Interesting factoid

[The Gipper]

I found this fact online:

 

Not a single quarterback under 6’0” has been drafted in the first two rounds since the 5’10” Ted Marchibroda went No. 5 overall to Pittsburgh in 1953

 

 

I would expect that fact to change this year with JM.

 

Here is a very interesting article....written prior to last year's draft, about height correlation for QBs:

 

http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/content/tall-task-does-height-matter-for-nfl-quarterbacks/22067/

[thenew23]

Not if I was drafting... he'd be a 3rd rounder at best =)

[hoorta]

Not if I was drafting... he'd be a 3rd rounder at best =)

 

If it wasn't for Russell Wilson, that's about exactly where Johnny Football would be taken.

[Flyin J]

Thats the article that prompted me to do research on every QB drafted at 6' in the first two rounds....every single one of them had successful careers, Im pretty sure like 80% are HOF's. It seems to me if youre good enough to overcome the naysayers on the height to put yourself in the first round, you have a great chance of being great. Ive said it before and Ill say it again, hand size is more important than height.

[Flyin J]

Every QB drafted in the 1st 2 rounds who are 6' or under. Len Dawson ,Sid Luckman, YA Tittle, Billy Kilmer, Paul Christman, Mike Vick, Drew Brees. All but three are in the HOF or are future HOF. All have made multiple all pro teams.

[The Gipper]

Every QB drafted in the 1st 2 rounds who are 6' or under. Len Dawson ,Sid Luckman, YA Tittle, Billy Kilmer, Paul Christman, Mike Vick, Drew Brees. All but three are in the HOF or are future HOF. All have made multiple all pro teams.

I don't think that article accounted for every QB drafted in the first two rounds that were 6' or under. I think it just took the ones who had over 1000 attempts in a career. There may have been others that only ended up with a cup of coffee.

Edit: In fact, in checking, since 1936 there have been 218 QBs drafted in the first two rounds. Of those only 114 have had 1000 attempts. in their careers. (these include ones that have been drafted recently).

 

So, can we consider any QB that has failed to have 1000 attempts fairly much a bust? Let's say yes.

.....Here are some QBs of recent vintage (1980-2005...anyone drafted since 2005 would still have a short career) drafted in rounds 1-2 that failed to get 1000 attempts:

 

Gene Bradley

Mike Elkins

Matt Blundin

Tony Sacco

Jim Drukenmiller

Rich Campbell

Marques Tuiasosopo

Dan McGwire

Andre Ware

Matt Koffer

Art Schlichter

Todd Marinovich

Oliver Luck

Kelly Stouffer

Browning Nagle

Akili Smith

Cade McNown

Heath Shuler

Chuck Long

Ryan Leaf

Todd Collins

David Klingler

Shaun King

Todd Blackledge

Patrick Ramsey

JP Losman

Quincy Carter

 

Plus add the likes of: Jamarcus Russell, Matt Leinert, Tim Tebow, John Beck, Brian Brohm...guys drafted since 2005 whose careers have already been put on the shelf.

And don't forget the likes of Pat White, Drew Stanton, Jimmy Clausen, Brady Quinn, Kellen Clemens, Tavaris Jackson, Vince Young. Guys who are nominally still active yet whose careers are clearly not on an upswing.

 

This is the Pantheon of Quarterback busts over the years whose heights were not part of the articles analysis...because they simply didn't have enough throws.

I don't know about their heights....except to say that Dan McGwire at 6'8" is one of the biggest busts, literally and figuratively in NFL history.

[Flyin J]

I don't think that article accounted for every QB drafted in the first two rounds that were 6' or under. I think it just took the ones who had over 1000 attempts in a career. There may have been others that only ended up with a cup of coffee.

right, I did my own research after reading that article.

[The Gipper]

right, I did my own research after reading that article.

OK, note that I did some additional research as well....but I didn't check the height of each of those 218 QBs.

