The Shortest vs. Tallest Running Backs ever... Which is better?

[@adam-obaseball]

I wrote my bachelors thesis (History Major) this past spring semester on how the RB has gotten smaller. I used stats mostly between 1958 (Jim Brown's Rookie Season) to 1998 (when Barry Sanders retired). I still feel like I should have done more with my research, but this video definitely elaborates on about half of the thesis. The other half was regarding the utilization of RBs have been used and why RBs were used in this manner.

[@903lew]

What about weight? Have they gotten lighter or are the current rbs just smaller but stronger?

[@adam-obaseball]

@@903lew That was also part of it.

[@adam-obaseball]

They have gotten lighter as well.

[@onedone2011]

college : lol : sounds like an eighth grade book report .....

[@heffegaming]

@@onedone2011 you lame Af.

[@dgcuzi]

I'm taking small rbs over big rbs because of their durability and speed. Guys like Adrian Peterson and Derrick Henry are rare nowadays

[@garysimpson752]

It's also about their build as well, how they carry the weight on their frame

[@903lew]

Those guys have always been rare

[@cincy4life13]

I’m taking a bigger rb.

[@CarnageUndone]

Stupid take

[@brettrossi034]

Thinking of small tanky RBs made me think of the muscle hamster Doug Martin. Idk why but first thought was him lmao. But also guys like Sproles size and speed too came to mind Immediately. But yeah AP and Henry are monsters and totally rare to see nowadays

[@mr.rufasi2729]

Latavius Murray is one of the more underrated players. He’s been sturdy and reliable wherever he’s gone and has almost always been an efficient runner

[@joshualewis7692]

At the time when he was done with the Raiders,my Giants should have pursued him. Unfortunately,we had Geriatric,I mean Jerry Reese as general manager.

[@on1ydotb]

True dat

[@johnasiuras3200]

Bro, the editing is insane. Keep up the good work.

[@culpabledread5397]

Brandon Jacobs was such a beast for my giants. I loved watching him plow through everyone. His double backflip td celebration was amazing

[@JOGA_Wills]

Man did i hate when the Boyz had to play Jacobs and the Giants, Roy Williams popped him his rookie year tho

[@milkmonster2310]

Rotund Rex Ryan acting like he wanted that smoke 💨 😂!

[@camerondenis4007]

Miss those days man

[@joshualewis7692]

At the time when it was fun and wanted watch the Giants. Miss those days.

[@notavailable4596]

He was insane to watch. No way they win two SBs without him. They just seemed to hit over and over on underrated RBs for awhile there.

[@Quasi_Terrible]

The fact that you don't mention that Larry Csonka is the only offensive player to have an unnecessary roughness penalty thrown on him while he was running the ball is an absolute shame. Larry Csonka was an absolute gorilla back in the day.

[@jtdavis62]

This channel rarely looks earlier that 2000 or so.

[@Scuba-df6yi]

He has a whole video about Larry zonka

[@bassplayer8815]

He was a fast mf after he got a few yards after contact too so you know whatever he did to a db after was gonna hurt

[@ArenaPhoenix]

None of us were alive to watch him cut the shit Quasi ☠️

[@bassplayer8815]

@@ArenaPhoenix It's on youtube G

[@robbiej2734]

As a Giants fan, I was pumped that Brandon Jacobs got to spend his final season with us after that year in SF where get only got 5 carries. His return was one of the few bright spots of that awful 2013 season.

[@robbiej2734]

@@Eviticus-Maximus Him and Jacobs both had 1000 yards in 2008. That was a killer season. I'm still convinced that if Plax doesn't shoot himself in the leg, we would have repeated or at least made it back to the SB.

[@robbiej2734]

@@Eviticus-Maximus I was in your exact shoes in Super Bowl LII. I hate the Patriots more than I'll ever hate any team in our division (my dad is a Colts fan) so it wasn't a question of who I was gonna root for.

