On draft day, theSt. Louis Ramstraded running backJerome Bettis and a third-round draft pick to thePittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a second round pick for that year, as well as a fourth round pick thefollowing year. The trade was made immediately after the Rams draftedNebraska running backLawrence Phillips. Bettis went on to have a successful career with the Steelers as well as being one of the team's most popular players, while the Rams did not have another feature back until they traded forMarshall Faulk three years later due to Phillips' off-field problems.
The draft also saw one of the longest waits for a player in attendance of the draft, asLeeland McElroy waited until being selected in the second round by theArizona Cardinals with the 32nd pick. McElroy, who ended up being a draft bust, would set the precedent for later players who have waited while in attendance, includingBen Roethlisberger andAaron Rodgers, who unlike McElroy would go on to successful NFL careers.
This draft is considered one of the best draft classes ever for the position of wide receiver.[3]Keyshawn Johnson,Terry Glenn,Eddie Kennison,Marvin Harrison,Eric Moulds,Bobby Engram,Terrell Owens,Muhsin Muhammad,Amani Toomer,Jermaine Lewis, andJoe Horn have all achieved success in the pros, with all except Kennison, Engram, and Toomer having reached the Pro Bowl at least once, and a total of 26 Pro Bowl appearances for the group. In addition to the class having had several successful receivers, none of the five wide receivers drafted in the first round have been busts, as all of them spent at least a reasonable amount of time as starters in the NFL. Combined, 1996 wide receivers (through the end of the 2006 season) have totalled 7,646 receptions for 105,866 yards, eclipsing any other class by more than 1,000 receptions and 10,000 yards.[4]
It was also one of the best draft years for middle linebackers, with Hall of FamersRay Lewis andZach Thomas selected. Lewis wonSuper Bowl XXXV with theBaltimore Ravens and was selectedMVP of that game. Lewis also wonSuper Bowl XLVII in the final game of his career and made 13 Pro Bowls along with being a 7× First-team All-Pro, while Zach Thomas made 7 Pro Bowls, and was a 5× First-team All-Pro. Other linebackers who made at least one Pro Bowl from this draft areTedy Bruschi,Kevin Hardy,Simeon Rice,John Mobley, andDonnie Edwards.Randall Godfrey,Earl Holmes, andCarlos Emmons also had solid careers in the league. Ironically,ESPN draft expertMel Kiper said before the draft that it was one of the weakest for the position, which he would ultimately be proven wrong.
In contrast to its successes at wide receiver and linebacker, the 1996 draft had often been rated as the worst for quarterbacks.[5] None of the eight drafted quarterbacks made the Pro Bowl or an All-Pro team and half did not play. As of 2022[update], this remains the last draft without a quarterback selected in the first round. Previously, the1988 draft had been the last with no quarterback selected in the first round.[note 1]
Keyshawn Johnson, selectedfirst overall by the Jets, was a three-timePro Bowler andSuper Bowl champion.Regarded as one of the greatestlinebackers of all time. Ray Lewis, selected 26th-overall by the Ravens, was a 2-time Super Bowl champion, 2-timeDefensive Player of the Year Award.Jonathan Ogden, selected 4th-overall by the Ravens, and the first draft selection ever for the Ravens, was a 11-timePro Bowler, 9-timeAll-Pro, andSuper Bowl champion.Marvin Harrison, selected 19th-overall byIndianapolis Colts, led the league inreceiving yards andreceptions twice, was named to 8Pro Bowls, and is considered one of the best wide receivers of his generation.Brian Dawkins, selected 61st overall by Philadelphia, holds the record for mostforced fumbles for asafety, and was named to 9Pro Bowls.A third-round pick,Terrell Owens, selected 89th overall by San Francisco, broke multiple receiving records and was a fan favorite.Zach Thomas, selected in the 5th round as the 154th overall selection by Miami, would go on to be selected to 7 Pro Bowls, and 7 1st or 2nd Team All-Pro Selections, during his tenure with the Dolphins
In the explanations below,(D) denotes trades that took place during the 1994 Draft, while(PD) indicates trades completed pre-draft.
Round one
^No. 6: Washington → St. Louis (PD).Washington traded its first-round selection (6th) toSt. Louis in exchange for DTSean Gilbert.
