Hey, has anyone asked Bryce Young’s upcoming opponents about the whole undersized thing? Because if there’s a concern about how the 5-foot-10, 200-pounder will hold up against professional players, perhaps asking said players he’ll be up against would be rather insightful, no?
Luckily, Jane Slater just did.
On Tuesday’s episode of Good Morning Football, the host and NFL Network reporter posed the question to Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett—who’ll be seeing Young at least twice this upcoming season. Here’s what the ninth-year veteran said of the rookie quarterback when asked if his smaller stature is an advantage or disadvantage for opposing defenses:
“I don’t know if . . . either, because I’m a ‘small’ defensive tackle,” he replied. “I think the man was drafted No. 1 for a reason—and I think we’re all gonna find out a while, over time. So you gotta give him his due credit until he proves otherwise. So it is what it is. Gotta prepare for him.”
As he himself notes, Jarrett is also considered a tad undersized for his position at the NFL level. Nonetheless, his six-foot, 305-pound frame hasn’t stopped him from becoming a two-time Pro Bowler and one of the most dominant players in the NFC South.
But will Young’s stop him from a similar future? Well, based on the early returns from his peers, the 2023 first overall pick should be just fine.
