MOBILE, Ala. — Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan wasn’t talking about Kellen Moore when he described the qualities he seeks in a quarterback, yet he encapsulated the Boise State left-hander’s predicament perfectly.

“You’d like a guy who’s an athlete, who can make plays on his own,” Shanahan said at the Senior Bowl. “Usually if he doesn’t have that athletic ability, he needs to be a little taller because you have to be able to see.”

Moore has neither of those traits, which makes him unlike any of the 112 quarterbacks currently listed on NFL rosters.

The NFL average quarterback height is 6-foot-3. Nine of the 32 primary starters are at least 6-5.

Moore checked in this week at 5-11 fl. Only five quarterbacks in the NFL are 6-foot or under, and all of them were run threats in college — even New Orleans Saints great Drew Brees (6-0), who has developed into a record-setting pocket passer and at least cracked the window for the shorter quarterback.

“For every Drew Brees, it’s a laundry list of names that didn’t make it,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said.

Moore has a different list in mind — the list of people who have dismissed him as a great “college” quarterback with limited NFL potential.

He already has started to win over ESPN’s Todd McShay, who dismissed Moore in the past but has raved about him in reports from Mobile, where Moore and four other Broncos will play in the Senior Bowl on Saturday (2 p.m., NFL Network).

“It’s one of those deals where I’ve been this height probably since I was a freshman in high school. I went through it from high school to college and I’ll go through it again,” Moore said, “and if someone says I’m too short, smile at ’em and maybe remember the name.

“… If you can move the ball down the field, they’ll let you play.”

Five years ago, the Prosser (Wash.) High star couldn’t get a sniff from the Pac-12 schools in his own state because of his size.

Some coaches wondered if he could survive the physical beating of the position, a question he made moot by taking the fewest sacks in the country two of the past three seasons.

The same traits that kept him safe — preparation, feel for the game, anticipation — also allowed him to complete 69.8 percent of his career passes. Early in his career, coach Chris Petersen described his ability to move within the pocket and find throwing lanes as NFL-like.

Deflected passes at the line of scrimmage were about as rare as sacks.

“You’ve got to be 6-8 to truly be looking over people,” Moore said. “It’s all about finding lanes.”

Coaches from the Redskins and Minnesota Vikings, who are leading the two Senior Bowl teams, agree with Moore.

But they also say height has its advantages — and it takes a player with special skills to overcome a deficiency there.

The Vikings’ offensive line, for example, is on average nearly 2 inches taller than Boise State’s.

“Guys are getting bigger and faster all the time,” said Vikings offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, who has worked with Moore all week on the North team. “At times, when your vision is occluded, it’s tough to be effective out there.

“I don’t think (Moore) is too small. If you can play, you can play. Guys adjust for what they’ve got, what the good Lord has given them in terms of height and weight and speed. He definitely knows how to play the game of football.”

Moore has been painted by many draft analysts as ill-equipped for the NFL. Critics this week have pointed to his body and his movement, but ignored his precise passing when throwing against defenders. He was particularly impressive Tuesday, when he was 11-of-13 combined in 1-on-1 and 7-on-7 drills in front of hundreds of NFL scouts and decision-makers.

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier says height remains “a big deal” to NFL coaches, but Moore will give them reason to take a deeper look.

“I would say, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover in this case,’ ” he said. “It can be deceiving because he is an accurate passer and he has great anticipation.”

NFL Network analysts Mike Mayock and Charles Davis, who provided live commentary during the practices this week, joked about Moore’s youthful appearance.

“It looks like someone’s little brother tagged into the drills,” Davis said in an interview, “and then when they start, he’s the brother who can play. I like him a lot.”

Both say teams will struggle to reconcile Moore’s lack of physical gifts with his mastery of some of the most difficult quarterback skills.

“He’s a smart, instinctive kid who understands the game so much,” Mayock said. “He anticipates and throws with accuracy, so that will give him a chance.”

Added Davis: “This is the toughest evaluation maybe in this game. … The eye test is going to kill him. But then you turn on a tape and watch him run a team and have command of things and the pre-snap reads and, man, the ball’s in the right place and your team is moving the football.”

Musgrave, whose North team also includes athletic Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson (5-10 [0xbd]), says Moore’s height alone won’t hold him back.

“If you can play, you get a job,” Musgrave said.

But there’s no doubt Moore would be drafted higher if he could add inches the way most prospects add pounds.

And there’s little doubt a less-accomplished passer will be selected before him.

Redskins quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur, who says he doesn’t care about size and who coaches one of the NFL’s shortest starters (6-foot-1 Rex Grossman), admits there’s a bias.

“Everybody wants the prototypical, and the prototypical is 6-3, 6-4, 6-5,” he said. “So I do think there’s probably more opportunities for those taller guys out there.

“But ultimately, when you get your opportunity — like he’s going to get — it’s just making the most of it.”