The F150 was always a full sized truck. The early F100 was a smaller pickup, but even it got up to full sized by the end of the run. Originally the Ranger was just a model of F150, then they made a smaller Ranger pickup which wasn't based on it.
The modern F150 isn't much bigger except that it's longer, because people didn't respond well to the shorter hood. There are multiple possible reasons for this. I have personally heard people complain about the appearance. I have personally worked on a short hood F150 and it's fucking nightmare doing engine work, so I sure wouldn't buy another one.
What I want, but I doubt that a) it would sell or b) you could make it meet crash standards, is something like the old Jeep FC (Forward Control) pickups. Sitting in front of the front axle is weird, but you do get used to it. We have a diesel pusher bus, I've only driven it a handful of times, and I'm almost used to it already — and you sit literally multiple feet further forwards in there. ("First to the scene of the accident", they say.) Cabovers are much shorter, and if they have a tilting cab, also much easier to work on. A big part of the problem with a truck with a useful ("long") bed is the length, it's hard to parallel park it anywhere.