Most people watching the NFL don't realize how tall the players are. Quarterbacks are scrutinized for being shorter than 6-0 tall, and the average NFL player is between 6-2 and 6-3 tall. Some players surpass that, but others stick out like sore thumbs for being short of that average.
Cornerback Brandon Codrington went undrafted out of NC Central in the 2024 NFL Draft. He made a name for himself as a returner in the preseason with the New York Jets. Codrington played in New York's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers and returned a punt 31 yards. There likely should've been a flag on the play, but Codrington jukes to the right, then somehow escapes a tackle to break off a big run. He also had a 63-yard kick return in the same game.
New #Bills kick returner Brandon Codrington. Scored two touchdowns and averaged 19.6 yards per punt return and 17.9 yards per kick return for North Carolina Central University. Had this 63-yard return for the Jets in preseason pic.twitter.com/Z8CrJg1mXC https://t.co/MkernAp1US
— alex brasky (@alexbrasky) August 27, 2024
When teammates and coaches celebrated him for his plays, you realize how short he looks compared to everyone else. Codrington now plays for the Buffalo Bills and is charged with returning kicks and punts. He looks small, but where does he rank among the smallest players in the NFL?
MORE: NFL Week 2 Power Rankings | NFL Week 2 picks | NFL Week 2 picks against the spread
Who is Brandon Codrington?
Codrington is from Raleigh, N.C., and attended Broughton High School. He stayed local for college, starting at North Carolina Central in 2019. Codrington played four years with the Eagles, and while he was a decent defender, he found his stride in the return game. He went undrafted but signed with the Jets in the preseason. Codrington was part of a rare AFC East Divisional trade that saw New York send him to the Buffalo Bills, which retained him on the main roster.
WEEK 2 FANTASY RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
| Attempts | Yards | Touchdowns | Long | |
| Punt Returns | 61 | 789 | 3 | 85 yards |
| Kick Returns | 69 | 1,359 | 1 | 75 yards |
Where does Brandon Codrington rank among the smallest NFL players?
The Buffalo team website lists Codrington at 5-9 and 185 pounds despite his measuring in at 5-8, 176 pounds at the 2024 NFL Combine. There are nearly 2,000 players in the NFL, and less than 100 are shorter than 5-10. While Codrington is short for NFL standards, he has three inches on the shortest active players in the league.
| Player, Position, Team | Height |
| Deonte Harty, WR, Baltimore Ravens | 5-6 |
| Deuce Vaughn, RB, Dallas Cowboys | 5-6 |
| Blake Grupe, K, New Orleans Saints | 5-7 |
| Greg Dortch, WR, Arizona Cardinals | 5-7 |
| Rondale Moore, WR, Atlanta Falcons | 5-7 |
| Jaleel McLaughlin, RB, Denver Broncos | 5-7 |
| Devin Singletary, RB, New York Giants | 5-7 |
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs | 5-7 |
| 23 players tied | 5-8 |
Codrington is listed at 185 pounds but isn't close to being the lightest player in the NFL. Of the nearly 2,000 players in the league, around 110 weigh less than 186 pounds. It may not seem believable, but Codrington is over 30 pounds heavier than the lightest player in the league.
| Player, Position, Team | Weight (lbs) |
| KaVontae Turpin, WR, Dallas Cowboys | 153 |
| Blake Grupe, K, New Orleans | 156 |
| Calvin Austin III, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers | 162 |
| Tank Dell, WR, Houston Texans | 165 |
| Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs | 165 |
| Tutu Atwell, WR, Los Angeles Rams | 165 |
| Derius Davis, WR, Los Angeles Chargers | 165 |
| Jake Elliott, K, Philadelphia Eagles | 167 |
| 4 players tied | 170 |