[@Maplenr]

Before watching, the greatest back ever was 5'8". Barry had NOBODY blocking for him and still got a thousand every year he was there.

[@ruebenllongoria836]

Barry wasn’t human. Doesn’t count.

[@ClearGodLacrosse]

barry had mutliple all pros on his line

[@Reggie2kj]

@@ClearGodLacrossehe had only 1 for each year…. The rest of the line was garbage & getting beat off the line immediately 💀.

[@tavonbrown9237]

​@@ClearGodLacrosseBarry made his line pro bowlers. If they were worth a damn he wouldn't have quit. The lions had to be the most sacked team of all time during Barry's tenure.

[@thenumberquelve158]

Darren Sproles was my mother's favorite player (even got to talk to him a little bit as an AMC employee in San Diego.) The Chargers of the mid-aughts were totally stacked, even though it was considered Ladanian Tomlinson's team. (Of course they achieved almost nothing because screw you Spanos.) I also love that he got to catch one of Drew Brees's record-breaking passes. I can't remember which one, he's broken so many of them. Also, glad to know Latavius Murray is still playing. Don't think he'll make the Hall of Fame or anything, but he's a solid contributor if you can get him.

[@chasekozak7206]

It was Brees’s NFL record for career TD passes. Got to meet Sproles at a football camp when I was 8th grade when he just got drafted. Nice guy, super quiet

[@fredb3400]

Lightning bug was a beast on the field

[@FoxxyBrown1111]

Yeah screw Spanos... but for only one thing: Extending thr contract of Norv the Smurf after punting the SB chance away. Vs NE 2007 that was!... This, true worst coach ever, across all sports, literally not only kicked away games, but whole seasons. "HC" wasted one of the most efficient pass offenses and most talented overall roster ever... by running his RBs straight into living walls of meat instead. Guy never led his QBs audible. In case he was at least mediocre, knew how to game plan at least a bit, Chargers would have fielded a 500 point offense each season + his RBs gaining 5 yards per carry. All supported by monster defenses. Sproles was fun to watch. Nonetheless. Always.

[@DCJayhawk57]

Sproles was a senior at a different school in town when I was a sophomore in HS, and he absolutely decimated my HS football team in the city championship that year. He had a kick return TD and I think at least 2 rushing TDs in that game. I didn't dress for the game since I wasn't on varsity so was watching from the stands. Sproles was so muscular and dense for a high school kid I thought he was 5'10", 200 lb. I was shocked to find out he was 5'6" and 180 lb soaking wet. The word was he could squat 500 lb and bench 350 lb in high school. Even though he went to a rival college after that, I always rooted for him as a hometown kid. Was fun to see him play in the league so long, even though he spent time with another rival team in the NFL (Chargers) to my Chiefs.

[@dariorichards8278]

I prefer shorter bowling ball running backs i.e. Maurice Jones-Drew hard to hit low to the ground

[@ravens4207]

Doug Martin 💪

[@hobiestewart2459]

I do as well. To me, the best value in short rbs is their ability to disappear behind gigantic offensive lineman. It's harder for linebackers to follow and react to their movements.

[@jmgonzales7701]

one of the only moments where being short is considered an advantage @@hobiestewart2459

[@sethrich5998]

In high school we had a guy on our football team who’s nickname was “Cannonball”. He was like 5’6 200ish and had a really low crumpled over running style. Dude seriously looked like a ball while running, practically took defenders out at the knees.

[@bonerpics8811]

Jonathan Stewart panthers legend🔥🔥🔥

[@thomasdaniels6824]

I'll never forget the picture of Derrick Henry next to Mark Ingram at the 2015 National Championship

[@JSalonsky]

Maurice Jones Drew was a MONSTER, I grew up in florida and they NEVER showed the jags on tv unless you lived in florida, if he played on the jets he would’ve been a superstar

[@draculaman]

Pretty funny coincidence that Deuce Vaughn and Sproles both came out of Kansas State. Loved the production values of this ep btw, it came out great

[@symptomofsouls]

Lockett came from there as well. Kansas State loves their small guys

[@CB-so8xd]

​@@symptomofsoulsWhen Snyder took over he had to work with what he could get. We had a one-eyed linebacker. Undersized RB works if you have a running QB. Klieman is a better recruiter and recognized Deuce could ball

[@CB-ke7eq]

Watching Derrick Henry shove defenders into the Earth's core is maybe the most fun I've had from the NFL since the 90s.

