McCae Hillstead is going to compete for the starting quarterback position at BYU during fall camp alongside Stanford transfer Bear Bachmeier and Treyson Bourguet. If he wins the job, he will be the shortest signal-caller on the Power Four level, if not the shortest in college football.
The Cougars list him at 5-foot-10 but that might be generous.
I cannot imagine Hillstead is as tall as the official college football roster claims. I find it hard to believe he is taller than 5-foot-8 based on the early images from practice in Provo.
Who is McCae Hillstead?
Hillstead ranked as a three-star prospect in the recruiting Class of 2023 out of Skyridge High School. He threw for 6,898 yards and 73 touchdowns and ran for 1,791 yards and 35 touchdowns as a three-year starter for the Falcons.
The Utah-native received three scholarship offers from FIU, Washington State and Utah State and ultimately committed to the Aggies. Hillstead played in eight games with four starts as a true freshman. He completed 94 passes for 1,062 yards and 11 touchdowns with eight interceptions.
Hillstead ultimately hit the portal as a rising sophomore, transferred to BYU and took a redshirt last season. Jake Retzlaff’s surprising departure puts him in position to compete for the starting job in 2025.
Bachmeier, Bourguet and Hillstead will battle it out over the next few weeks.
How tall is he, really?
The Cougars list McCae Hillstead on the official team roster at 5-foot-10. I doubt it.
He is the smallest quarterback of the group by a pretty large margin. I find it hard to believe he is only four inches shorter than Bachmeier, who is pictured on his immediately right in the photo below.
You cannot see him behind the line of scrimmage.
BYU QB McCae Hillstead connects with Stanford transfer Tiger Bachmeier. pic.twitter.com/dHnCDmpAFm
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) July 31, 2025
Hillstead is not a tall guy…
Even if he is actually 5-foot-10, the label “undersized quarterback” still applies. It is something he has dealt with throughout his entire life so he has it figured out.
If you haven't noticed, BYU QB McCae Hillstead is … well, not 6-foot.
— Sean Walker (@ActuallyDSW) July 30, 2025
He addressed his label as an "under-sized" quarterback here 👇 pic.twitter.com/i8nLqDVj5Y
And when it comes to seeing over the offensive line — something that isn’t going to happen — he wants to remind everyone that most quarterbacks can’t see over the offensive line anyway!
BYU did not expect to have a quarterback battle but here we are. McCae Hillstead can become the shortest signal-caller in the Big 12 (if not college football) with a great camp!