Alabama superstar quarterback Bryce Young is one of the premier prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. In fact, at -175 according to FanDuel Sportsbook, Young has the best odds to be the first overall pick in April. With an outstanding college career that included a Heisman trophy in 2021, it makes sense why Young is so high on draft boards.

However, not everyone is as high on the Crimson Tide superstar. The biggest concern surrounding Young doesn't even have to do with his tape, but rather his intangibles. Specifically, some have reservations about Young's size, or more accurately, his lack thereof.

Now, smaller quarterbacks such as Drew Brees and Russell Wilson have found plenty of success at the NFL level. However, the stigma surrounding smaller signal-callers still undoubtedly exists today. That's especially true when Young might be one of the shortest quarterbacks we've seen in recent memory.

According to Young's page on Alabama's website, the quarterback stands at 6-foot on the dot. This places him at the same height as Brees and one inch taller than Wilson, which could ease some scouts' doubts. However, that height may not be entirely accurate.

Per ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay, Young actually measured in at just 5-foot-10 1/2, shorter than even Wilson. He's also significantly lighter than Wilson, weighing in at just 194 pounds according to Alabama's website, 21 pounds below Wilson. McShay himself said that, even though he likes Young's game, his small frame is a major concern.

“I love Bryce Young, I really do,” McShay told Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. “I know he’s 195 pounds; a really good friend of mine who’s a scout had him at 5'10½”. But I met with him, I’ve talked to him. He’s special. He’s different. He has the poise, the presence in the pocket, the playmaking, everything else you want. I absolutely love Bryce Young. I would bet on him.

“If I’m a GM, I’m scared to death of drafting him.”

Surely, part of those concerns has to stem from his injury history at Alabama. The star quarterback missed time this season with a shoulder injury, and it continued to nag him even after he returned.

Furthermore, some have speculated that Young may be even shorter than that. The most viral example is a photo he took with Mina Kimes, in which he appeared only a couple inches taller than the ESPN writer. Kimes herself said she was wearing 4-inch heels in the photo, but it still caused a stir nonetheless.

 

Young's size may become a factor for some teams, especially when compared to the other top quarterbacks in the draft. C.J. Stroud is 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds, Will Levis is 6-foot-3 and 231 pounds, and Anthony Richardson is 6-foot-4 and 231 pounds. If size is that much of a factor to some teams, then they would likely look past Young for one of the bigger quarterbacks.

However, size is far from the only factor when evaluating a quarterback. Young's size may not be ideal, but he has so many other traits of a future NFL star. He can make almost any throw, has great elusiveness, and can run when he needs to. If a team is looking for a true playmaker at quarterback, it's hard to argue against Young.

While Young's size is definitely a concern, it shouldn't be enough to overshadow his many outstanding traits. He should still be a very early selection once April rolls around.