[@_The_Journey]

The Dynamic duo of Jacobs and Bradshaw is super underrated 💯 both were flat out beast ! Each of em ran angry

[@milesmurraybey4140]

They were mad as hell

[@isaiahtruchsess]

Brandon Jacobs, as a Giants fan, is my favorite player of all time. That duo with him and Ahmad Bradshaw was unstoppable.

[@FenjaminBranklin69]

Once an running back was so big I thought he was an offensive lineman

[@TheGreenZone4]

that rb was me

[@johnasiuras3200]

Eddy Lacy?

[@BroncosCountry58]

@@johnasiuras3200 NAH 💀

[@johngancarcik5682]

​@@johnasiuras3200lmfao 🤣 😂

[@devinshearer7523]

In middle school, their was a kid that had the nickname “The Fridge” He had to be 5’8” 190 but he was fat. Legit built like a fridge lol he was slow but hard to tackle. We still beat them tho 🥱

[@DrJacobTheGreat]

Man KTO I’ve been watching you since I was in high school back when you used Madden as background footage. To see how far you’ve come in this time is nothing less than special. You make some really cool shit man and keep up the great work! This was insanely well made. You keep getting better and better man! KTO is definitely HIM!

[@fredb3400]

Let's also not forget that Darren "lightning bug" Sproles was a great returner as well.

[@yayap5631]

Doesn't he have the record for longest kick return?

[@CB-so8xd]

​@@yayap5631 I think at one time. In 2011 he had a record with the most (2,696) all-purpose yards. He also has the most TD receptions for someone under 5'7"

[@bigJplane]

That final clip of Brandon Jacobs is absolutely filthy lol

[@BigOEntertainmentYT]

Sad Doug Martin, the 5'9 "Might Hamster" wasnt mentioned on here. He had a few really good years with the Bucs, and he was small and ellusive, but could also be a bruiser from time to time.

[@jmgonzales7701]

i think a n elusive Rb is better sustainability wise than a bruiser due to wear and tear.

[@NathanMoon-tz2jp]

Bro was a nightmare for a couple of seasons

[@joehooker7522]

Muscle hamster

[@itscole83]

At one point, the Auburn backfield consisted of Brandon Jacobs, Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown. Scary

[@testbenchdude]

Derrick Henry is one of the few players I watch highlights for irrespective of what team he's playing for. I just want to see him run; he's just so dominant and entertaining to watch. One of my favorite RBs of this era. Boston Scott is another, partly because he was jokingly rumored to have been one of those guys the Iggles found down at the local Wawa to play for our bowl game a couple of years ago, but mostly because he's got the moves. I'll never forget one of the announcers exclaiming on broadcast TV, "Where did this guy come from?!" Highly enjoyable to see "the little guy" be so impactful.

[@TheBigFunShow]

Are you high? He plays for the same team who drafted him

[@newagain9964]

I hope Henry goes to BAL next year ends his career there.

[@chapscreen]

Bro. Your editing has been goin crazy. Great job man!! Been watching since 2017 and you keep getting better. Keep doin whatchu doin bro✊🏽

[@MasterFlarg89]

This is the best quality video I have seen from KTO, the visuals were so well done, you've gotten better over time good sir, and that's not to say you didn't already have well made videos.

