With the NFL Draft on the near horizon, Bryce Young, quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide, is predicted by most to be one of the first quarterbacks taken off the board. Young is the most decorated quarterback to come from the Crimson Tide since Joe Namath. He holds the record for most passing yards in a single game in school history with 559. Young is listed at 6 feet, which is relatively undersized for a pro in his position. However, after concerns arose on social media about the former Heisman winner’s “true” height, the sports media world has begun to question whether he can truly make the jump to the pros.
In times past, it was pretty much the standard for a quarterback to be at least 6 feet 2 inches in order to make it to the pros. As of late though, athletes such as Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson, both of whom are under 6 feet, have had little trouble transitioning to the NFL. So Young should fare well if we’re going off the successes of other smaller quarterbacks, right? Well, it’s not that simple to write off.
Not only is Young undersized in terms of height, but he’s also smaller in the weight department. He weighs in at a mere 194 pounds. Alabama is in a league of their own in college football. The talent on the offensive line there is tremendous, to say the least. In other words, Young won’t have the time he had to throw the ball that he had in college. He won’t only have to adjust to the speed of the game mentally, but also physically.
Young has proven time and time again to be a tremendous football player. There’s no doubt in my mind that he is the most talented QB in this draft class. Though, I do believe that there are other quarterbacks that are safer bets. At his current weight, if he takes enough hits, his body will wear down, hindering his overall game. So, I don’t believe the concerns should be within the realms of height, but in weight. The question should be, can his body hold up?
