The 1996 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996 . No teams elected to claim any players in the supplemental draft that year.
This draft is considered one of the best draft classes ever for the position of wide receiver . Keyshawn Johnson , Terry Glenn , Eddie Kennison , Marvin Harrison , Eric Moulds , Bobby Engram , Terrell Owens , Muhsin Muhammad , Amani Toomer , Jermaine Lewis , and Joe 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 are currently or have recently been starters in the NFL (Keyshawn Johnson retired in 2007). 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 [1]
It was also one of the best draft years for middle linebackers, with two potential hall of famers in Ray Lewis and Zach Thomas selected. Lewis won Super Bowl XXXV and was selected MVP of that game, as well as making 12 Pro Bowls while Thomas has made 7. Other linebackers who made at least one Pro Bowl from this draft are Tedy Bruschi , Kevin Hardy , John Mobley , and Donnie Edwards . The following have enjoyed solid careers: Randall Godfrey , Earl Holmes , and Carlos Emmons .
On draft day, the St. Louis Rams traded running back Jerome Bettis and a third round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a second round pick for that year, as well as a fourth round pick the following year . The trade was made immediately after the Rams drafted Nebraska running back Lawrence 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 wouldn't have another feature back until they traded for Marshall Faulk three years later due to Phillips' off-field problems.
Player selections Round one Round two Round three Round four
Pick #
NFL Team
Player
Position
College
96
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jason Odom Tackle
Florida
97
Minnesota Vikings
Hunter Goodwin Guard
Texas A&M
98
Kansas City Chiefs
Donnie Edwards Linebacker
UCLA
99
Seattle Seahawks
Phillip Daniels Defensive end
Georgia
100
Denver Broncos
Jeff Lewis Quarterback
Northern Arizona
101
New England Patriots
Heath Irwin Guard
Colorado
102
Washington Redskins
Stephen Davis Running back
Auburn
103
New Orleans Saints
Ricky Whittle Running back
Oregon
104
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Eric Austin
Defensive back
Jackson State
105
St. Louis Rams
Percell Gaskins
Linebacker
Kansas State
106
Carolina Panthers
Norberto Garrido Guard
USC
107
Houston Oilers
Kendrick Burton
Defensive end
Alabama
108
Cincinnati Bengals
Jevon Langford Defensive end
Oklahoma State
109
Houston Oilers
Jon Runyan Tackle
Michigan
110
Jacksonville Jaguars
Reggie Barlow Wide receiver
Alabama State
111
Carolina Panthers
Emmanuel McDaniel Defensive back
East Carolina
112
Arizona Cardinals
Aaron Graham Center
Nebraska
113
Miami Dolphins
Kirk Pointer
Defensive back
Austin Peay
114
San Diego Chargers
Charlie Jones Wide receiver
Fresno State
115
Indianapolis Colts
Brian Milne Running back
Penn State
116
Chicago Bears
Paul Grasmanis Defensive tackle
Notre Dame
117
Atlanta Falcons
Richard Huntley Running back
Winston-Salem State
118
Miami Dolphins
Stanley Pritchett Running back
South Carolina
119
New England Patriots
Chris Sullivan Defensive tackle
Boston College
120
Buffalo Bills
Sean Moran Defensive end
Colorado State
121
Philadelphia Eagles
Ray Farmer Defensive back
Duke
122
Denver Broncos
Darius Johnson Defensive back
Oklahoma
123
Green Bay Packers
Chris Darkins Running back
Minnesota
124
New England Patriots
Kantroy Barber Running back
West Virginia
125
Miami Dolphins
LaCurtis Jones
Linebacker
Baylor
126
Pittsburgh Steelers
Earl Holmes Linebacker
Florida A&M
127
Atlanta Falcons
Juran Bolden Defensive back
Mississippi Delta
128
San Francisco 49ers
Daryl Price
Defensive end
Colorado
129
Detroit Lions
Brad Ford
Defensive back
Alabama
130
New York Giants
Danny Kanell Quarterback
Florida State
131
Seattle Seahawks
Eric Unverzagt Linebacker
Wisconsin
132
Pittsburgh Steelers
Jahine Arnold Wide receiver
Fresno State
Round five
Pick #
NFL Team
Player
Position
College
133
New York Jets
Marcus Coleman Defensive back
Texas Tech
134
Miami Dolphins
Jerris McPhail Running back
East Carolina
135
Kansas City Chiefs
Joe Horn Wide receiver
Itawamba J.C.
