Age matters a ton in sports. That’s especially so in the NFL, as players at most positions are not able to remain effective deep into their 30s. Nevertheless, some teams have been willing to take chances on older prospects. Let’s take a look at the oldest players selected in the NFL Draft.
Who Was the Oldest Player To Be Drafted in the NFL?
Ove Johansson, K, Houston Oilers | 29 years, 1 month
Ove Johansson only appeared in two NFL games but still holds several football-related records. Johansson had just turned 29 when the Houston Oilers selected him in the 1977 draft.
A native of Sweden, Johansson also kicked the longest field goal in football history — a 69-yarder for Abilene Christian University in October 1976. His field goal is two yards longer than the current NCAA record and three yards longer than Justin Tucker’s NFL record.
However, Johansson hurt his knee in his final collegiate game and never experienced pro success. In two games with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1977, he converted just one of four field goals and one of three extra-point attempts.
Who Were the Other Oldest Players Selected in the NFL Draft?
Chris Weinke, QB, Carolina Panthers | 28 years, 8 months
Chris Weinke started his football career late because he decided to pursue his baseball dreams first. After being drafted in the second round of the 1990 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, Weinke spent six years in the minor leagues and advanced to Triple-A before deciding to attend Florida State in 1997.
Weinke led the Seminoles to a national championship in 1999, then became the oldest-ever winner of the Heisman Trophy the following season. The Carolina Panthers then made him the 106th overall pick in the 2001 draft.
Weinke went 1-14 as a starter in his rookie campaign and was never again given a starting opportunity. He stuck with the Panthers through 2006, then joined the San Francisco 49ers for the 2007 campaign before entering the coaching ranks. Weinke is currently the quarterbacks coach at Georgia Tech.
Brandon Weeden, QB, Cleveland Browns | 28 years, 6 months
It’s one thing to take a shot on an older player. It’s another to use a first-round pick on him. Yet, that’s exactly what the Cleveland Browns did in the 2012 NFL Draft.
In 2011, Brandon Weeden set Oklahoma State records for passing yards, completions, and completion percentage. After leading the Cowboys to a thrilling 41-38 Fiesta Bowl victory over Stanford (a team quarterbacked by one Andrew Luck, I might add), momentum started to grow for Weeden to be a first-rounder.
Sure enough, Cleveland, who had been searching for a QB ever since their franchise reformed as an expansion team following the original Browns becoming the Baltimore Ravens, took the shot on Weeden.
Unsurprisingly, Weeden didn’t quite pan out. He started his entire rookie year but only started five games as a sophomore. He would go on to make just five more starts the rest of his career, which essentially ended after the 2015 season but officially ended after the 2018 season.
Jeris Pendleton, DT, Jacksonville Jaguars | 28 years, 5 months
It’s quite the coincidence that the 2012 NFL Draft had not one, but two 28-year-olds selected.
Jeris Pendleton went to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round. Regardless of age, as a seventh-rounder, Pendleton was unlikely to ever become a quality NFL player. He appeared in four games as a rookie and just one as a sophomore before his career ended at age 30.