James Harrison says he's not a Hall of Famer, and Ryan Clark fears the Steelers legend might be right ... but he tells TMZ Sports he's hoping like hell his old teammate ends up being wrong.
Harrison admitted last week he doesn't believe his numbers are good enough to one day get a bust in Canton ... and when we spoke with Clark this week, he said he shares the same concerns as the guy he played with from 2006-2012.
"I would say he's borderline," Clark said of the ex-Pittsburgh pass rusher. "I don't know if he gets in."
Clark tells us ... he's unsure if Harrison sustained a level of excellence for long enough to sway voters -- though he did note the guy's Super Bowl wins and Defensive Player of the Year award might ultimately be enough.
"My bias says he deserves it, but I understand how it works," Clark said ... before adding, "I hope he gets in."
Harrison played in the NFL from 2002 to 2017, but he was only a full-time starter for about seven years. He logged 84.5 sacks in his career ... as well as 811 combined tackles.
The totals were good enough to earn him a place in Pittsburgh's Hall of Honor this season ... and, clearly, Clark is hoping it'll one day get him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame too.
"It would be an honor to be in the stands and in the crowd to hear James Harrison accept that gold jacket," Clark said.