136
New Orleans Saints
Mercury Hayes Wide receiver
Michigan
137
Arizona Cardinals
James Dexter Tackle
South Carolina
138
Washington Redskins
Leomont Evans
Defensive back
Clemson
139
New England Patriots
John Elmore
Guard
Texas
140
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jason Maniecki Defensive tackle
Wisconsin
141
St. Louis Rams
Fred Miller Tackle
Baylor
142
Carolina Panthers
Marquette Smith
Running back
Central Florida
143
Houston Oilers
Rayna Stewart Defensive back
Northern Arizona
144
Cincinnati Bengals
Greg Myers Defensive back
Colorado State
145
New Orleans Saints
Tom Ackerman Guard
Eastern Washington
146
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jimmy Herndon Guard
Houston
147
Philadelphia Eagles
Whit Marshall
Linebacker
Georgia
148
Minnesota Vikings
Sean Boyd
Defensive back
North Carolina
149
New England Patriots
Christian Peter Defensive tackle
Nebraska
150
Miami Dolphins
Shane Burton Defensive tackle
Tennessee
151
Indianapolis Colts
Steve Martin Defensive tackle
Missouri
152
Chicago Bears
Chris Villarrial Guard
Indiana (PA)
153
Baltimore Ravens
Jermaine Lewis Wide receiver
Maryland
154
Miami Dolphins
Zach Thomas Linebacker
Texas Tech
155
San Diego Chargers
Junior Soli
Defensive tackle
Arkansas
156
Buffalo Bills
Ray Jackson
Defensive back
Colorado State
157
Dallas Cowboys
Kenneth McDaniel
Guard
Norfolk State
158
Detroit Lions
Kerwin Waldroup Defensive tackle
Central State (OH)
159
Denver Broncos
Patrick Jeffers Wide receiver
Virginia
160
San Francisco 49ers
Iheanyi Uwaezuoke Wide receiver
California
161
Arizona Cardinals
Harry Stamps
Tackle
Oklahoma
162
Arizona Cardinals
Dell McGee
Defensive back
Auburn
163
Pittsburgh Steelers
Israel Raybon
Defensive end
North Alabama
164
Atlanta Falcons
Gary Bandy
Linebacker
Baylor
165
New Orleans Saints
Terry Guess
Wide receiver
Gardner-Webb
166
Oakland Raiders
La'Roi Glover Defensive tackle
San Diego State
167
Dallas Cowboys
Alan Campos
Linebacker
Louisville
Round six
Pick #
NFL Team
Player
Position
College
168
New York Jets
Hugh Hunter
Defensive end
Hampton
169
Arizona Cardinals
Mike Foley
Defensive end
New Hampshire
170
Jacksonville Jaguars
John Fisher
Defensive back
Missouri Western
171
New York Giants
Doug Colman Linebacker
Nebraska
172
Baltimore Ravens
Dexter Daniels Linebacker
Florida
173
New England Patriots
Chris Griffin
Tight end
New Mexico
174
Washington Redskins
Kelvin Kinney Defensive end
Virginia State
175
St. Louis Rams
Derrick Harris Running back
Miami (FL)
176
Kansas City Chiefs
Dietrich Jells Wide receiver
Pittsburgh
177
Houston Oilers
Anthony Dorsett Defensive back
Pittsburgh
178
Cincinnati Bengals
Tom Tumulty Linebacker
Pittsburgh
179
New Orleans Saints
Keno Hills Tackle
Southwestern Louisiana
180
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Nilo Silvan Wide receiver
Tennessee
181
Denver Broncos
Tony Veland Defensive back
Nebraska
182
New York Giants
Scott Galyon Linebacker
Tennessee
183
Oakland Raiders
Tim Hall Running back
Robert Morris
184
Seattle Seahawks
Reggie Green
Guard
Florida
185
Jacksonville Jaguars
Chris Doering Wide receiver
Florida
186
Baltimore Ravens
James Roe Wide receiver
Norfolk State
187
Chicago Bears
Jon Clark Tackle
Temple
188
Atlanta Falcons
Craig Sauer Linebacker
Minnesota
189
Miami Dolphins
Shawn Wooden Defensive back
Notre Dame
190
San Diego Chargers
Jim Mills Tackle
Idaho
191
Indianapolis Colts
Keith Conlin
Tackle
Penn State
192
San Diego Chargers
Bryan Stoltenberg
Center
Colorado
193
Carolina Panthers
Scott Greene Running back
Michigan State
194
Philadelphia Eagles
Steve White Defensive end
Tennessee
195
New England Patriots
Marrio Grier Running back
Tennessee-Chattanooga
196
Buffalo Bills
Leon Neal Running back
Washington
