Quarterback size is a popular pre-draft discussion, but teams are also thinking about wide receivers in this regard. Most of the wideouts selected in the top 10 picks in recent years are at least 6 feet tall; Drake London, Garrett Wilson, JaMarr Chase and DeVonta Smith the last two years all measured 6-0 to 6-4 at the combine. Will a smaller player break the mold this year?
One of the top prospects is Boston College's Zay Flowers. He measured just 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds at the combine. He'll probably be drafted in the first round, and there are probably a couple of other sub-6 foot possibilities to go that early, Southern Cal's Jordan Addison and North Carolina's Josh Downs. Should teams be wary of those guys meriting the early pick?
In the last 10 years, there have been 42 wideouts selected in the first round. Just over a quarter of those guys (11) measured 5-11 or shorter at the combine. Three of those players, for various reasons, either washed out quickly (Henry Ruggs, Corey Coleman) or are headed that way (Jalen Reagor).
Of the other eight, I see four definite hits and one possible hit (Jahan Dotson, based on his good rookie season). The other three (Austin, Dorsett, Ross) disappointed.
Table below shows all the top seasons (PPR) by sub-6 foot wide receivers selected in the first round from 2013 to 2022. Three of those guys have had at least one top-10 season; two others still might.
| TOP SEASONS FROM RD 1 WRS UNDER 6-0, 2013-PRESENT | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pk | Year | Player | Ht | Wt | No | Rec | Avg | TD | Rk |
| 12 | 2016 | Odell Beckham, NYG | 5.11 | 198 | 101 | 1367 | 13.5 | 10 | 4 |
| 12 | 2015 | Odell Beckham, NYG | 5.11 | 198 | 96 | 1450 | 15.1 | 13 | 5 |
| 6 | 2022 | Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 5.10 | 182 | 75 | 1356 | 18.1 | 8 | 8 |
| 12 | 2014 | Odell Beckham, NYG | 5.11 | 198 | 91 | 1305 | 14.3 | 12 | 8 |
| 20 | 2016 | Brandin Cooks, N.O. | 5.10 | 189 | 78 | 1173 | 15.0 | 8 | 10 |
| 6 | 2021 | Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 5.10 | 182 | 104 | 1015 | 9.8 | 7 | 12 |
| 20 | 2018 | Brandin Cooks, LAR | 5.10 | 189 | 80 | 1204 | 15.1 | 6 | 13 |
| 20 | 2015 | Brandin Cooks, N.O. | 5.10 | 189 | 84 | 1138 | 13.6 | 9 | 14 |
| 20 | 2017 | Brandin Cooks, N.E. | 5.10 | 189 | 65 | 1082 | 16.7 | 7 | 15 |
| 12 | 2018 | Odell Beckham, NYG | 5.11 | 198 | 77 | 1052 | 13.7 | 6 | 15 |
| 20 | 2020 | Brandin Cooks, Hou. | 5.10 | 189 | 81 | 1150 | 14.2 | 6 | 17 |
| 20 | 2021 | Brandin Cooks, Hou. | 5.10 | 189 | 90 | 1037 | 11.5 | 6 | 20 |
| 25 | 2021 | Marquise Brown, Balt. | 5.09 | 166 | 91 | 1008 | 11.1 | 6 | 21 |
| 12 | 2019 | Odell Beckham, Cle. | 5.11 | 198 | 74 | 1035 | 14.0 | 4 | 25 |
| 8 | 2015 | Tavon Austin, St.L. | 5.08 | 176 | 52 | 473 | 9.1 | 10 | 27 |
| 25 | 2020 | Marquise Brown, Balt. | 5.09 | 166 | 58 | 769 | 13.3 | 8 | 36 |
| 25 | 2022 | Marquise Brown, Ari. | 5.09 | 166 | 67 | 709 | 10.6 | 3 | 44 |
| 25 | 2019 | Marquise Brown, Balt. | 5.09 | 166 | 46 | 584 | 12.7 | 7 | 46 |
| 20 | 2022 | Brandin Cooks, Hou. | 5.10 | 189 | 57 | 699 | 12.3 | 3 | 49 |
| 16 | 2022 | Jahan Dotson, Was. | 5.11 | 178 | 35 | 523 | 14.9 | 7 | 51 |
| 8 | 2016 | Tavon Austin, LAR | 5.08 | 176 | 58 | 509 | 8.8 | 4 | 52 |
| 8 | 2013 | Tavon Austin, St.L. | 5.08 | 176 | 40 | 418 | 10.5 | 6 | 53 |
| 12 | 2021 | Odell Beckham, 2TM | 5.11 | 198 | 44 | 537 | 12.2 | 5 | 55 |
| 20 | 2014 | Brandin Cooks, N.O. | 5.10 | 189 | 53 | 550 | 10.4 | 4 | 56 |
| 20 | 2019 | Brandin Cooks, LAR | 5.10 | 189 | 42 | 583 | 13.9 | 2 | 62 |
| 29 | 2019 | Phillip Dorsett, N.E. | 5.10 | 185 | 29 | 397 | 13.7 | 5 | 71 |
| 9 | 2019 | John Ross, Cin. | 5.11 | 188 | 28 | 506 | 18.1 | 3 | 74 |
--Andy Richardson