Chalk one up for the little guys.
The Seattle Seahawks named 5-foot-11, 206-pound rookie Russell Wilson the starting quarterback for their third preseason game.
Yes, it’s only a preseason start. But if Wilson, whose size made him drop to the third round in the draft, could secure the starting job for the regular season, it would be an unlikely emergence.
Wilson’s impressive first two preseason games — 22-for-33, 279 yards, three touchdowns and one interception (110.5 passer rating) — forced coach Pete Carroll to go with the rookie out of Wisconsin over expensive free agent pickup Matt Flynn, who has thrown for 102 yards, no touchdowns and one interception (56.9 passer rating) in two preseason starts.
In the U.S., 5-11 is an average male height. Even in football, it’s not unusual to have players that size. The Redskins’ Brandon Banks is a mere 5-7 and 153 pounds. But at quarterback, it’s unheard of.
Of the 33 qualifying quarterbacks last season, none was listed under 6-feet tall. Sure, 6-foot Saints quarterback Drew Brees has dominated the league, setting the single-season record for most passing yards in 2011. And 6-foot Eagles passer Michael Vick has shown flashes of greatness over his career, at least when he can stay healthy.
But those two, who are slightly taller than Wilson, are anomalies. The prototypical NFL quarterback is 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds. It’s no coincidence that the two quarterbacks with the longest active streak for consecutive starts — the Giants’ Eli Manning and the Chargers’ Philip Rivers — meet those requirements.
Passers need to be that size to handle the amount of punishment they receive from massive defensive linemen and blitzing linebackers. And with the majority of offensive linemen being above 6-feet tall, quarterbacks need to be that height just to be able to see downfield. At least that’s what many football minds believe. Now comes the big challenge for Wilson — to prove them all wrong.
– Jeffrey Tomik
