Although size usually matters in the NFL, there are several greats throughout the league’s history who made the most of their physical prowess.
However, not every player in the league weighs 300 pounds or is 6-5. Despite their lack of size or height, several outstanding men—some even worthy of being inducted into the Hall of Fame—persisted.
These are the people for you if you’re small or support players that aren’t as big as you. Some of these are even available for wagering at topPA sportsbooks. These are the ten greatest short guys in NFL history.
10. Tyrann Mathieu, safety
Despite being one of the most dominant players during his time at LSU, Mathieu’s tiny size as a safety caused him to be selected in the third round and 69th overall of the 2013 NFL Draft.
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Nevertheless, after all these years, Mathieu is still active in the NFL. In addition to being a member of the All-2010s Team and a three-time All-Pro, he won the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019. With DraftKings Sportsbook, you can wager on the Saints when they play the Chiefs on Monday night football.
Over the course of his more than ten-year NFL career, Mathieu has not only averaged over 80 tackles per season but also over 35 interceptions.
9. Bob Sanders, safety
Given that he only appeared in 50 games over his eight NFL seasons, Sanders was not the most resilient player in NFL history. Sanders, however, could defend both the run and the pass and was a relentless hitter. He recorded at least 90 tackles twice.
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Nevertheless, a number of injuries ended Sanders’ career, which makes us question if he could have been among the greatest of all time if he had just remained healthy.
8. London Fletcher, linebacker
Like Mills, Fletcher attended a DIII university to play collegiate football but was not selected in the draft because of his shorter stature. With the St. Louis Rams, Fletcher won the Super Bowl and qualified for four Pro Bowls, making him one of the finest middle linebackers of all time.
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It seems like a crazy mistake that Fletcher has not yet been inducted into the Hall of Fame, even though he went from John Carroll University to second on the all-time tackles list. Unlike Mills, hopefully he’ll get in before he dies.
7. Sam Mills, linebacker
Because of his 5-9 size, which was and still is small for an inside linebacker, Mills, who attended the obscure Montclair State University in New Jersey, was not selected in the draft. Nevertheless, Mills played that position for 12 NFL seasons, dominating with five Pro Bowl appearances and nine seasons with 100 or more tackles.
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A member of the Carolina Panthers, Mills retired in 1997 and died of cancer in 2005. In 2022, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
6. Aaron Donald, defensive tackle
Donald’s low center of gravity made him extremely difficult to move, and it’s been claimed that the low man wins in trench warfare. In addition to his small stature, Donald’s exceptional work ethic and drive made him a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, ten-time Pro Bowler, eight-time All-Pro, and certain Hall of Famer.
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Additionally, after the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23–20 in Super Bowl LVI, Donald received his well-earned Super Bowl ring and came very close to winning MVP. Get the most recent betting odds and moneylines for the Rams vs. Packers game this Sunday at FanDuel Sportsbook.
5. Steve Smith, wide receiver
Smith was upset about being selected in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft because of his diminutive size. Nevertheless, Smith recorded seven seasons with 1,000 yards or more and even scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XXXVIII, solidifying his position as the Carolina Panthers’ top wide receiver.
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Smith ranks seventh on the list of all-time receiving yards, despite being one of the tiniest receivers in NFL history. Seven 6-footers are rated higher than him. Some may forget that Smith was only 5’9″ since he played much larger than his body. The Panthers, led by new quarterback Andy Dalton, hope to gain ground against Chicago on Sunday. Visit Caesars Sportsbooknow to find the greatest selection of prop bets.
4. Wes Welker, wide receiver
Playing for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, Welker exceeded 1,100 receiving yards in five seasons and led the NFL in receptions three times. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro.
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Before joining the Patriots, Welker, who was infamously undrafted, first made an impression with the Miami Dolphins. To compensate for his lack of height, Welker worked hard and ran exact routes for the rest of his career.
3. Emmitt Smith, running back
With the division at stake, the time @EmmittSmith22 broke his shoulder and returned to lead the Cowboys to victory.Final stats: a touchdown and 249 total yards. (January 2, 1994)tweet.com/q7UNZMJfbK
Despite having a stellar career at Florida, Smith’s small stature cost him the 17th choice in the 1990 NFL Draft. With 11 seasons with 1,000 yards or more, two MVP honors, and a then-NFL record 25 running touchdowns in 1995, he spent the remainder of his career making NFL decision-makers regret passing on him.
2. Barry Sanders, running back
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Sanders’ height of 5-8 made him smaller than many of the dominant running backs of his era, such as Thurman Thomas (5-10) and Walter Payton, or even Herschel Walker (6-1). Despite his small stature, Sanders was a similar star and ranks fourth on the all-time NFL rushing chart.
1. Kyler Murray, quarterback
As a rookie quarterback, Kyler Murray presently holds the following team records: passing yards (2,553) and completions (230).Games featuring several touchdown passes (5)YSFm34bHuR pic.twitter.com/
Despite being one of the shortest quarterbacks in NFL history, he has completed 66 percent of his passes during his career and has been selected to two Pro Bowls. Murray, who is three inches shorter than Drew Brees (6-1), has won the Heisman Trophy and defied critics who claimed he was too little to compete in the league, while lacking Brees’ Hall of Fame credentials.