Tall, Talented, Tough Ted Hendricks: We Need Others!

Damali Binta – May 6, 2012

If height and arm length make a difference in performance in the NFL, then the Oakland Raiders may have an important variable in the formula for success in 2012. There are three relatively new players on the Oakland Raiders' roster who have the same height as the legendary Ted Hendricks.

Mason Brodine, Jamie Cumbie and Zach Hurd are tall guys. Each one is 6'7" and that is the height of Ted Hendricks.

Of course, Hendricks was tall in height and in his acumen and intellect. He was a mathematics and physics major who was allowed a lot of freedom on the football field. Coaches trusted his reactions to plays and the record shows that his decisions were very effective as a Hall of Fame linebacker.

Hendricks was tall on leadership. He helped to lead the Raiders defense to the Super Bowl three times during his career. It looks like the Raiders are attempting to replicate the effectiveness of the Hendricks era in defense since they have three tall men on the roster.

Mason Brodine is 6'7", a DE who weighs 255 lbs, at age 24. There is Jamie Cumbie, also 6'7" and weighs 290 at age 24. Zach Hurd makes the list as a 6'7" player who weighs 325 lbs at 23 years old.

The question is, "Will they give us a tall performance and also be a part of getting the Oakland Raiders to a playoff and Super Bowl?"

The research says that Hendricks height was an important or major passing-lane obstacle for quarterbacks. Since most tall men have long arms, let's hope that the long arms of the young players will pull down errant passes somewhat like Hendricks who had 26 career interceptions as a professional football player.

Another positive connection involves the transition of Hendricks from the Green Bay Packers to the Oakland Raiders in a decision made by Al Davis. The archives say that Al Davis sent two first round draft choices to the Packers for the rights to Hendricks who was signed as a limited free agent. Does that sound familiar?

As we look back, we see that some of the "wild" decisions of Al Davis ended up being the right decisions in hindsight.

Did you know that the Oakland Raiders made history by drafting the tallest man in NFL history back in 1967. His name was Robert Sligh. Sligh was 7'. This suggests that the Oakland Raiders have always broken the norms in NFL football in terms of how they draft players.

Other tall players in the NFL include the following:

		Height
Demar Dotson		6.75
Jarad Gaither		6.75
Dennis Roland		6.75
Calais Campbell		6.66
Phil Landholt		6.66
Bryant McKinnie		6.66
Jeremy Trueblood		6.68
Marc Colombo		6.66
King Dunlap		6.66
Leonard Pope		6.66
Richard Sligh		7
Robert Gallery		6.583
Jared Veldheer		6.66
Ted Hendricks		6.583
Mason Brodine		6.583
Jamie Cumbie		6.583
Zach Hurd		6.583
Jarvis Moss		6.583

A look back at the history of the Oakland Raiders can help to present a framework for some of the recent decisions to improve the team.

The readers may want to conclude that the Oakland Raiders have had a history of building a powerful team comprised of tall, talented, tough players like Ted Hendricks.

These type of decisions to include players somewhat like Henricks just may be what is needed to reclaim the glory of the Oakland Raiders in 2012.

Enjoy the chart!

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