NFL offenses want receivers who can win battles for the ball. And this was reflected in the 2015 NFL Draft, as 12 of the 14 receivers taken in the first three rounds were at least 6'0 tall.
NFL Draft shows why short wide receivers should switch to cornerback
The chances of getting drafted as a receiver under 6’0 aren’t good.
In all, 27 of 35 receivers taken were at least that tall. That’s 77 percent. Of the 33 cornerbacks picked, only 60 percent crack 6’0. Sixteen drafted receivers were 6’2 or taller, while only four cornerbacks were.
The two in the early rounds who didn’t reach the mark? Miami’s Phillip Dorsett, who has world-class speed and is a return threat, and Kansas State’s Tyler Lockett, who is also a big return threat.
Consider that Rashad Greene, the all-time leader in catches and receiving yards at Florida State, went in the fifth round after he measured 5'11, 182 and didn't run sub-4.4 at the combine.
In high school, everyone wants to get the ball. And that means playing receiver. But your chances of getting drafted are poor if you are a short receiver. And 6'0 means 6'0 as measured at the NFL Combine, not the 6' 0 your high school coach fudges for his 5'10.5 prospects.
Are you a 5’10 receiver recruit? Forget the ball and consider playing defensive back. You’re probably already training cornerback skills like lateral agility, change of direction and quickness.
Granted, the NFL prefers bigger corners like Richard Sherman as well, and if you're 5'8, your chance of getting drafted at any position is quite low. But the supply of big corners just doesn't meet the demand, which means teams end up taking shorter players at the position.
And it seems recruiting rankings might echo the trend: 21 of the top 25 receivers in the 247Sports Composite are at least 6’0.
