Smallest and Tallest Players in FBS College Football for 2016 Season
College football programs generally have thresholds for recruiting, but dozens of players around the country fall on extreme ends of the height scale.
Bleacher Report is taking a look at some of the most significant smallest and tallest talents in 2016. The heights used throughout the piece are taken from each school's official roster as of Aug. 26.
Now, we cannot control if a program exaggerates heights—like Stanford listed Ty Montgomery at 6'2", yet he measured in slightly below 6'0" at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine.
The next slide covers a couple dozen other notable short and tall players before continuing with five of the best in each category.
Other Notables
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5'7" Players
- Traveon Samuel, WR, Louisville
- Jeff Carr, RB, Oklahoma State
- D.J. Knox, RB, Purdue (out for season)
- Tim Crawley, WR, San Jose State
- Desmon White, WR, TCU
- Jamauri Bogan, RB, Western Michigan
5'8" Players
- Kermit Whitfield, WR, Florida State
- Isaiah McKenzie, WR, Georgia
- Penny Hart, WR, Georgia State
- Brandon Holloway, RB, Mississippi State
- Shawun Lurry, CB, Northern Illinois
- LaJuan Hunt, RB, Utah State
6'8" Players
- Aaron Cochran, OT, Cal
- Andreas Knappe, OT, Connecticut
- Mason Woods, OT, Idaho
- Jake Campos, OL, Iowa State (out indefinitely)
- Sunny Odogwu, OT, Miami
- Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
6'9" Players
- David Knevel, OT, Nebraska
- Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA
- Mason Zandi, OT, South Carolina
Mitchell Paige, WR/PR, Indiana
2 of 11Indiana has an underrated set of skill-position players, and Mitchell Paige—a 5'7", 180-pounder—is the most unsuspecting of them all.
After redshirting in 2012 and spending two years as a reserve, he amassed 57 catches for 684 yards and six touchdowns. Paige also returned two punts for a touchdown in just 18 tries.
Not only did Paige help the Hoosiers reach a bowl game, the former walk-on recently received a scholarship.
Paige will once again be a terrific complement to Simmie Cobbs Jr. and Ricky Jones, and his returning ability might help Indiana spring the upset it hasn't quite managed to finish lately.
Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma
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Orlando Brown is a large human being.
As a redshirt freshman, the 6'8", 340-pound left tackle filled an integral spot on Oklahoma's explosive offense. Sporting News named him a freshman All-American.
According to ESPN.com's Brandon Chatmon, the Sooners notched 6.51 yards per carry on runs in Brown's direction last year.
Since Brown is a draft-eligible player, NFL scouts will be closely watching him throughout the season—especially during Brown's matchup against Ohio State's Sam Hubbard.
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Arkeel Newsome, RB, Connecticut
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Connecticut doesn't have an outstanding offense, but Arkeel Newsome gives the Huskies big-play potential.
A 5'7", 185-pound running back, he recorded a team-best 792 yards and six touchdowns last season. Newsome also caught 45 passes for 465 yards and a pair of trips to the end zone.
For the last two seasons, Newsome has served as UConn's primary kick returner. He sports a career 21.1-yard average.
"He's an electric player, so we have to get him the ball," head coach Bob Diaco said, per John Nash of the Connecticut Post. "When we get him the ball, he's just so hard to tackle. He's bigger than he's ever been, he's faster than he's ever been and he has a deeper understanding of our system."
Corbin Kaufusi, DE, BYU
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Yes, that's the same guy. Corbin Kaufusi spent two seasons on the BYU basketball team, averaging 16.3 minutes per appearance.
He's either 6'10" and 260 pounds or 6'9" and 270 pounds, depending on whether you're using the basketball or football roster, respectively.
No matter the sport, though, Kaufusi can be a great blocker.
On the court, he's swatted 1.1 shots per game. Between the white lines, Kaufusi will attempt to block kicks. Jared Lloyd of the Daily Herald noted Kaufusi said he "can't wait" to help special teams.
