WR's combine height

[Sperm Edwards]

Does it really matter down to that last inch or two (let alone measuring to the 1/8 inch as they currently do)? Or is it more important how high the receivers shoulders are plus how long his arms are? Or just reach up in the air without stretching to see how high he can reach.

I mean what if the guy has a long neck and/or face? Sure he's taller, but he doesn't necessarily grab a higher-thrown pass.

I think about this dumb stuff sometimes.

[TampaBayJetsFan85]

lol, your not the only one and thats the reason why I laugh my ass off when people knock Percy Harvin because of his "Size".

[T0mShane]

[Stonehands]

Does it really matter down to that last inch or two (let alone measuring to the 1/8 inch as they currently do)? Or is it more important how high the receivers shoulders are plus how long his arms are? Or just reach up in the air without stretching to see how high he can reach.

I mean what if the guy has a long neck and/or face? Sure he's taller, but he doesn't necessarily grab a higher-thrown pass.

I think about this dumb stuff sometimes.

You're short, aren't you?

[drago]

lol, your not the only one and thats the reason why I laugh my ass off when people knock Percy Harvin because of his "Size".

I think the knock on Harvin seems to be the school he went to, that he ran a gimmick offense and that Chansi Stuckey is just as good.

[Pragmatic Bus]

Does it really matter down to that last inch or two (let alone measuring to the 1/8 inch as they currently do)? Or is it more important how high the receivers shoulders are plus how long his arms are? Or just reach up in the air without stretching to see how high he can reach.

I mean what if the guy has a long neck and/or face? Sure he's taller, but he doesn't necessarily grab a higher-thrown pass.

I think about this dumb stuff sometimes.

i sometimes think about measuring QBs from there eye level. some of these QBs have huge foreheads

[Sperm Edwards]

You're short, aren't you?

It doesn't matter. I have gorilla-arms that hang all the way down. Sure my knuckles get a little scraped on pavement. But without jumping, I can catch a football that will sail over the fingertips of Calvin Johnson.

The ideal WR-build if he could run a 4.5 or better:

[Aten]

Does it really matter down to that last inch or two (let alone measuring to the 1/8 inch as they currently do)? Or is it more important how high the receivers shoulders are plus how long his arms are?

I don't think any of it is very important because it doesn't really speak to a receiver's ability to create separation like the relevant athletic drills do. Getting separation through height and length is a matter of technique; getting separation through speed is a matter of being fast.

[#27TheDominator]

I don't think any of it is very important because it doesn't really speak to a receiver's ability to create separation like the relevant athletic drills do. Getting separation through height and length is a matter of technique; getting separation through speed is a matter of being fast.

So size doesn't matter?

[Alk]

i sometimes think about measuring QBs from there eye level. some of these QBs have huge foreheads

Good call, if we measured QBs that way, Peyton Manning would be about 2 feet tall.

[Sperm Edwards]

I don't think any of it is very important because it doesn't really speak to a receiver's ability to create separation like the relevant athletic drills do. Getting separation through height and length is a matter of technique; getting separation through speed is a matter of being fast.

My point is only that how tall a receiver's head/neck is doesn't seem as important as how high he can reach without leaving his feet.

A 6'3" tall WR will reach higher than a 5'11" receiver every time. But in more subtle measurements, like within an inch or so, does it really matter how high the top of his helmet-less head is? The advantage of a taller receiver is that he can out-reach whoever's covering him and a pass can be a little higher (and therefore be out of reach of linemen/linebackers). And he can do that without having to jump up into the air & leave his feet, catching the pass in stride.

I'm not dismissing other factors like quickness or dead straightaway speed. I'm only saying that a WR 6'1 3/8" tall may have the same "football height" as some other WR 6'2 5/8" tall. But on paper, one is listed as 6'1 and the other at 6'3.

Why not have the WR's at the combine hold a football in their hands over their head & measure how high that is? Seems more useful than where the tops of their heads are...unless you're David Tyree I guess.

[Stonehands]

WR height is most important when it comes to the target they present. QB's rarely throw to a person, they throw to spots. Taller people are rangier and can more easily handle off target throws. But, quick and fast people can do the same thing. When you couple that with the fact that taller people can tend to be much less sudden with their movements, a guy like Harvin has a pretty nice combination of size, suddeness and leaping ability. Do you think anyone in Carolina complains about Steve Smith?

[Pragmatic Bus]

Good call, if we measured QBs that way, Peyton Manning would be about 2 feet tall.

so its only 6' with rocket arm?

[T0mShane]

My point is only that how tall a receiver's head/neck is doesn't seem as important as how high he can reach without leaving his feet.

A 6'3" tall WR will reach higher than a 5'11" receiver every time. But in more subtle measurements, like within an inch or so, does it really matter how high the top of his helmet-less head is? The advantage of a taller receiver is that he can out-reach whoever's covering him and a pass can be a little higher (and therefore be out of reach of linemen/linebackers). And he can do that without having to jump up into the air & leave his feet, catching the pass in stride.

I'm not dismissing other factors like quickness or dead straightaway speed. I'm only saying that a WR 6'1 3/8" tall may have the same "football height" as some other WR 6'2 5/8" tall. But on paper, one is listed as 6'1 and the other at 6'3.

Why not have the WR's at the combine hold a football in their hands over their head & measure how high that is? Seems more useful than where the tops of their heads are...unless you're David Tyree I guess.