[The Gipper]

One other note: apparently being too tall is not good for a QB. The article notes that only 5 QBs have ever played in the NFL that were 6'7" or more. Sonny Gibbs drafted in 1962 and Frank Patrick in 1967, both at 6.7" went nowhere. The aforementioned 6'8" Dan McGwire was a bust.....and the other two are Brock Osweiler and Ryan Mallet, for whom the jury is obviously out.

 

But let's note this: In the last two years we did go from the tallest QB to win a SB: the 6'6" Joe Flacco, to the shortest: Russel Wilson.

[Flyin J]

One other note: apparently being too tall is not good for a QB. The article notes that only 5 QBs have ever played in the NFL that were 6'7" or more. Sonny Gibbs drafted in 1962 and Frank Patrick in 1967, both at 6.7" went nowhere. The aforementioned 6'8" Dan McGwire was a bust.....and the other two are Brock Osweiler and Ryan Mallet, for whom the jury is obviously out.

 

But let's note this: In the last two years we did go from the tallest QB to win a SB: the 6'6" Joe Flacco, to the shortest: Russel Wilson.

which should be proof enough that height does not matter. If they have the arm strength and accuracy to compete, which believe it or not is pretty common, it comes down to mental capacity and the ability to not only play your offense, but to play your offense AGAINST the defense.

[The Gipper]

which should be proof enough that height does not matter. If they have the arm strength and accuracy to compete, which believe it or not is pretty common, it comes down to mental capacity and the ability to not only play your offense, but to play your offense AGAINST the defense.

Or, perhaps some would use the Goldilocks argument: You can't be too short and you can't be too tall. You need to be just right. (or at least in the right range....for which 6'6" could be set at the top, ...but Wilson seems to show that 5' 11 is still in the Goldilocks range.

Can Manziel confirm?

[PoeticG]

I'd go with 6'3" not too short, not too tall.

[Flyin J]

Or, perhaps some would use the Goldilocks argument: You can't be too short and you can't be too tall. You need to be just right. (or at least in the right range....for which 6'6" could be set at the top, ...but Wilson seems to show that 5' 11 is still in the Goldilocks range.

Can Manziel confirm?

Nope, these are stereotypes that will and are being broken....can you make the throws and decipher the game? Thats it.

[The Gipper]

Nope, these are stereotypes that will and are being broken....can you make the throws and decipher the game? Thats it.

I don't know. There still may actually be something to it.

 

OK, so perhaps 5'11 isn't too short. What about 5'9 like Eddie LeBaron.

 

And, for now, is in fact 6'6" the max a QB should be? This day and age a QB should be a bit nimble. Prior experiments at 6'7 6'8 have failed.

Perhaps we will find out more when Mallet and Osweiler get a real chance to perform. That time is not now because they sit behind Brady and Peyton respectively. Before long though we may find out.

[hoorta]

Nope, these are stereotypes that will and are being broken....can you make the throws and decipher the game? Thats it.

 

 

And that's the question I (and many others) have about Manziel. I don't doubt he can make the throws, but can he actually read a defense?

[MasterDog]

There's no secret.

It's far easier to read a defense after the ball's been snapped when you are 6'4" than 5'11".

[Flyin J]

I don't know. There still may actually be something to it.

 

OK, so perhaps 5'11 isn't too short. What about 5'9 like Eddie LeBaron.

 

And, for now, is in fact 6'6" the max a QB should be? This day and age a QB should be a bit nimble. Prior experiments at 6'7 6'8 have failed.

Perhaps we will find out more when Mallet and Osweiler get a real chance to perform. That time is not now because they sit behind Brady and Peyton respectively. Before long though we may find out.

If a 5'9 guy comes along with big enough hands and a good arm maybe he could play

[Flyin J]

There's no secret.

It's far easier to read a defense after the ball's been snapped when you are 6'4" than 5'11".

Drew Brees doesnt have a problem. nobody is seeing over the line, they see through and around them. It may help a little, but not much. Mostly the OL at the big programs have NFL sized guys, and Manziel did alright. Can he figure it out in the NFL? Who knows...