How Tall Is The Average Linebacker In The NFL?

Find out how tall the average linebacker is in the NFL and learn about some of the tallest linebackers to ever play the game.

Introduction

At 6 feet 2 inches and 247 pounds, the average NFL linebacker is a big man. But he’s not the biggest man on the field. That honor belongs to the offensive and defensive linemen, who average 6 feet 5 inches and weigh in at a whopping 310 pounds.

But just because they’re not the biggest doesn’t mean they’re not important. Linebackers are the heart and soul of any good defense, and their job is to stop the other team from scoring.

So how do they do it? By being fast, strong, and smart. They have to be able to run side-by-side with the fastest players on the field, they have to be able to hit hard enough to knock them off their feet, and they have to be able to think quickly enough to figure out what the other team is trying to do before they do it.

In other words, they have to be pretty darned close to perfect.

Fortunately for fans of defense, there are a lot of great linebackers in the NFL right now. Here are just a few of them:

Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers: Kuechly is one of the best young linebackers in the league, and he’s already been named Defensive Player of the Year twice (in 2013 and 2016). At 6 feet 3 inches and 238 pounds, he has the size and speed that all good linebackers need.

Dont’a Hightower, New England Patriots: Hightower is another one of those big (6 feet 3 inches, 265 pounds), fast (4.68-second 40-yard dash) linebackers who can also think quickly (he was a two-time Academic All-American at Alabama). He was a key part of the Patriots’ defense that won Super Bowl LI in 2017.

Height of NFL Linebackers

In the NFL, the average height of a linebacker is six feet two inches. This is just an average, so some linebackers may be taller or shorter than this. Linebackers are typically taller than the average football player because they need to be able to see over the offensive line and be able to tackle the running back.

Findings

The average height of an NFL linebacker is about 6 feet 2 inches tall. However, there can be a wide range of heights for linebackers, as they can range from 5 feet 10 inches tall to 6 feet 6 inches tall. The tallest linebacker in the NFL is currently Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Lavonte David, who is 6 feet 5 inches tall.

Analysis

The average height of an NFL linebacker is about 6’2″. However, there is a lot of variation among players, with some being much taller or shorter.

Linebackers are typically among the taller players on a football team. This is because they need to be able to see over the offensive linemen in order to make tackles. They also need to be able to run fast and jump high in order to catch running backs and wide receivers.

Some of the tallest linebackers in the NFL are Myles Jack (6’1″), Bobby Wagner (6’0″), and Deion Jones (6’1″). Some of the shortest linebackers are Manti Te’o (5’11”), Jerod Mayo (6’0″), and C.J. Mosley (6’2″).

There is no perfect height for a linebacker. Some shorter players can be very successful if they have other attributes such as speed, strength, and agility.

Conclusion

The average NFL linebacker is about 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 250 pounds.