Tallest NFL Player: Undoubtedly, NFL requires a player to be of great physical strength and to stand at a lofty height to counter and push other towering players out of the way. In addition to his age and speed, how tall is he? Many people want to know if there’s a minimum height requirement to play in the NFL. To begin with, an NFL player needs to be at least 6 feet and 2 inches tall.
Indeed, a player’s height is always a hot topic throughout the NFL season on social media. Fans of the NFL often spend hours discussing their favorite team and players. There are many roles within a team, including quarterback, running back, wide receiver, etc. In addition, there is a minimum height requirement for each position on the team.
The Tallest NFL Players in History
Let’s look at the tallest players in NFL history, from the tallest to the shortest. The information provided below has been compiled from various reliable sources, including the NFL.
1. Richard Sligh
The late Richard Sligh played in the NFL and held the record for the highest vertical. You can tell he’s almost 7 feet tall from his images. He’s the only National Football League player taller than 7 feet.
Richard Sligh, who was 7 feet, 2 inches tall, played defensive tackle for the Oakland Riders. When the Riders drafted him in 1967, it was in the tenth round. Though he did suit up for eight contests, it was all he did.
Super Bowl II saw Sligh sitting on the Riders’ bench. A year later, in 1968, he joined the Cincinnati Bengals. Sadly, he left the team near the season’s finish. Sligh died of natural causes on December 28th, 2008. This man lived to be 64 years old before he passed away.
2. Morris Stroud
Regarding NFL players, Stroud is second only to Jerry Rice in height (6 feet, 10 inches). But in the present context, Leonard Pope is known as the second tallest player still alive. On the other hand, if we look at the record books of the NFL, it’s the late Morris Stroud.
Stroud was a tight end with the Kansas City Chiefs during his career. From 1969 through 1974, he was a member of the Chiefs’ team. The following year, in 1969, he competed in the AFL Final.
Though he had only a smattering of football experience, the coach picked him in the 1969 NFL Draft. During his professional career, he won the Super Bowl and the American Football League title in 1969. In his NFL career, he caught 54 passes for 977 yards and seven scores, averaging 18.1 yards per catch. Stroud died in 2016 from natural causes.
3. Jonathan Ogden
Jonathan Ogden, 6 feet 9 inches tall, is up next. Ogden played his whole National Football League career for the Baltimore Ravens. He had played college football for the UCLA Bruins before starting a professional career.
In the 1996 NFL Draft, Jonathan was selected by the Ravens in the first round. In his rookie year, he was so outstanding that he won a trip to Hawaii every season as a reward for his efforts.
Ogden was voted to the Pro Bowl eleven times and named to the All-Pro team. To put it simply, he is one of the best offensive tackles of all time. Besides winning the Super Bowl, he was honored as UPI’s Lineman of the Year in 1995 and with the Jim Parker Award.
4. Ed “Too Tall” Jones
Because of his stature, Ed Jones is known as Ed Too Tall Jones. He had a fantastic career in the NFL but is now retired. Jones played for 15 seasons between 1974 and 1989. Too Tall Jones, 6 feet 9 inches tall, is also passionate about boxing. He took time away from football to focus on boxing since it piqued his interest.
5. Dan McGwire
Tall and rangy at 6 feet 8 inches, American football player Dan McGwire got his start with the Seattle Seahawks. However, his time in the NFL was brief, lasting only from 1991 to 1995. He is Mark McGwire’s younger brother. Mark is a professional baseball player in the Major Leagues.
Dan spent four years with the Seahawks and one year with the Dolphins throughout his professional football career. The Seahawks drafted Rick Mirer to replace Dan when he underperformed. By 1995, he had already retired from the NFL.
6. Harold Carmichael
Former wide receiver for the American football team, Harold Carmichael, is now a sports commentator. From 1971 to 1983, he played with the Philadelphia Eagles. Then in 1984, he joined the Dallas Cowboys.
He played basketball and football in college at Southern University before starting his professional career. When the 1971 NFL Draft rolled along, the Philadelphia Eagles wasted no time picking up on his abilities. He won the NFL’s Man of the Year award in 1980. He finished his career with 590 receptions, 8,985 receiving yards, and 79 touchdowns.
7. Jared Veldheer
Another tall NLF player is NFL offensive tackle Jared Veldeer, who measures in at a towering 6 feet, 8 inches. His professional football career began when the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League in 2010 picked him. While he did start as a center, his primary position on the field was as an offensive tackle.
On the other hand, he joined the Arizona Cardinals in 2014. Five years into the contract, it was already worth $35 million. He signed with the Denver Broncos later in 2018. Despite this, Jared has switched teams numerous times.
After that, he inked contracts with the Denver Broncos in 2018, the New England Patriots in 2019, the Green Bay Packers the following year, and the Indianapolis Colts in 2020.
8. Robert Gallery
Robert has the record for being the giant guard tackle in NFL history. He played for the Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, and New England Patriots and is 6 feet, 7 inches tall.
After being selected by the Oakland Raiders in the 2004 NFL draft, Robert Gallery’s professional career got underway. The gallery was a correct tackle in all 16 games he participated in. However, he was eventually moved from left guard to left tackle.
9. Ted Hendricks
Retired American football player Ted Hendricks, who stands at 6 feet, 7 inches tall, entered the professional ranks after being selected in the 1969 NFL draft. The Baltimore Colts drafted him in the second round as a linebacker.
However, he has played for many teams, including the Baltimore Colts, the Oakland Raiders, the Los Angeles Raiders, and the Green Bay Packers. He set a new NFL record with four safeties during his career. The 60.5 QB sacks and 26 interceptions he recorded in the NFL are impressive numbers.
10. Pat Watkins
Pat Watkins comes in at last. Pat is a former star in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the San Diego Chargers. Canadian Football League (CFL) quarterback for the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos.
He ran the 40-yard sprint in 4.42 seconds in 2006 at the NFL Scouting Combine. The Cowboys picked him up in the 2006 NFL draft the same year. Nine of the first 14 games he played that year were starts.
Nonetheless, he left the Cowboys in 2010 to play for the Chargers of San Diego after spending 2006-2010 with the team. Injuries prevented the Chargers from re-signing him for another season.
Conclusion
These great NFL players would undoubtedly form a formidable basketball squad if they were to join forces. And nowhere is height more of a topic of conversation than in the NBA. The NFL, on the other hand, places less emphasis on measurement but still values it highly.
For quarterback jumps, for instance, a taller player is preferable to a shorter one. Also, taller athletes are unquestionably crucial in defense. Keep yourself updated with all the latest news from our website Newswatchlist.com and get all the recent updates.