Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

We've had big WRs, 6-5 WRs, but I can't recall any WR resembling Harold Carmichael's 6-8. Why haven't we seen other super tall WRs in the NFL? Do they all decide to play basketball instead?

They probably figure they can make better money on the state fair circuit.

Carmichael was a physical freak. Very few 6-8 guys have his speed, quickness, strength, leaping ability, and hands.

Gronk is there though not as tall ...

rhickok1109 wrote:Carmichael was a physical freak. Very few 6-8 guys have his speed, quickness, strength, leaping ability, and hands.

Yep. That pretty much sums it up.

GameBeforeTheMoney wrote:

rhickok1109 wrote:Carmichael was a physical freak. Very few 6-8 guys have his speed, quickness, strength, leaping ability, and hands.

Yep. That pretty much sums it up.

I don't disagree with this but I do think there is merit in the OP.
There are a lot of 6'8"+ "physical freaks" playing in the NBA.

Question is, is the NBA now perceived as a more viable profession for big (tall) kids who are considering an lifetime in athletics. I think you'd have to say "yes".

6'8"+ generally get profiled and moved to OT before they would ever have a chance to play WR in the NFL.

Just thinking of the current players that tall, I'd estimate 40-50% of them were receiving TE's in HS -- or could have played WR.

Depends on what kind of HS program/coach you have:

- coach sees 6'8" and immediately: "put on weight, you're a LT"
- or "if you want to get a scholarship you have to move to OT."
- or the coaches that let players play and like I said, plenty have been receiving TE's.

Then they get recruited as TE to college and either immediately or halfway through their college career they get "moved" to OT. Told to put on weight, etc.

Exclude the obvious "they're linemen" kids that have the weight to go along with this sort of height, and that 40-50% that were catching TD's in HS -and some even in college before they were moved to OT- is a larger percentage.

Lot of athletic 6'8" or eventual 6'8" players that essentially get put in a position (generally OT) because of their height. No matter if they're skinny, lanky, athletic, whatever in HS and/or college, and no matter if they have the skill to play WR/TE, if you're 6'8" "today", minus a rare case (Parham) you're getting moved to OT well before a chance at the NFL. Isn't really a case of "was a WR in HS, WR in college, going to be WR or at least TE in the NFL." It's "got moved to OT in HS" or "got moved to OT in college."

Nothing is impossible but I'd give it a near 0% chance that Carmichael would be a WR growing up in this era. Would have been moved to TE best case, and more likely would be told to put on 100lbs and that he's being moved to tackle.

The homogeneity of football in many areas has made it a lot less interesting across all levels and specific to "body type" is why playing a different position is extremely less likely in the modern era.

Reaser wrote:6'8"+ generally get profiled and moved to OT before they would ever have a chance to play WR in the NFL.

Just thinking of the current players that tall, I'd estimate 40-50% of them were receiving TE's in HS -- or could have played WR.

Depends on what kind of HS program/coach you have:

- coach sees 6'8" and immediately: "put on weight, you're a LT"
- or "if you want to get a scholarship you have to move to OT."
- or the coaches that let players play and like I said, plenty have been receiving TE's.

Then they get recruited as TE to college and either immediately or halfway through their college career they get "moved" to OT. Told to put on weight, etc.

Exclude the obvious "they're linemen" kids that have the weight to go along with this sort of height, and that 40-50% that were catching TD's in HS -and some even in college before they were moved to OT- is a larger percentage.

Lot of athletic 6'8" or eventual 6'8" players that essentially get put in a position (generally OT) because of their height. No matter if they're skinny, lanky, athletic, whatever in HS and/or college, and no matter if they have the skill to play WR/TE, if you're 6'8" "today", minus a rare case (Parham) you're getting moved to OT well before a chance at the NFL. Isn't really a case of "was a WR in HS, WR in college, going to be WR or at least TE in the NFL." It's "got moved to OT in HS" or "got moved to OT in college."

Nothing is impossible but I'd give it a near 0% chance that Carmichael would be a WR growing up in this era. Would have been moved to TE best case, and more likely would be told to put on 100lbs and that he's being moved to tackle.

The homogeneity of football in many areas has made it a lot less interesting across all levels and specific to "body type" is why playing a different position is extremely less likely in the modern era.

Interesting...I never considered that but it makes sense. I remember a few years ago when Alex Villanueva was at Army, they moved him from OT to WR for a period of time. He was like 6-9 and 275...he actually had some skill, but I guess what ended the experiment was that Alex would get too tired having to run routes and run to and from the huddle to being split wide on the field.

Reaser wrote:6'8"+ generally get profiled and moved to OT before they would ever have a chance to play WR in the NFL.

Just thinking of the current players that tall, I'd estimate 40-50% of them were receiving TE's in HS -- or could have played WR.

Depends on what kind of HS program/coach you have:

- coach sees 6'8" and immediately: "put on weight, you're a LT"
- or "if you want to get a scholarship you have to move to OT."
- or the coaches that let players play and like I said, plenty have been receiving TE's.

Then they get recruited as TE to college and either immediately or halfway through their college career they get "moved" to OT. Told to put on weight, etc.

Exclude the obvious "they're linemen" kids that have the weight to go along with this sort of height, and that 40-50% that were catching TD's in HS -and some even in college before they were moved to OT- is a larger percentage.

Lot of athletic 6'8" or eventual 6'8" players that essentially get put in a position (generally OT) because of their height. No matter if they're skinny, lanky, athletic, whatever in HS and/or college, and no matter if they have the skill to play WR/TE, if you're 6'8" "today", minus a rare case (Parham) you're getting moved to OT well before a chance at the NFL. Isn't really a case of "was a WR in HS, WR in college, going to be WR or at least TE in the NFL." It's "got moved to OT in HS" or "got moved to OT in college."

Nothing is impossible but I'd give it a near 0% chance that Carmichael would be a WR growing up in this era. Would have been moved to TE best case, and more likely would be told to put on 100lbs and that he's being moved to tackle.

The homogeneity of football in many areas has made it a lot less interesting across all levels and specific to "body type" is why playing a different position is extremely less likely in the modern era.

A very specific example of this just happened this year at Notre Dame. Joe Alt was a 6'8 240lb TE in High School, but was being recruited as an OT before ever taking a snap at the position. He gets to ND, puts on 40lbs and ends up starting half the season for an 11-2 football team. Guys this big just aren't getting the chance to play WR or TE anymore.

Similarly, you can think of in basketball why so few big men have back to the basket games anymore. These players are being taught guard skills and being taught to play with their face to the basket now from a young age. It's been taken out of the early training.

One guy who really reminded me of Carmichael was Herman Moore of Detroit in his prime. He wasn't that absurd 6'8 height wise, but was still a tall 6'4 and seemed taller. His build and style of play was similar. And he had an amazing wingspan