Kyler Murray Vs. Tall Offensive Line

[EJay]

I don't know the arm length, nor do I think it matters.

I don't think Russell Wilson fails to get balls batted down because of an over top delivery or long arms. He's 5'11" with cleats on. The physics are what they are. Defensive linemen are often 6'3" with 34" arms. You're talking about the difference between the ball smacking right into the DL's wrist versus smacking maybe a few inches down his ulna. Does it really matter?

Todd McShay noted that over the last decade, quarterbacks 6'0" and shorter have gotten FEWER balls batter down at the line than quarterbacks 6'1" or taller. Why is that? It's because short guys have had to learn to pay attention to their passing lanes, moves, slide their feet, etc. Taller players have this false sense of security because hey man, my height's in the prototype, what do I have to worry about amirite?

And it's not even just Russell Wilson who has had success. Doug Flutie was even smaller than Kyler Murray, and he played football until he was like 43 years old. He took the NFL by storm as a 36 year old back in an era where teams had him playing under center 75% of the time (versus today's quarterbacks who throw from under center maybe 20% of the time). In today's game a 23 year old Doug Flutie would be a star.

I just think it's amazing that we're watching this incredible talent, this guy who paints Picasso on a football field (see that Kansas State game; I've still got chills), and we're getting hung up on total theoreticals like what is too short or oh my god won't he get hurt, etc.

I was gonna mention Flutie as another outlier, but since his success was marginal and not all that long -- I didn't feel it really fit.

That said, you make a lot of good points. I can't in any way say that you're wrong. I just remain skeptical -- despite really liking Kyler Murray. Always have. I guess that's why these GM's have the job that they do making these type of high pressure, franchise changing decisions. It's not easy.

I've frequented this site for many years now and I've always respected your analysis and opinion, CK. If you are a believer in the risk-reward of selecting Murray in the 1st round, that says something to me.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

I don't know the arm length, nor do I think it matters.

I don't think Russell Wilson fails to get balls batted down because of an over top delivery or long arms. He's 5'11" with cleats on. The physics are what they are. Defensive linemen are often 6'3" with 34" arms. You're talking about the difference between the ball smacking right into the DL's wrist versus smacking maybe a few inches down his ulna. Does it really matter?

Todd McShay noted that over the last decade, quarterbacks 6'0" and shorter have gotten FEWER balls batter down at the line than quarterbacks 6'1" or taller. Why is that? It's because short guys have had to learn to pay attention to their passing lanes, moves, slide their feet, etc. Taller players have this false sense of security because hey man, my height's in the prototype, what do I have to worry about amirite?

And it's not even just Russell Wilson who has had success. Doug Flutie was even smaller than Kyler Murray, and he played football until he was like 43 years old. He took the NFL by storm as a 36 year old back in an era where teams had him playing under center 75% of the time (versus today's quarterbacks who throw from under center maybe 20% of the time). In today's game a 23 year old Doug Flutie would be a star.

I just think it's amazing that we're watching this incredible talent, this guy who paints Picasso on a football field (see that Kansas State game; I've still got chills), and we're getting hung up on total theoreticals like what is too short or oh my god won't he get hurt, etc.

He may be magic, but is he prototypical magic?

 

[ckparrothead]

He may be magic, but is he prototypical magic?

Haha. I love it.

As I've said many times though, there's no prototype for the magic that is an elite level NFL quarterback.

If you set a table full of elite-performing NFL quarterbacks, you'd have tall guys sitting next to shorter guys, sitting next to tiny guys. You'd have flame throwers sitting next to touch throwers. You'd have scramblers sitting next to guys who couldn't out-run tree sap. You'd have mechanical savants sitting next to Uncle Rico.

There's no one prototype to get to that level of performance. As Pat Riley likes to say about elite NBA players, they're all "lightning bolts from God".