The 1996 NFL Draft was an emotional rollercoaster for many of us who are football fans to this day. Ever since growing up, I’ve heard stories of legendary teams being formed through the draft process and the 1996 draft certainly was no different. I remember my Dad telling me, as a child, all about the amazing potential of the teams that were being put together.
The 1996 NFL Draft was held in New York City, and for the first time television coverage was offered on ESPN. It was so exciting to watch and I couldn’t help but hope the team my dad had supported, the Minnesota Vikings, would do well with their picks.
Little did many know, but this draft would turn into one of the most legendary drafts in NFL history. It brought us the trio of Tom Brady, Terrell Davis and Ray Lewis. Who, at the time, no one could have predicted would be the blueprint for three of the greatest quarterback, running back and linebacker the NFL has ever seen.
And then there was the common thread of success; teams such as the Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots, whose drafts that year would shape them for years to come. The Broncos drafted Terrell Davis, the Bucs hit the home-run with Mike Alstott and the Patriots ‘stole’ Tom Brady in the late rounds. I use the word ‘stole’ loosely here, as it seemed such a shocking pick to even the most hard-to-please Patriots fans.
No one had any inkling of the success that was to come for these teams. Although the Vikings were handcuffed by the salary cap, they still managed to pull Marcellus Wiley in the second round and even now, looking back, I still see a lot of potential in him.
10 years later the 1996 draft class was still being talked about and teams had turned their lows into potential highs of success. The same year the Patriots won their first Super Bowl. Tom Brady was deemed the MVP of Super Bowl XXXVI and Davis went on to be the drivetrain behind the Broncos win in Super Bowl XXXII. The Bucs were just a single field goal away from competing in Super Bowl XXXVII.
The highly respected Ray Lewis defended the Ravens title in Super Bowl XXXV, topping off an incredible run of success for the 1996 NFL Draft class. Four teams now had championships thanks to those selections and it seemed as though, looking back, the 1996 draft had paid off massively.
Who could have predicted it? Certainly not I. But it’s incredible to think of how that draft shaped the National Football League all those years ago and still still continues to today. Did I ever think Vikings would still be the same disappointments they were back then? Unfortunately. Do I still keep my hopes on this year being ‘the one’? Of course.
It’s a funny thing, growing up with a team. You bleed it, you follow it and you keep believing. I was sure the 1996 Draft would shape that team and it sure did, just not the way I had hoped. But I guarantee you, no matter what happened, the draft class of 96 would, shall and will forever be talked about as a draft of legends.
Now having a greater understanding of the inner workings of the Draft system does give me a greater appreciation for those selection teams back then. After all, it’s not easy to create a champion team and when I go back and analyze what teams did in that draft the possibilities seem endless.
Oftentimes I catch myself imagining what could have been had the Vikings drafted differently. I realize now that the pick really could have made a big difference so I try to give myself a pass for my younger, pretty naive expectations.
The FrankenBench player list had a way of showing you how players were going. It was a big deal back then, especially before the scouting combine and the combine numbers were released. It was all a guessing game and no one was sure who was going to be a star.
But, despite the chaos, greatness was found and it still amazes me today that the same draft produced some of the league’s greatest names. I still have hope that ‘this is the year’, but I also know that it won’t be for sure until the completion of the draft.
I’m sure that this class of players drafted in ‘96 had no idea of the impact they would have in the NFL. Even today, whenever I think about the possibilities pup there that year I have to remind myself that those guys achieved incredible things that other draft classes didn’t.
When you think about the expectations and uncertainty in the ‘96 draft, it only makes the teams success all the more impressive. It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of the players and coaches who turned those seemingly small steps into giant leaps.
Today’s draft process stands drastically different from the ‘96 draft and the effects are palpable. Even looking back, you could still see a ton of energy vibrating off of the stage. It was more than just a draft for those players, it was the start of a dream.
The overall energy and spirit of that draft remains the same today however. While technology has progressed and scouting methods have changed. The beauty that comes from crafting a winning team out of an otherwise unknown multitude of players still remains the same.
Reaching for the stars in terms of team building never gets old and I don’t think it ever will. I’m certainly more aware of the success that’s possible and the heights that can be reached with the right mix of talent, and the 1996 NFL Draft was a great example of that.
It’s easy to look back and get lost in the nostalgia of the 1996 NFL Draft and forget the other classes that were drafted. But it’s important to remember that without the efforts of those other classes, the class of ‘96 wouldn’t have been nearly as successful.
It’s amazing to think that the members of the 1996 NFL Draft were only teenagers at the time. The fact that their potential and success were seen at such young ages speaks wonders of the time’s scouting and evaluating process.
Then there’s the influence it had on the other teams. Denver, Tampa Bay, Baltimore and New England were able to make trades for picks that were able to shape their teams into industry leading champions.
The future of the NFL were in the hands of those ‘96 teams, shaping rookies and churning out legends. Then the age of superstars came, and with that, an almighty clapping of hands.
Times have change, and yet whenever the topic of the 1996 NFL Draft comes up, I still smile to myself. It’s a reminder of how far we’ve come and an understanding that the same energy we felt back then still exists today.
Well, I guess it all came to pass. The 1996 NFL Draft was a success, and one that will forever live in the hearts of those there, and in the minds of us all.
I grew up with a dream that one day I’d have a chance to be part of a draft team. It’s only now, in looking back at the 1996 NFL Draft as an adult, that I’ve begun to grasp the complexity of such an endeavor.
The people involved, the decisions made and the amount of long-lasting success the entire draft class has managed to produce in the long run still amazaes and impresses me to this day. It’s something to aspire to and an accomplishment to be proud of.
But most importantly, I think it’s a fact that reinforces what all scouts and experts have said since the dawn of time. That when it comes to drafting well, there is no substitute for hard work and dedication.