197
Philadelphia Eagles
Tony Johnson Tight end
Alabama
198
San Francisco 49ers
Stephen Pitts
Running back
Penn State
199
Kansas City Chiefs
Philip Riley Wide receiver
Florida State
200
Pittsburgh Steelers
Orpheus Roye Defensive end
Florida State
201
St. Louis Rams
Hayward Clay Tight end
Texas A&M
202
Buffalo Bills
Dusty Zeigler Center
Notre Dame
203
Pittsburgh Steelers
Spence Fischer
Quarterback
Duke
204
New Orleans Saints
Toderick Malone
Wide receiver
Alabama
205
Indianapolis Colts
Mike Cawley Quarterback
James Madison
206
New England Patriots
Devin Wyman Defensive end
Kentucky State
207
Dallas Cowboys
Wendell Davis Defensive back
Oklahoma
208
Green Bay Packers
Marco Rivera Guard
Penn State
209
Seattle Seahawks
T. J. Cunningham Defensive back
Colorado
Round seven
Pick #
NFL Team
Player
Position
College
210
New York Jets
Chris Hayes Defensive back
Washington State
211
Kansas City Chiefs
Ben Lynch Center
California
212
Arizona Cardinals
Jarius Hayes
Tight end
North Alabama
213
Denver Broncos
Leslie Ratliffe
Tackle
Tennessee
214
New York Giants
Conrad Hamilton Defensive back
East New Mexico
215
Washington Redskins
Jeremy Asher
Linebacker
Oregon
216
New England Patriots
Lovett Purnell Tight end
West Virginia
217
Carolina Panthers
Donnell Baker
Wide receiver
Southern
218
Houston Oilers
Mike Archie Running back
Penn State
219
Cincinnati Bengals
Rod Jones Tackle
Kansas
220
Oakland Raiders
Sedric Clark Defensive end
Tulsa
221
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Reggie Rusk Defensive back
Kentucky
222
St. Louis Rams
Chuck Osborne
Defensive tackle
Arizona
223
Minnesota Vikings
Jon Merrill
Tackle
Duke
224
Oakland Raiders
Darius Smith
Center
Sam Houston State
225
Seattle Seahawks
Johnie Church
Defensive end
Florida
226
Denver Broncos
Chris Banks Guard
Kansas
227
Jacksonville Jaguars
Clarence Jones
Wide receiver
Tennessee State
228
Jacksonville Jaguars
Gregory Spann
Wide receiver
Jackson State
229
Atlanta Falcons
Ethan Brooks Defensive end
Williams
230
Miami Dolphins
Jeff Buckey
Guard
Stanford
231
San Diego Chargers
Freddie Bradley Running back
Sonoma State
232
Indianapolis Colts
Adrian Robinson
Defensive back
Baylor
233
Chicago Bears
Marcus Keyes
Defensive tackle
North Alabama
234
Carolina Panthers
Kerry Hicks
Defensive tackle
Colorado
235
Denver Broncos
L. T. Levine
Running back
Kansas
236
Denver Broncos
Brian Gragert
Punter
Wyoming
237
Buffalo Bills
Dan Bradenburg
Defensive end
Indiana State
238
Baltimore Ravens
Jon Stark
Quarterback
Trinity
239
San Francisco 49ers
Sean Manuel
Tight end
New Mexico State
240
Green Bay Packers
Kyle Wachholtz Quarterback
USC
241
Kansas City Chiefs
Jeff Smith Center
Tennessee
242
Pittsburgh Steelers
Carlos Emmons Linebacker
Arkansas State
243
Dallas Cowboys
Ryan Wood
Running back
Arizona State
244
Buffalo Bills
Jay Riemersma Tight end
Michigan
245
Kansas City Chiefs
Darrell Williams
Defensive back
Tennessee State
246
New Orleans Saints
Henry Lusk Tight end
Utah
247
New England Patriots
J. R. Conrad
Tackle
Oklahoma
248
Oakland Raiders
Joey Wylie
Guard
Stephen F. Austin
249
Buffalo Bills
Eric Smedley Defensive back
Indiana
250
Washington Redskins
DeAndre Maxwell
Wide receiver
San Diego State
251
Miami Dolphins
Brice Hunter Wide receiver
Georgia
252
Green Bay Packers
Keith McKenzie Linebacker
Ball State
253
Chicago Bears
Michael Hicks
Running back
South Carolina State
254 [4]
San Francisco 49ers
Sam Manuel
Linebacker
New Mexico State
Notable undrafted players Hall of famers None of the drafted players from the 1996 NFL Draft have been inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame . However, many of the players drafted are expected to make it when they are eligible.
References External links 
