John Krahn may be the largest football player ever, and the high school senior is finally starting to make it big.
The 7-foot-tall, 440-pound player from Southern California has only been playing football for a few years, but in recent days his giant stature is starting to earn him some national attention. Krahn was just the subject of a MaxPreps profile , and video of his imposing play on the field is going viral as well. As MaxPreps notes, college recruiters are starting to take a close look as well. But John Krahn has a lot to work on. His technique is still quite raw, and his footwork suffers from his giant size.
But as MaxPreps noted, Krahn is working on all of that.
“I’ve had minimal experience,” Krahn said. “I started in high school, but I’ve trained my way through, going to different camps.”
Krahn told MaxPreps that he’s attempting to shed some pounds by adhering to a 3,000-calorie diet comprised mainly of fish and chicken.
“I have to lose weight, for our team,” he said.
If he could somehow work out the issues, John Krahn could smash records for the biggest football player ever to suit up in the NFL. The tallest player ever was Morris Stroud, a 6-foot-10, 255-pound tight end who played for the Kansas City Chiefs in the early 1970s.
Even Ed “Too Tall” Jones would be looking up to John Krahn. The Dallas Cowboys defensive end, famous for his giant size, is a full three inches shorter than the high school senior.
But John Krahn is still learning how to use his size and weight to his advantage. The highlights show that Krahn can barge his way into the backfield by sheer force, but other times struggles to keep up with the play. His slow footwork is a detriment, but it’s a problem that a college coach may want to gamble on.
Krahn certainly excels in love of the game.
“I always felt it’s been a good sport for me because I’m big and I can control what goes on around me,” Krahn told the Press Enterprise in a profile last year. “It has been my one true love throughout my entire life.”
But the height comes with other problems, he noted.
“People pick fights all the time because of my size,” Krahn told the Press-Enterprise . “I just walk away from situations like that. Just turn my back and leave.”
The love of football has worked out well for John Krahn, who reportedly gained some good attention at a USA Football camp.
[Image via MaxPreps video screenshot]