[@fintanmccann1128]

This is tiers above all the rest producing football content. Always leaves me smiling and satisfied

[@adamb5629]

The editing for your recent videos have been amazing

[@animenopaawaa]

I prefer short RBs over tall RBS (unless they are in the FB position with essential and substantial roles). Also I'm surprised that Marshawn Lynch is not in the conversation, the man who's infamously and famously known as the man who did The Beast Quake Run

[@doctorsoggy5563]

Marshawn is awesome but his height isn’t much of an outlier

[@charlesburroughs9770]

Thanks for mentioning "Mini" Mack Herron, he was one of my Favorite Patriots' Players from back then!!! He gave us little guys the hopes of playing ball after HS!!!

[@sethhornbaker2216]

I watch Brandon Jacobs live when he played for Coffeyville Community College. He was a monster then, and there was only one guy on our Community college team that wanted any of that smoke. At that time he was 250 and ran a 4.5sec 40yd dash.

[@NAT-turners-Revenge]

😐

[@Treeko55]

Brandon Jacob's is my favorite player ever. Really glad to see him in a video

[@XtremeTony]

Yes! I love the 3 yards and a cloud of dust type of running. I Formation with a Fullback leading the way. I also appreciate a good elusive runner too who can run to daylight. Same thing for a running back who is somewhere in the middle who can run both outside and inside.

[@railfanmaximstill7279]

0:56 that is why being short is an advantage. You could easily become faster than the competition

[@Rick-mo2zm]

Those were the days!!! Thunder and Lightning for the Giants with Jacobs and Bradshaw...feels like a lifetime ago already.

[@michaelhackler2812]

Great video! Been watching forever! Thank you for everything Kyrsten!

[@harrison_uga]

kto this video is really well made ur editing is getting better & better keep going brother we love ur vids

[@903lew]

I’m a simple man, I love all running backs. But my all time favourites? King Henry, Blount Force Trauma and of course Beastmode. You could say I like ‘em big and strong.

[@7burrr]

whoever edited this did a great job

[@NAScpm10]

New KTO video! My day just got better 😊

[@AshS85]

Brandon jacobs was such a beast at his peak. Maurice JonesDrew was the best smaller workhorse RB we've ever seen.

[@payableondeath7]

MJD was so much fun to watch. Shame on the NFL for not making him the first Jag in the HOF

[@obadiahplainman8897]

Fred Taylor deserves it more

[@newagain9964]

Even MJD said Fred Taylor was better. 🤣

[@KingKluch]

It's cool to see how certain genetics play out at the highest levels of physical competition

[@Spamus]

Man watching Brandon Jacobs as a kid was so much fun. It was like watching men play against a freight train

[@golfboy7676]

Idk what KTO did but this editing is sooooo good

[@iKeeKool]

The editing is sick on this one

[@Janon743]

5’8- 6’1 seems like the golden range to me. Big enough to have the size and strength to be able to both see the lanes, and handle the hits and contact, while also having agility, speed, and not as much foot strain and foot injuries from being taller

[@chaserichardson3465]

Lets GOOOO!! KTO Friday

[@jacksonodenbach1564]

These videos are so high quality, it’s insane! Keep it up!

[@LateNightTableCo]

4:23 I can’t help but imagine the Mario Hammer music playing while watching Henry run for the TD here

[@ItsKryptick]

For the exact reasons you mentioned, big guys just have better use cases. A 6'4 behemoth might be fun to watch at RB, but it's honestly a waste of their physical gifts. Much more suited for a LB/TE/WR role, and will probably see a longer career there as well.

[@lsgreger2645]

The New York Media is obsessed with calling the 2 back system Thunder and Lightning. Even before Jacobs/Bradshaw they gave that name to Dayne/Barber. It didn't last long because Ron Dayne wasn't great and Tiki Barber became the clear #1 back in Daynes 3rd year.

[@aaronwhite4050]

Man I know I'm biased as a titans fan, but your outro not being The King stiff arming Josh Norman into retirement hurt my soul. Guess you showed his 99 yard run so I'm a bit greedy. 😂 great vid as always man!

