is a bigger rooster better

Better for what? Predator protection? Any rooster can watch over a flock of hens and give a warning in case of a predator attack. A big rooster may stand a better chance of survival then a tiny one but any rooster who is standing between his hens and an attacking predator is likely to end up dinner himself in the process.
 
You're the only one who can answer that question, because you are the one who knows what your goals for your flock are. Are you planning on breeding to get meat and eggs (dual purpose birds)? If so, then yes, bigger is probably better. If you don't plan on butchering your extra cockerels or spent hens, then I don't know that it really matters.
 
When I have roosters with hens, I usually keep the larger roosters as long as they're not too heavy and rough on the hens when mating. A bantam rooster will try to mate standard sized hens, but usually not be successful "making connections".
 
If a production or ornamental breed I want the rooster first to look like he is supposed to. Ideally his feels good in hand and is otherwise symmetrical. Ideally his female kin produce good numbers of eggs that hatch well. If he is aggressive under conditions when others of his kind are not, then cull him. I also let the hens tell me a little about him but that requires him to be fully grown. He also should have grown well to reach mature size.
 
For my layer hens I prefer large rooster like black jersey giant for protecting. I have luck with black jersey giants Roos. They battled with fox twice and won.

I use bantams for breeding and show.
I had a sebright bantam roo that protect a hens from fisher cat and he did survived.
 

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