It's catch-area radius, Sperm. That is the important number. How close do you have to get the ball to a receiver before he can catch it? Smaller receivers generally have smaller catch-area radii, meaning that every pass you throw to the smaller receiver has to be dead-on. Larger guys, like Plaxico Burress, have huge catch radii, meaning that the QB can throw it anywhere near him and he can pluck it.

Now, being a shorter receiver doesn't mean that you have small catch radius. Marvin Harrison, for one, was a 5'11" guy that had long arms and the athleticism to field passes well, so you're right, you don't have to be 6'5" to be a prolific receiver. But it helps.

[SoFlaJets]

hey SE, I was listening to Dan Patrick this morning and he was saying that he was standing right next to Crabtree last night and that no WAY is he 6'3" because HE'S six three-he said maybe 6'1"+. So I hate to say it but you were right the other night

[Stonehands]

It's catch-area radius, Sperm. That is the important number. How close do you have to get the ball to a receiver before he can catch it? Smaller receivers generally have smaller catch-area radii, meaning that every pass you throw to the smaller receiver has to be dead-on. Larger guys, like Plaxico Burress, have huge catch radii, meaning that the QB can throw it anywhere near him and he can pluck it.

Now, being a shorter receiver doesn't mean that you have small catch radius. Marvin Harrison, for one, was a 5'11" guy that had long arms and the athleticism to field passes well, so you're right, you don't have to be 6'5" to be a prolific receiver. But it helps.

You said it better than me.

[JMJ]

My point is only that how tall a receiver's head/neck is doesn't seem as important as how high he can reach without leaving his feet.

A 6'3" tall WR will reach higher than a 5'11" receiver every time. But in more subtle measurements, like within an inch or so, does it really matter how high the top of his helmet-less head is? The advantage of a taller receiver is that he can out-reach whoever's covering him and a pass can be a little higher (and therefore be out of reach of linemen/linebackers). And he can do that without having to jump up into the air & leave his feet, catching the pass in stride.

I'm not dismissing other factors like quickness or dead straightaway speed. I'm only saying that a WR 6'1 3/8" tall may have the same "football height" as some other WR 6'2 5/8" tall. But on paper, one is listed as 6'1 and the other at 6'3.

Why not have the WR's at the combine hold a football in their hands over their head & measure how high that is? Seems more useful than where the tops of their heads are...unless you're David Tyree I guess.

This actually makes a ton of sense when it comes to what you're discussing.

However, the advantage that a 6'3'' WR with shorter arms would have over a 6'1'' WR with longer arms is that it would be easier for his QB to find him on the field of play, especially in traffic when you're trying to survey the field while standing behind offensive and defensive lineman who on average are 6'4'' or so.

An NFL QB has what? 3.5 - 4 seconds to drop back, go through his reads, and get rid of the football before he is getting pulverized? In traffic what they're really looking for is a flash of color (a helmet) that matches theirs in an open area. A guy like Santana Moss (5'10'') can get lost on the field where a guy like Larry Fitzgerald (6'3'') will stand out in traffic.

So again, what you're saying is absolutely correct when it comes to the actual act of making a catch on the field, but being taller does have at least some advantage to your team (and QB) that arm length can't simply erase.

[CTM]

My point is only that how tall a receiver's head/neck is doesn't seem as important as how high he can reach without leaving his feet.

A 6'3" tall WR will reach higher than a 5'11" receiver every time. But in more subtle measurements, like within an inch or so, does it really matter how high the top of his helmet-less head is? The advantage of a taller receiver is that he can out-reach whoever's covering him and a pass can be a little higher (and therefore be out of reach of linemen/linebackers). And he can do that without having to jump up into the air & leave his feet, catching the pass in stride.

I'm not dismissing other factors like quickness or dead straightaway speed. I'm only saying that a WR 6'1 3/8" tall may have the same "football height" as some other WR 6'2 5/8" tall. But on paper, one is listed as 6'1 and the other at 6'3.

Why not have the WR's at the combine hold a football in their hands over their head & measure how high that is? Seems more useful than where the tops of their heads are...unless you're David Tyree I guess.

Height of their helmet probably makes them easier to track and see down the field..

[CTM]

This actually makes a ton of sense when it comes to what you're discussing.

However, the advantage that a 6'3'' WR with shorter arms would have over a 6'1'' WR with longer arms is that it would be easier for his QB to find him on the field of play, especially in traffic when you're trying to survey the field while standing behind offensive and defensive lineman who on average are 6'4'' or so.

An NFL QB has what? 3.5 - 4 seconds to drop back, go through his reads, and get rid of the football before he is getting pulverized? In traffic what they're really looking for is a flash of color (a helmet) that matches theirs in an open area. A guy like Santana Moss (5'10'') can get lost on the field where a guy like Larry Fitzgerald (6'3'') will stand out in traffic.

So again, what you're saying is absolutely correct when it comes to the actual act of making a catch on the field, but being taller does have at least some advantage to your team (and QB) that arm length can't simply erase.

should of read this first

[JMJ]

should of read this first

Haha. And I can learn a lesson from you. Your post was short, sweet, and to the point while driving home the same idea I did (just as well) in about 400 less characters.

[Alk]

hey SE, I was listening to Dan Patrick this morning and he was saying that he was standing right next to Crabtree last night and that no WAY is he 6'3" because HE'S six three-he said maybe 6'1"+. So I hate to say it but you were right the other night

Ah yes, just another way for Dan to talk about how tall he is. What were you doing listening to that douchebag for anyway?