^No. 9: Houston → Oakland (D).Houston traded its first-round selection (9th) toOakland in exchange for Oakland's first- second- and fourth-round selections (17th, 48th and 109th)
^No. 13: St. Louis → Chicago (D).St. Louis traded its first-round selection (13th) toChicago in exchange for Chicago's first-, third- and sixth-round selections (18th, 83rd and 201st)
^No. 14: Seattle → Houston (D).Seattle traded its first-round selection (14th) toHouston in exchange for Houston's first-round selection (17th) and DTGlenn Montgomery
^No. 17: multiple trades: No. 17: Oakland → Houston (D). seeNo. 9: Houston → Oakland. No. 17: Houston → Seattle (D). seeNo. 14: Seattle → Houston. No. 17: Seattle → Detroit (D).Seattle traded this first-round selection (17th) toDetroit in exchange for Detroit's first- and third-round selections (21st and 91st).
^No. 19: Atlanta → Indianapolis (PD).Atlanta traded its first-round selection (19th) and first- and third-round selections (7th and 83rd) in1994 toIndianapolis in exchange for QBJeff George
^No. 21: multiple trades: No. 21: San Diego → Detroit (PD).San Diego traded its first-round selection (21st) toDetroit in exchange for Detroit's second-round selection in1995. No. 21: Detroit → Seattle (D). seeNo. 17: Seattle → Detroit.
^No. 26: San Francisco → Baltimore (PD).San Francisco traded its first-round selection (26th) and first-, third- and fourth round selections (30th, 94th and 119th) in1995 toCleveland in exchange for Cleveland's first-round selection in1995 and this pick was then inherited byBaltimore following the Browns' relocation to Baltimore.
^No. 30: Dallas → Washington (D).Dallas traded its first-round selection (30th) toWashington in exchange for Washington's second- and third-round selections (37th and 67th).
Round two
^No. 35: Baltimore → Tampa Bay (PD).Baltimore traded its second-round selection (35th) toTampa Bay in exchange for TEHarold Bishop
^No. 41: Tampa Bay → San Diego (D).Tampa Bay traded its second-round selection (41st) toSan Diego in exchange for San Diego's first-round selection in1997
^No. 46: Oakland → San Francisco (PD).Oakland traded its second-round selection (46th) toSan Francisco in exchange for San Francisco's second- and fourth-round selections (57th and 124th)
^No. 49: Miami → Dallas (D).Miami traded its second-round selection (49th) toDallas in exchange for Dallas' second- and fourth-round selections (60th and 99th)
^No. 55: multiple trades: No. 55: Detroit → Denver (PD).Detroit traded its second-round selection (55th) toDenver in exchange for RBGlyn Milburn. No. 55: Denver → Baltimore (D).Denver traded this second-round selection (55th) toBaltimore in exchange for Baltimore's third-, fourth- and seventh-round selections (65th, 100th and 213rd).
^No. 57: multiple trades: No. 57: San Francisco → Oakland (PD). seeNo. 46: Oakland → San Francisco. No. 57: Oakland → New England (PD).Oakland traded this second-round selection (57th) toNew England in exchange for OTPat Harlow. No. 57: New England → Oakland (D).New England traded this second-round selection (57th) toOakland in exchange for Oakland's third-, fourth- and fifth-round selections (76th, 124th and 149th).
^No. 59: Pittsburgh → St. Louis (PD).Pittsburgh traded its second- and fourth-round selections (59th and 121st) toSt. Louis in exchange for RBJerome Bettis and St. Louis' third-round selection (72nd).
^No. 60: multiple trades: No. 60: Dallas → Miami (D). seeNo. 49: Miami → Dallas. No. 60: Miami → Jacksonville (D).Miami traded this second-round selection (60th) and its fourth-round selection (99th) toJacksonville in exchange for Jacksonville's third-, two fourth- and fifth-round selections (79th, 98th, 134th and 150th).
^No. 68: New England → Kansas City (PD).New England traded its third-round selection (68th) toKansas City in exchange for Kansas City's fourth-round selection (112th) in1995.
^No. 76: multiple trades: No. 76: Oakland → New England (D). seeNo. 57: New England → Oakland. No. 76: New England → Detroit (D).New England traded this third-round selection (76th) toDetroit in exchange for Detroit's third-, fourth- and sixth round selections (86th, 119th and 195th).
