Steve Smith for Hall of Fame

If you're asking who's the toughest wide receiver pound for pound in NFL history, the slam-dunk winner is Steve Smith. If you're naming the top trash talker, few would rank higher than Smith. If you're asking whether he's a Hall of Fame wide receiver, that's up for a compelling debate. Smith, who announced Monday that he's retiring at the end of the 2015 season, is certainly in the conversation based on his impressive numbers and longevity. Others might argue that Smith is a notch below the likes of other great receivers of his time like Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Marvin Harrison. There will be plenty of time to put Smith's career in perspective. He won't be eligible until the Class of 2021. But why should we wait? Let's make the case for Steve Smith's Hall of Fame candidacy right now: -Smith needs 638 yards in his final season to crack the NFL's top 10 in all-time receiving yards. Four of the six eligible players in the top 10 are in the Hall of Fame. The two snubs have been Harrison and Isaac Bruce, and it might be a matter of time before they get in. -Since his rookie season in 2001, Smith has the third-most receiving yards in the NFL (13,262), according to ESPN Stats & Information. -He has produced eight 1,000-yard receiving seasons. In comparison, here are the 1,000-yard seasons for the last three receivers to reach the Hall of Fame: Cris Carter (eight), Andre Reed (four) and Tim Brown (nine). It should be noted that eight different quarterbacks threw passes to Smith in those eight 1,000-yard seasons. -Smith and Brown are the only players in NFL history to eclipse 13,000 receiving yards and 4,000 return yards, according to the Ravens public relations department. They are also the only players to post 900 catches and score a rushing, receiving, punt return and kickoff return touchdowns. -Smith was the last receiver to win the receiver Triple Crown, leading the league in catches, yards and touchdowns in a single season. He accomplished this in 2005, when he caught 103 passes for 1,563 yards and 12 touchdowns. Only two other receivers have done this -- Sterling Sharpe in 1992 and Jerry Rice in 1990. Of course, Sharpe caught passes from Brett Favre and Rice had Joe Montana. Smith hauled in throws from Jake Delhomme. -Smith's team finished in the top half of the NFL in pass attempts in just one of his eight 1,000-yard seasons. In 2007, he made 87 receptions for 1,002 yards receiving while catching passes from a 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde and 23-year-old Matt Moore. In 2008, Smith finished third in the NFL with 1,421 yards receiving despite the Panthers throwing the fewest amount of passes in the league that season. Does this mean Smith has a good shot at making the Hall of Fame? It really depends on whether there is another logjam at wide receiver when Smith becomes eligible. Harrison has failed to make it the last two years, and Bruce didn't make the list of finalists in his first try. The receiver group gets more crowded over the next couple years, when Owens (2016), Hines Ward (2017) and Moss (2018) are eligible. If Smith reaches the Hall, it probably won't happen immediately. Smith's numbers are comparable to Brown, who waited six years before getting the necessary votes to get inducted. Still, it would be a mistake to count out Smith. Few believed a 5-foot-9, third-round pick would become one of the top receivers of his era.