The 2016 NFL Player Selection Meeting – aka the NFL Draft – will potentially be one of the more interesting drafts in recent history. With two significant trades already happening at the top of the draft, presumably so the Rams and Eagles could move up to get franchise quarterbacks, the action has already started. But while rumors circulate of the NFL asking the Rams to keep a lid on their pick to enhance the intrigue, the bigger question on many people’s minds is whether or not either of those franchise quarterback options—Jared Goff from California and Carson Wentz from North Dakota State—really will be franchise options.
The Eagles in particular seem to have riled their fan base by giving away a load of picks in this draft and next, to potentially draft a quarterback that they won’t even start this year, given that they re-signed Sam Bradford (who is now threatening to take his ball and go home over the trade) and brought in Chiefs backup Chase Daniels.
Outside of the drama at the top, the draft isn’t considered to be very deep with elite talent, especially at the “skill” positions. But what the draft lacks in elite talent, it appears to excel in depth into the second and even third rounds with solid trench guys and development prospects, meaning this year’s round of mock drafts is probably even more of a crapshoot than ever.
Speaking of crapshoot 2016 mock drafts, here’s ours:
We’ve previously written about the tallest player in NFL history, but what about specifically the tallest quarterback in NFL history? And tallest active quaterback in the NFL?
Well, the tallest quarterback in NFL history appears to be Dan McGwire, who was a first round pick (16th overall) of the Seattle Seahawks in 1991, just 17 spots ahead of a guy named Brett Favre. McGwire, the younger brother of former Major League slugger Mark McGwire, stood (and still stands) 6 foot 8 inches tall.
As for the tallest more recently active quarterback, as of April 1st, 2016 (when this article was first written), Brock Osweiler, who stands either 6 foot 7, or possibly also 6 foot 8, depending on what source you believe, was the tallest=–his NFL.com profile lists him at 6-8, while his NFL.com draft combine profile lists him at 6-7. Osweiler himself has said he is just a shade over 6 foot 7, while Wikipedia says he measured in at 6-6 7/8 at the combine. Paxton Lynch, who who was drafted in the first round by Denver in 2016, also measured in at 6-7 at the 2016 NFL Combine, would have joined Osweiler in the back row of an all-time NFL Quarterback group picture.
As of updating this article in 2025, the tallest quarterback’s are Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence, both standing at 6-foot, 6-inches tall. Bryce Young and Kyler Murray are the shortest, listed at 5-foot, 10 inches–although frankly that might be generous for both of them.
We’ve been doing this now for eight years, and we’ve seen a lot of changes to the Hall of Fame induction process—mostly around the coverage the event receives, as the league utilizes it’s NFL Network to add more hype to the election process.
Still, at the end of the day, the formula has remained largely consistent over the years—25 gets cut to 15, then to 10, and most of those 10 make their way back to the 10 the following year, with only one or two possibly missing out if there is a special first year eligible player. Generally speaking, someone knocked out in the 11-15 spots in one year won’t jump past someone to the final five—but they’re usually a good bet to make the final 10 themselves.
So who does that give us in 2017? Well, the final five eliminated in the 2016 election were QB Kurt Warner, T Joe Jacoby, RB Terrell Davis, S John Lynch, and coach Don Coryell. In my personal estimation, not the most awe inspiring class ever—but that’s what we’re looking at.
Following them, eliminated in the 11-15 spots were K Morten Andersen, S Steve Atwater, WR Terrell Owens, G Alan Faneca, and RB Edgerrin James—perhaps more star power in Owens and James, and probably a better offensive lineman in Faneca than Jacoby, but still facing a difficult road to jump into the top.
As for first year nominees, there are five names that would appear to stand out above the rest in RB LaDanian Tomlinson, DE Jason Taylor, S Brian Dawkins, WR Hines Ward and QB Donovan McNabb. Tomlinson and Taylor are probably the most likely to not only jump into the top 10, but even possibly make the finalist ballot. Dawkins has the profile (9/4) to the finalist round for sure, but with Lynch and Atwater already there, and a position that’s never gotten a lot of love, top 10 might be a stretch in his first year. Undoubtedly some Steeler fans will argue that Ward deserves first ballot consideration (he doesn’t), but he has a chance to make the finalist round, and an outside chance at the top 10. McNabb…well…
Finishing outside the top 15 in 2016 were some other interesting names, that could possibly push to make the rare leap past a player like Andersen or Atwater—names like Kevin Mawae, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Ty Law and of course Jimmy Johnson.
Our guess?
Finalists:
Warner
Jacoby
Davis
Lynch
Coryell
Atwater
Faneca
Andersen
Owens
James
Tomlinson
Taylor
Dawkins
Mawae
Johnson
We see Andersen, Mawae, James, Atwater and Johnson getting dropped in the first five. From there…
That leaves the inevitable question—if Manning wants to start in 2016, where would that most likely occur? Would a team that feels it might be a quarterback away from a serious playoff run take a chance on the aged veteran? Could a hometown team make a run? Would a team with their own quarterback injury woes in 2015 pair him with a superstar wide receiver? Or maybe a team would like to bring him in to serve as a one year mentor for a quarterback who has struggled to adapt to the pro game?
Here’s our top potential landing spots for Peyton Manning in 2016:
Nearing the end of his 18th season, Charles Woodson announced on Monday that 2015 would be his final season. With the Raiders eliminated from playoff contention, barring injury, his final game in Oakland will be this Sunday, and final game overall will be 1/3/16 in Kansas City.
He most likely retires in the 5th overall spot for interceptions, with 65 (and an outside chance of catching Night Train Lane, who has 68, and tied for second overall in interceptions returned for touchdowns, one behind Rod Woodson. Barring injury, he will have played in 254 games, and also amassed 18 fumble recoveries, 20 sacks, 155 passes defensed, and at least according to Pro Football Reference, just under 1,000 career tackles.
He has 8 Pro Bowl appearances—four in his first four seasons, then four more consecutively with the Packers from 2008-2011, and three First Team All-Pro selections (and for those that care, he was also a three time 2nd Team All-Pro). He was the 1998 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, the 2009 AP Defensive Player of the Year, and was on the 1st team for the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-2000s Team.
Frank Schwab of Yahoo! Argues that he is a Hall of Fame lock, and the kind of player that shouldn’t have to wait five years to be tabbed. He has even argued that Woodson is the greatest defensive back of all time. For my money, I’m not even sure that Charles is the best defensive back named Woodson of all time–and I would still put Deion Sanders (and maybe a couple others) ahead of him for pure coverage skills, but as an overall defensive back, he’s certainly in the top tier, and probably top 5 in the last 20 years. I’m not sure he’s a lock for his first ballot, but I don’t think he’ll be waiting long.
But let’s hear it Zoneblitz regulars—is he a first ballot HOFer, given the position change, and the difficulty some DBs have had making the Hall? Is he in your Hall of Good, but not quite Great, due to those years from his injury in 2002 through 2007, before his resurgence in Green Bay?
The 2016 NFL Player Selection Meeting – aka the NFL Draft – will potentially be one of the more interesting drafts in recent history. With two significant trades already happening at the top of the draft, presumably so the Rams and Eagles could move up to get franchise quarterbacks, the action has already started. But while rumors circulate of the NFL asking the Rams to keep a lid on their pick to enhance the intrigue, the bigger question on many people’s minds is whether or not either of those franchise quarterback options—Jared Goff from California and Carson Wentz from North Dakota State—really will be franchise options.
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