^No. 96: N.Y. Jets → Tampa Bay (PD).N.Y. Jets traded its fourth-round selection (96th) toTampa Bay in exchange for DTMarc Spindler.
^No. 97: Arizona → Minnesota (D).Arizona traded its fourth-round selection (97th) toMinnesota in exchange for Minnesota's fourth- and fifth-round selections (112th and 137th).
^No. 98: multiple trades: No. 98: Jacksonville → Miami (D). seeNo. 60: Miami → Jacksonville. No. 98: Miami → Kansas City (D).Miami traded this fourth-round selection and a seventh-round selection (98th and 214th) toKansas City in exchange for two fourth-round selections (113th and 125th).
^No. 99: multiple trades: No. 99: N.Y. Giants → Dallas (PD).Dallas received the Giants' fourth-round selection (99th) as compensation for the Giants signing restricted free agent GRon Stone. No. 99: Dallas → Miami (D). seeNo. 49: Miami → Dallas. No. 99: Miami → Jacksonville (D). seeNo. 60: Miami → Jacksonville. No. 99: Jacksonville → Seattle (D).Jacksonville traded this fourth-round selection toSeattle in exchange for Seattle's fourth- and fifth-round selections (110th and 146th).
^No. 111: Denver → Carolina (D).Denver traded its fourth-round selection (111th) toCarolina in exchange for Carolina's fourth-, fifth- and seventh-round selections (122nd, 159th and 235th).
^No. 135: Arizona → Kansas City (D).Arizona traded its fifth-round selection (135th) toKansas City in exchange for Kansas City's two fifth-round selections (161st and 162nd).
^No. 136: Baltimore → New Orleans (PD).Baltimore traded its fifth-round selection (136th) toNew Orleans in exchange for CBReggie Jones.
^No. 137: multiple trades: No. 137: N.Y. Giants → Minnesota (PD).N.Y. Giants traded its fifth-round selection (137th) and sixth-round selection (189th) in1995 toMinnesota in exchange for SVencie Glenn and Minnesota's sixth-round selection (182nd). No. 137: Minnesota → Arizona (D). seeNo. 97: Arizona → Minnesota.
^No. 153: Atlanta → Baltimore (PD).Atlanta traded its fifth-round selection (153rd) toBaltimore in exchange for GGene Williams.
^No. 157: multiple trades: No. 157: Philadelphia → Baltimore (PD).Philadelphia traded its fifth-round selection (157th) and fifth-round selection in1995 toCleveland in exchange for Cleveland's fourth-round selection in 1995. This pick was inherited byBaltimore when the Browns relocated to Baltimore. No. 157: Baltimore → Dallas (D).Baltimore traded this fifth-round selection (157th) toDallas in exchange for Dallas' fourth-round selection in1997.
^No. 176: Carolina → Kansas City (PD).Carolina traded its sixth-round selection (176th) toKansas City in exchange for Carolina's sixth-round selection (191st) in995.
^No. 186: Jacksonville → Baltimore (PD).Jacksonville traded this sixth-round selection (186th) and its fifth-round selection in1995 toCleveland in exchange for Cleveland's fourth-round selection in 1995. This pick was inherited byBaltimore when the Browns relocated to Baltimore.
^No. 192: multiple trades: No. 192: Carolina → Pittsburgh (PD).Carolina traded its sixth-round selection (192nd) toPittsburgh in exchange for RBBarry Foster. No. 192: Pittsburgh → San Diego (D).Pittsburgh traded this sixth-round selection (192nd) and seventh-round selection in1997 toSan Diego in exchange for San Diego's fifth-round selection in 1997.
^No. 197: Green Bay → Philadelphia (PD).Green Bay traded this sixth-round selection (197th) toPhiladelphia in exchange for OLJoe Sims.
^No. 199: Philadelphia → Kansas City (PD).Kansas City traded this sixth-round selection (197th) and second-round selection (50th) in1995 toPhiladelphia in exchange for WRVictor Bailey and Philadelphia's fourth-round selection in 1995.
^No. 201: multiple trades: No. 201: Dallas → Chicago (PD).Dallas traded its sixth-round selection (201st) toChicago in exchange for LBJim Schwantz. No. 201: Chicago → St. Louis (D). seeNo. 13: St. Louis → Chicago.