Kaufusi will contribute at defensive end before returning to the hardwood following the 2016 season.
Will Likely III, CB/KR, Maryland
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Checking in at just 5'7" and 175 pounds, Will Likely III doesn't fit the mold of "best player on a Football Bowl Subdivision roster." But there's no question he's earned that title at Maryland.
A three-year contributor and two-year starter, the cornerback has twice secured first-team All-Big Ten honors. Likely has snatched seven interceptions and broken up 26 passes.
But he also provides a big impact on special teams. Through three seasons, Likely has tallied six return touchdowns, including a pair of punts and one kickoff in 2015.
Likely will find an NFL home after the upcoming campaign.
Zach Banner, OT, USC
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A 6'9", 360-pound offensive lineman will garner some attention. Playing at USC has only pushed Zach Banner further into the spotlight.
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller considers Banner the sixth-best offensive tackle prospect heading into the 2016 season. Whether or not he stays there could be a matter of his conditioning.
"He's always been good at the beginning of camps," head coach Clay Helton said, per Zach Helfand of the Los Angeles Times. "The challenge for him this season, going into his last year, is to keep that weight, on a day-to-day basis, where it doesn't balloon up to 380."
Banner—who has 27 career starts—broke into the lineup two years ago, then claimed first-team All-Pac-12 honors last season.
Ernest Calhoun, WR/KR, Kent State
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Ernest Calhoun isn't a household name, but the 5'6", 158-pounder is a longtime contributor on the Kent State roster.
As a freshman, he caught eight passes and returned 29 kickoffs for a 17.7-yard average. Calhoun had a career-high 33 receptions for 319 yards in 2014, adding 20.8 yards per kick return. Then last season, he scored a personal-best three touchdowns.
While not a dominant talent, Calhoun may be the Golden Flashes' featured player when they travel to Penn State and Alabama in 2016.
Nate Wozniak, TE, Minnesota
9 of 11Pass-catchers who are 6'5" or taller are often labeled as red-zone threats simply because of their size. On paper, there isn't a better jump-ball target than 6'10" Nate Wozniak.
Now, the former 3-star recruit hasn't yet made a significant impact in the fall. After redshirting in 2013 and appearing in five games the next year, Wozniak caught eight passes for 75 yards last season.
Consequent to Brandon Lingen's injury, though, Wozniak is listed as the starter for the 2016 season opener against Oregon State.
Wozniak probably won't stick at the top of the depth chart for long, but he'll have a chance to earn a regular role. Perhaps those duties will include red-zone snaps.
Warren Wand, RB, Arkansas State
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Arkansas State is a leading contender in the Sun Belt Conference, and the offense will be leaning on the nation's smallest starter.
Warren Wand—a 5'5", 179-pound running back—scampered for 709 yards and five touchdowns, eclipsing the 100-yard mark against Georgia State. He also chipped in 18 total catches for 135 yards.
Most impressively, Wand reached those numbers while backing up Michael Gordon and sharing carries with Johnston White. But Gordon—a two-time 1,000-yard rusher—used up his eligibility.
Wand received a spot on the Doak Walker Award watch list, and he has all-conference potential in 2016.
Dan Skipper, OT, Arkansas
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Not only is Dan Skipper one of the biggest players in college football, he's among the best offensive linemen, too.
Arkansas has relied on Skipper for three seasons. He cracked the starting lineup and also blocked three kicks as a true freshman, started 13 games at left tackle in 2014 and opened 13 games at left tackle last year, securing second-team All-SEC recognition.
Soon, the 6'10", 319-pounder will wear an NFL uniform. Skipper is currently the No. 9 draft prospect at his position, per Miller.
But first, Skipper will be the veteran on a Razorbacks offensive line tasked with protecting a new starting quarterback.
All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from CFBStats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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