haley, others with significant tenure as a finalist are running back Jerome Bettis (Rams, Steelers), a five-time finalist, and guard Will Shields (Chiefs) and defensive end Kevin Greene (Rams, Steelers, Panthers, 49ers), each a finalist four times.

Three finalists were chosen by special subcommittees and will be discussed first and their fate will be determined by a simple yes or no vote. They include two contributors — former general managers Ron Wolf and Bill Polian — and one senior player, center Mick Tingelhoff (Vikings).

The debate will then begin for the other 15, with the first reduction to 10, and then five, after which each will be voted on individually and will need at least 80 percent positive votes. That is the same percentage as what’s needed for Polian, Wolf and Tingelhoff to be enshrined.

Here is a closer look at the finalists under consideration (listed alphabetically):

–Morten Andersen, Kicker – 1982-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-2000, 2006-07 Atlanta Falcons, 2001 New York Giants, 2002-03 Kansas City Chiefs, 2004 Minnesota Vikings

2nd time finalist: 2014, 2015

College: Michigan State

Drafted: 4th round (86th player overall) of 1982 draft by New Orleans Saints

Seasons: 25

Games: 382

All-Pro: 5

Pro Bowls: 7

Career Stats: 565 Field Goals, 849 PATs for 2,544 career points

Notable: Andersen retired as the NFL’s all-time leading scorer and leads two teams (the Saints and Falcons) in career field goals and points.

–Jerome Bettis, Running Back – 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers

5th time finalist: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

College: Notre Dame

Drafted: 1st round (10th overall) of 1993 draft by Los Angeles Rams

Seasons: 13

Games: 192

All-Pro: 2

Pro Bowls: 6

Career Stats: 3,479 carries for 13,662 yards, 91 touchdowns; 200 receptions for 1,449 yards, 3 touchdowns.

Notable: At the time of his retirement, Bettis ranked fifth in rushing yards.

–Tim Brown, Wide Receiver/Kick Returner/Punt Returner – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

6th time finalist: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

College: Notre Dame

Drafted: 1st round (6th overall) of 1988 draft by Los Angeles Raiders

Seasons: 17

Games: 255

All-Pro: 2

Pro Bowls: 9

Career Stats: 1,094 receptions for 14,934 yards and 100 touchdowns.

Notable: Brown had 80 or more receptions in nine seasons during a 10-year span. He also was a lethal return man; his 19,682 all-purpose yards still ranks fifth all time.

–Don Coryell, Coach – 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers

Last coached 1986, 1st time finalist.

College: Washington

NFL Coach of the Year Awards: 1

Seasons: 14

Division Titles: 5

Career Record: 114 wins, 89 losses, 1 tie including playoffs

Notable: Under Coryell’s direction, the Chargers led the NFL in passing seven of eight seasons.

–Terrell Davis, Running Back – 1995-2001 Denver Broncos

College: Long Beach State; Georgia

Drafted: 6th round (196th overall) of 1995 draft by Denver Broncos

1st time finalist, eligible since 2006.

Seasons: 7

Games: 78

All-Pro: 3

Pro Bowls: 3

Career Stats: 1,655 carries for 7,607 yards, 60 touchdowns

Notable: Significantly increased yardage total each season until he suffered knee injury. In 1998, he became the fourth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.

–Tony Dungy, Coach – 1996-2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2002-08 Indianapolis Colts

1st time finalist, last coached 2008.

College: Minnesota

NFL Coach of the Year Awards: 2

Seasons: 13

Division Titles: 6

Conference Titles: 1

Super Bowl Titles: 1

Notable: Dungy, the first African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl, was elected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s.

–Kevin Greene, Linebacker/Defensive End – 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers

4th time finalist: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

College: Auburn

Drafted: 5th round (113th overall) of 1985 draft by Los Angeles Rams

Seasons: 15

Games: 228

All-Pro: 2

Pro Bowls: 5

Career Stats: Amassed 160 sacks. Also had 5 interceptions for 53 yards, 1 TD; 3 safeties, and 2 fumble recoveries for touchdowns.

Notable: Greene twice led the NFL in sacks, the first time in 1994 with the Steelers and again two years later in Carolina. He had 10 or more sacks in a season 10 times during his career.

–Charles Haley, Defensive End/Linebacker – 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys

6th time finalist: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

College: James Madison

Drafted: 4th round (96th overall) of 1986 draft by San Francisco 49ers

Seasons: 12

Games: 169

All-Pro: 2

Pro Bowls: 5

Career Stats: Had 100 1/2 sacks, one safety and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.

Notable: Haley holds the NFL record for most Super Bowl victories by a player. He won three with the Cowboys (XXVII, XVIII, XXX) and two with San Francisco (XXIII, XXIV).