[@TheOGHoopByTheBook]

This gonna be a good one

[@GleenwoodEABaby]

2:24 I went to high school in Stockbridge. Never knew someone out the county went to the NFL. You would think I would know of that guy since he was only born a year after me, but I’ve never heard of him

[@bigbrad8]

I think it helps that there are so many smaller running backs that can all be put in a timeshare, as well as the decline in the power run game and more timeshares being used around the league

[@hansoskar1911]

the fact that every position has gotten bigger and heavier while RBs have stayed roughly the same looks like an important point why RBs decay so much faster today.

[@jworel12]

Lmao at the Micah Parsons interview at the end. 11 yards a carry is crazy!

[@YOSSARIAN313]

My high school had a guy who was rated as a 4 star and played at Texas he averaged 9.5 per carry and only had less than 140 yards once all season. These crazy athletes are unfair against high school competition

[@MrGG1959]

Mack Herron was a beast while playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers he had 900 yards rushing in 1971 followed by over 1500 in 1972 while returning kickoffs for an over 30 yard average during the two seasons he spent in Winnipeg.

[@user-qd2ub9pb1h]

Such a banger KTO keeping going!

[@bmac4]

I think tall running backs stand a good chance to rise in this era of flexibility where teams have really come to like pass catching backs. Helps to have a guy with more reach and height in those cases.

[@percn0witzki]

KTO is the Jxmy Highroller of NFL KZbin. The absolute GOAT of NFL content.

[@gavincampbell7488]

Great video, as always brother. Keep up the good work 🫡😎

[@mcdudely]

Always dropping great videos!

[@msmith8228]

A mix of both my favourite backs were Jerome Bettis and Frank gore, they had that fire hydrant build, then again the best prototypical rb had to be someone like LT, AP or Barry sanders

[@armchairquarterback]

These graphics were NICE keep it up bro!

[@freddyandfoxy7526]

Runningback heights heights always fascinates me. Because they say being a tall Runningback is bad because they can be hurt. But being short is good because they more vestile and probably won't get hurt much.

[@billblaski9523]

Its just a shame that the era of the superstar RB is all but over. Coaches and GMs would rather pay three RBs $5M each and do the by-committee approach, than pay one RB $15-20M

[@Jarethbowie]

That 99-yard TD run from Henry was one of the most wild plays I’ve ever seen

[@fostinator69]

The amount of lateral movement adrian Peterson had was unmatched

[@e2rqey]

Truly one of the greatest to ever do it. I feel like he was damn near the perfect build for a single elite all-purpose RB. Tall enough to have great top end speed, short enough to still have great acceleration, jump cuts, and elusiveness. Big enough to be physical and run people over, but not so heavy as to slow him down and prevent him from having super fast feet and great balance. He was really the complete package and that's before you add his elite vision, reactions, and willpower.

[@londonbridges9611]

@KTO you should have used that raw room clip 9:16

[@order3457]

do this kinda video for all positions pls? very entertaining thank you. been watching for years.

[@Yuhboy666]

Keep it up always good vids as always

[@coiler3927]

I have a theory that running backs may lean towards getting bigger again. As more would-be agility backs train for the more lucrative and less rough receiver career, youre left with big guys who can also help block

[@bradylange02]

I love this video more than you know! Thank you KTO!

[@Eddieavina123]

Love your video KTO and keep up the great work

[@thefolkteal6631]

It really is a roll of the dice. Some RBs are more durable than others. I feel it certainly helps to be stockier though. MJD is a great example. Short but stocky and bounced off of defenders.

[@increase9896]

7:59 LMAO Csonka throwing a spinning elbow in the fray

[@randomdefender1532]

I'd like to see a video on tall and short defensive backs. Shorter DBs: Tyrann Mathieu (5-9, 190), Jack Tatum (5-10, 200), Troy Polomalu (5-10, 207), Ed Reed (5-11, 205) Taller DBs: Kam Chancellor (6-3, 225), Richard Sherman (6-3, 205), Steve Atwater (6-3, 218), Sean Taylor (6-2, 230)

[@retepoteil]

I was a huge fan of Brandon jacobs. He was like the juggernaut with that football

[@carspiv]

Essex Johnson is largely forgotten today. He was listed as 5’9”, 201 lbs. His running style made him seem even shorter and he had great forward lean. Before his knee got destroyed on his first run in a 1973 playoff against the Dolphins, he was a threat to go coast-to-coast every time he touched the ball. He had a 5.1 yd per carry average with 997 yards in the regular season and was also a terrific receiver. I still think the Dolphins deliberately went for his knees with a deliberate intent to injure him.

