Is Bryce Young's size an issue for NFL teams? Former star lineman highlights major concern ahead of NFL combine
Bryce Young is a 5'10-and-a-half, 194-pound quarterback who could be the top pick in this year's NFL draft. The Alabama Crimson Tide star has proven that size isn't everything in college, but that might prove different at the next level. As the NFL Combine approaches, Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman Joe Thomas highlighted why Young's size could be an issue for him.
Thomas said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd:
"Those hits, they add up. And so when you're talking about the most important position in football and when you're building an offense around a quarterback that is a little bit smaller. Yes, he's a good athlete. He's probably going to showcase some of that athleticism within that offense."
He added:
"But if he's not there, then what do you do? Like you're going to just plan on playing with a quarterback that's not going to be available for 60% of the games a year--half the games? I don't know. I think that's definitely a concern."
Bryce Young excelled in his three seasons with the Crimson Tide star. As a sophomore in the 2021 season, Young was second in all of college football with 4,872 passing yards and 41 touchdowns.
The quarterback led Alabama to the College Football Championship, falling to the Georgia Bulldogs. However, he took the Heisman Trophy that season for his breakout performance.
The question remains, will his size be a major deterrent to prospective NFL teams at the combine? History has shown that teams are willing to draft quarterbacks his size high in the NFL draft.
Bryce Young's size shouldn't be an issue based on the success of recent NFL QBs
In the 2019 draft, the Arizona Cardinals drafted a 5'10", 192-pound quarterback named Kyler Murray number one overall. Murray was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year that season, throwing for 3,722 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
The Seattle Seahawks drafted a 5'11", 211-pound quarterback named Russell Wilson in the third round of the 2012 draft. So far in his career, Wilson has appeared in two Super Bowls, winning one in the 2013-14 season. He's currently the Seahawks' all-time leader in both passing yards (37,059) and touchdowns (292).
For Bryce Young, his resume at Alabama proved that size doesn't always matter as long as the talent is there. Let's see if Commissioner Roger Goodell calls his name first in April.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit The Herd with Colin Cowherd and H/T Sportskeeda.