–Marvin Harrison, Wide Receiver – 1996-2008 Indianapolis Colts

2nd time finalist: 2014, 2015

College: Syracuse

Drafted: 1st round (19th overall) of 1996 draft by Indianapolis Colts

Seasons: 13

Games: 190

All-Pro: 6

Pro Bowls: 8

Career Stats: 1,102 receptions for 14,580 yards and 128 TDs

Notable: At retirement, Harrison ranked second all time in receptions and fourth in career receiving yardage.

–Jimmy Johnson, Coach – 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-99 Miami Dolphins

1st time finalist, last coached 1999

College: Arkansas

NFL Coach of the Year Awards: 1

Seasons: 9

Division Titles: 2

Conference Titles: 2

Super Bowl Titles: 2

Notable: Johnson was first coach to win a Super Bowl and a major college championship.

–John Lynch, Free Safety – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos

2nd time finalist (last played 2007): 2014, 2015

College: Stanford

Drafted: 3rd round (82nd player overall) of 1993 draft by Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Seasons: 15

Games: 224

All-Pro: 3

Pro Bowls: 9

Career Stats: 24 interceptions for 204 yards and 13.0 career sacks.

Notable: Lynch registered nine seasons in which he logged 90 or more tackles.

–Orlando Pace, Tackle – 1997-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Chicago Bears

College: Ohio State

First time eligible.

Drafted: 1st overall pick, 1997, by St. Louis Rams.

Seasons: 13

Games: 169

All-Pro: 5 (2nd team once)

Pro Bowls: 7

Notable: Pace was cornerstone of a Rams offensive line that blocked for offenses that compiled more gross yards than any other NFL team during his 12 years in St. Louis (50,770). The team’s quarterbacks finished second in completion percentage (61.8 percent) and fifth in touchdown passes (289) during that time. He also blocked for seven 1,000-yard rushers.

–Junior Seau, Linebacker – 1990-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-05 Miami Dolphins, 2006-09 New England Patriots

First time eligible.

College: USC

Drafted: 1st round (5th overall), 1990 by San Diego Chargers

Seasons: 20

Games: 268

All-Pro: 10

Pro Bowls: 12

Career statistics: 18 interceptions, returned 238 yards.

Notable: Named to NFL’s 1990s All-Decade team. Committed suicide in 2012 with a shot to his chest, enabling his brain to be studied by the National Institute of Health, which concluded Seau suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a type of brain damage since found in other deceased NFL players and considered a major part in the league’s current emphasis on safety.

–Will Shields, Guard – 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs

4th time finalist: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

College: Nebraska

Drafted: 3rd round (74th player overall) of 1993 draft by Kansas City Chiefs.

Seasons: 14

Games: 224

All-Pro: 3

Pro Bowls: 12

Notable: Shields was selected for the NFL’s All-Decade Team in the 2000s.

–Kurt Warner, Quarterback – 1998-2003 St. Louis Rams, 2004 New York Giants, 2005-09 Arizona Cardinals

1st time finalist

College: Northern Iowa

Drafted: Undrafted, 1994. Signed as rookie free agent with Green Bay but failed to make roster.

Seasons: 12

Games: 124

All Pro: 2

Pro Bowls: 4

Career statistics: Completed 2,666 of 4,070 passes for 32,344 yards, 208 touchdowns, 128 interceptions. Passer rating of 93.7, No. 7 historically among all NFL quarterback.

Notable: In 1999, when starter Trent Green tore his ACL in a preseason game, Warner led an offense nicknamed the Greatest Show of Turf, registering three consecutive 500-point seasons and a Super Bowl XXXIV championship. He was the NFL and Super Bowl MVP in 1999. He led the 2008 Arizona Cardinals to Super Bowl XLIII, and owns the three highest single-game passing yardage totals in Super Bowl history.

Senior candidate

–Mick Tingelhoff, Center – 1962-1978 Minnesota Vikings

1st time finalist, 32nd year of eligibility

College: Nebraska

Undrafted, 1962, signed as rookie free agent with Minnesota

Seasons: 17

Games: 240

All Pro: 5

Pro Bowls: 6

Notable: Tingelhoff started every game he played in his career, and played in all four Vikings Super Bowl appearances.

Contributor candidates

–Bill Polian, Contributor – 1978-1982 Kansas City Chiefs, 1984-1992 Buffalo Bills, 1993-94 National Football League, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers, 1998-2011 Indianapolis Colts

–Ron Wolf, Contributor – 1963-1974, 1979-1989 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1966 American Football League, 1976-78 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1990-91 New York Jets, 1991-2001 Green Bay Packers

–Frank Cooney, founder and publisher of The Sports Xchange and NFLDraftScout.com, covered the NFL and the draft since the 1960s and is a selector for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.