You’d think the NFL is just a private club for giants. We see these 6-foot-4, 300-pound monsters on TV every Sunday and assume you need a "must be this tall to ride" ticket just to get on the field. But honestly? That’s not the whole story. Some of the most electric, "blink-and-you-miss-them" players in the league are actually shorter than the average guy you’d meet at a grocery store.
So, who's the shortest player in the NFL right now?
If you're looking at the active rosters for the 2025-2026 season, the crown belongs to Deuce Vaughn. Standing at a flat 5 feet 5 inches, the Denver Broncos running back (who most fans remember starting out with the Dallas Cowboys) is a literal outlier in a world of behemoths. But he isn't alone. There's a small but mighty group of guys who have turned their "lack of height" into a strategic nightmare for defensive coordinators.
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The Micro-Machine: Deuce Vaughn and the 5-Foot-5 Club
Deuce Vaughn is basically a human cheat code for "low center of gravity." When he was drafted out of Kansas State, he became the shortest player ever measured at the NFL Combine since they started keeping official records.
Think about that for a second.
The NFL has been around for over a century, and Vaughn is the one who finally broke the floor. At 5'5", he’s nearly a foot shorter than some of the linebackers trying to tackle him. But that's exactly why he’s dangerous. When he ducks behind a 6-foot-6 offensive lineman, he literally disappears. Linebackers can’t see him until he’s already three yards past them.
It's not just a novelty act. Vaughn was a consensus All-American in college. He’s got these "scat-back" vibes where he can catch a pass out of the backfield and make three guys miss in a phone booth.
Other Active "Short Kings" on the Roster
Vaughn might be the shortest, but he's got company in the under-5'7" category.
- J.J. Taylor: Another 5'5" (sometimes listed at 5'6") powerhouse. He’s bounced around a few rosters, including the Patriots and Texans. Like Vaughn, he’s a running back who uses his size to hide behind the "big uglies" on the line.
- Deonte Harty: Usually listed around 5'6". Harty isn't just "small for a football player"; he’s an All-Pro return specialist. He’s proof that if you have world-class speed, the NFL doesn't care if you're the tallest guy in the room.
- Jakeem Grant: Also 5'6". One of the most dangerous returners of the last decade. Watching him run next to a guy like Dawand Jones (who is 6'8") is honestly one of the funniest visual contrasts in pro sports.
The Shortest Player in NFL History
While Deuce Vaughn is the king of the modern era, the all-time record goes way back to the early days of the league.
Jack Shapiro holds the title of the shortest player in NFL history. He was 5 feet 1 inch. Seriously.
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Shapiro played for the Staten Island Stapletons in 1929. He only appeared in one game, but he’s forever in the record books. He weighed about 119 pounds. In today's NFL, he’d probably get blown away by a heavy breeze, but back then, he was out there mixing it up. It’s sort of wild to think about a guy that size trying to tackle anyone, but the 1920s were a different time.
Shortest Quarterbacks: Breaking the "Tall QB" Myth
For decades, scouts would throw a prospect's tape in the trash if he was under 6'2". They said you couldn't see over the offensive line. Then came Drew Brees (6'0"), then Russell Wilson (5'11"), and then the floodgates opened.
Currently, Kyler Murray and Bryce Young are tied for the title of the shortest starting quarterbacks in the league, both measuring in at roughly 5 feet 10 inches.
Murray, specifically, plays like a point guard on grass. His height actually makes him harder to catch because his change of direction is so sudden. He doesn't try to look over the line; he finds the "lanes" or windows between the giant bodies. It’s a different way of playing the position, but it clearly works—the guy was a #1 overall pick and an Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Does Being Short Actually Help?
You’d think being small is a pure disadvantage, but in some roles, it’s a superpower.
Take the "leverage" factor. In football, the lower man usually wins. If a 5'6" running back is running full speed at a 6'3" linebacker, that linebacker has to bend his entire body down to make a clean tackle. If he doesn't, the running back just bounces off his chest or slides under his arms.
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Then there's the "vision" issue for the defense. It is genuinely hard to track a player like Boston Scott (5'6") or Clyde Edwards-Helaire (5'7") when they are buried behind a wall of 300-pound men. By the time the safety sees the ball carrier, they’ve already gained five yards.
The Challenges are Real
I’m not gonna sugarcoat it—it’s an uphill battle. Short players have to be twice as fast and three times as tough.
- Durability: Taking hits from 250-pounders when you’re 175 pounds wears you down.
- Catch Radius: For wide receivers, being short means you have a smaller "window" for the QB to hit.
- Blocking: If you're a 5'6" running back, you still have to pass-protect against a charging blitzing linebacker. That takes some serious guts.
Why We Root for the Underdog
There's something inherently human about rooting for the guy who "shouldn't" be there. When you see who's the shortest player in the NFL making a play, it feels like a win for the rest of us.
It proves that the NFL isn't just about genetic freaks; it's about skill, twitch, and heart. Guys like Darren Sproles (5'6") made entire careers out of being the smallest guy on the field, eventually retiring with the 5th most all-purpose yards in league history. That's not just "good for a short guy"—that's Hall of Fame level production.
Actionable Takeaways for the Fans
If you're watching a game and notice a "tiny" guy on the field, keep an eye on these things:
- Watch the "Hidden" Yards: Notice how guys like Deuce Vaughn gain yards before the camera even finds them.
- The Leverage Battle: Look at how short blockers get under the pads of defenders to move them.
- Speed vs. Size: See how often the shorter player wins on a "stop-and-go" route because they can decelerate faster than a taller, heavier player.
Height might be a measurement, but in the NFL, it’s definitely not a ceiling. Whether it's Jack Shapiro's 5'1" legacy or Deuce Vaughn's current 5'5" highlights, the "short kings" of football are here to stay.
If you want to track how these players perform throughout the season, keep a close eye on the weekly injury reports and practice squad elevations. Many of these smaller specialists, like J.J. Taylor, often move between the active roster and the practice squad depending on the team's specific matchup needs for that week. Checking official team depth charts on sites like NFL.com or ESPN is the most reliable way to see who is actually dressed for game day.