[@Solo-Road]

Nice work as always.

[@chandlergiles5130]

Like number 1,000!! Good stuff brother. Your videos make me happy

[@ChairmanMeow1]

great content lately

[@robertmiller8529]

How can you not include Adrian Peterson on your list at 6’ 2”

[@newagain9964]

Peterson is my fav RUNNER of the ball. The best. Payton a close 2nd then Barry.

[@tlreclipse1126]

AP was listed at 6'1"

[@newagain9964]

@@tlreclipse1126 regardless. He’s still above the avg.

[@GarrettsGear]

I always thought it was cooler to see someone get obliterated than it was to see them get juked. Give me the power back all day. That's why Mighty Mouse MJD was such a legend, he was literally both.

[@SlyLyfeTV]

Brandon Jacobs aka Toby, we're from the same hometown. I remember him coming greet us at football practice back in 2007. Someone that big at running back is insane but he's always been that big.

[@erichschaumloffel975]

I know we all had one of those 6’5” ATHs that were great backs in NCAA

[@jruth77]

Damn you did Darren sproles dirty in that opening graphic 😂

[@harrison_uga]

fax he made him like a ant 😭

[@sultanazteca6598]

I'll take the exciting Barry Sanders box of surprises any time. I never tire of watching his highlights over and over again. Actually, I will watch them once more! Good vid! =D

[@epicdizzle.]

lmao this editing is awesome

[@axdambient]

when the Giants had their 2007 postseason run and in 2008, their running backs were called Earth Wind and Fire. Brandon Jacobs was Earth, Derrick Ward was Wind, and Ahmad Bradshaw was Fire. Al Michaels came up with that

[@theboulder3278]

What music are you using for this episode because it is amazing

[@sethmaki1333]

Because of the devaluation of running backs in terms of pay scale in recent years, I predict that the big power backs will be the trend of the next decade, as the guys who are roughly six foot, 190-210 lb will likely transition to playing receiver due to the higher positional pay and longer average careers due to the reduced work load. It's only a matter of time before the Christian Okoyes of the world dominate the NFL once again.

[@Tripp2136]

KTO AND FLEMLO COMPLAMENT EACH OTHER SO WELL!!!

[@martinishot]

I'm looking at the 10 top single season rushers of all time. Everybody except Barry Sanders is 5.11 or taller. Shorter means you're seeing less of what is going on in front of you.

[@aliensyndrome4280]

Emmitt Smith was just 5-9

[@JetsetComedian]

Eddie George was a giant, darn near Jacobs size, and 500x more effective/ useful

[@bigrich6075]

​@@davidirish6875Jacob's would just run over defenders.

[@cardonbluh2313]

I feel like nothing is more fun to watch and strikes more fear into a defense than a 6ft3+ 250 lb mountain of a man running full speed towards a defense

[@sanchezsebastian516]

A classic kto upload🔥

[@LoganNagol]

Bro it came out 20 seconds ago…the video could legit be shit and you would have no idea

[@xXMalakianXVII]

My favorite backs were always smaller guys like Sproles and Westbrook. I'm honestly surprised you never mentioned Westbrook. At least I didn't hear him get mentioned.

[@gridiron8870]

What about Maurice Jones Drew?

[@xXMalakianXVII]

MJD was a beast for sure too.

[@ronniewhitehouse387]

Considering the late 60s/early 70s Chiefs had Morris Stroud, the tallest player ever, that must have been a confusing skill position group to face