Average Weights & Heights of HS & NFL Linemen over the Decades

[OldSchoolLion]

Average Weights/Heights of Parade All-American High School Linemen over the Decades 

1966 Range 220-275 lbs, 5"11-6'5"     Average = 232 lbs, 6'2"

1977 Range 225-285 lbs, 6'2'-6'7"     Average = 251 lbs, 6'4"

1987 Range 255-285 lbs, 6'4"-6'8"     Average = 272 lbs, 6'5"

1997 Range 280-319 lbs, 6'4"-6'8"     Average = 295 lbs, 6'6"

2005 Range 300-340 lbs, 6''2"-6'7"     Average = 320 lbs, 6'5" 

2017 Range 305-350 lbs, 6'4"-6'7"     Average = 319 lbs, 6'6"

 

Average Weights/Heights of NFL Offensive Lineman over the Decades 

1920's 6'0", 210 lbs

1930's 6'1" 220 lbs

1940's 6'1" 220 lbs

1950's 6'2" 235 lbs

1960's 6'3" 250 lbs

1970's 6'3" 255 lbs

1980's 6'4" 275 lbs

1990's 6'4" 300lbs

2000's 6'4" 315 lbs

2015 6'5" 315 lbs

 

Have we evolved that much as a specie?  Or is something else taking place?

From the 1970's forward, our hs all-american linemen are averaging about the same size as NFL linemen from the same decade.  And our latest hs all-americans are, on average, bigger than their NFL counterparts! 

[DarterBlue2]

6 hours ago, OldSchoolLion said:

Have we evolved that much as a specie?  Or is something else taking place?

From the 1970's forward, our hs all-american linemen are averaging about the same size as NFL linemen from the same decade.  And our latest hs all-americans are, on average, bigger than their NFL counterparts! 

I am pretty sure it is the latter and not the former. What is happening is criminal. Forget about the rigors of the game of football and the effect those have on its participants, especially after their careers are over and they approach their 40s and 50s, carrying 300 on your frame from 16 through 19 can never be healthy for the average human and is almost guaranteed to cause health issues regardless of whether you continue to play football into your 20s or not. Yes, the average American period is now carrying a lot more weight then they used to and that in itself is a health issue. But with linemen, we are looking at the very extreme of the obesity issue. The stress on the heart and other internal organs will lead to serious problems down the road that these young men and their families are ignoring.  

[Hwy17]

High carb, high sugar, high calorie processed food.  There are studies on this.  Look at the effect it has on girls.  

And while people are bigger now, they aren't necessarily any stronger.  Men from my father's generation weren't really that big, but conditioned to do manual labor and very strong.  

[OldSchoolLion]

4 hours ago, Hwy17 said:

High carb, high sugar, high calorie processed food.  There are studies on this.  Look at the effect it has on girls.  

And while people are bigger now, they aren't necessarily any stronger.  Men from my father's generation weren't really that big, but conditioned to do manual labor and very strong.  

Some genetic groups have the deck stacked against them to begin with...

In a 2009 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that African-Americans have a much higher incidence of heart failure than other races, and it develops at younger ages. Heart failure means that the heart isn't able to pump blood as well as it should.  Before age 50, African-Americans' heart failure rate is 20 times higher than that of whites, according to the study. Four risk factors are the strongest predictors of heart failure: high blood pressure (also called hypertension), chronic kidney disease, being overweight, and having low levels of HDL, the "good" cholesterol. Three-fourths of African-Americans who develop heart failure have high blood pressure by age 40.

[gatorman-uf]

While I doubt it will ever go anywhere, is there any thought to ever going to Sprint Football (178 lb or less or 183 or less with a 5% bod fat).