How Much Weight Does a High School LIneman Have to Weigh?

It has been over 40 years since I covered high school football. The best lineman in my high school was maybe 230 and started on some really good offensive lines at Colorado. But in high school at that time he was considered a monster.

My impression is lots of high school linemen are that big now. Is my impression correct? How do high school kids get that big? I had a son about 6'6, 240 who went to a high school without a football team. If he had been at a football powerhouse how big would the coaches wanted him?

What are the long term health ramifications for these huge high school lineman? Are we creating future heart attack victims.

 

And I can not write accurate headlines. One of my many journalistic shortcomings that convinced me to pursue a career in another field.

 

I covered a team this last fall who won a section championship with a defensive tackle who was maybe 140 pounds. But the kid was a beast (he's a contender to place top 3 in state wrestling).

I think a kid's weight has to be monitored. If they're 240/250 it depends on how active they are. I've seen kids who easily could be tipping the scales at 270 but were lumbering oafs who couldn't beat a kid 80 pounds lighter off the ball. I've also seen kids round about that size who were D1 commits.

 

In my expeirence weight doesnt explode over 300 until college. If a kids got strength good feet and leverage then being 6-6, 240 is plenty for high school ball.

 

Our best local team has lineman that are generally between 230 and 250 pounds and they're considered on the small side. A 300-pounder is not so uncommon in our state that it bats an eye, but I'd say the average on the big school teams is probably around 270. Small schools, you will see a lot of 190-pounders on the line. One of our coaches played at his tiny alma mater about 15 years ago and was a 150-pound center.

And then on the other end of the scale -- literally -- we have this guy.
He's listed on the roster at 6-6, 495 pounds.
Yes, 495.
And he's a sophomore.
He can't get out of his own way, though, and is the equivalent of a blocking sled on the field. Just there to be pushed around. Bulk isn't everything.

 

Thread title: How Much is Enough?

 

495? Not to make fun, but a kid that young should not have a double chin like that. Glad I don't have to feed him.

 

How are the 230-250 pounders getting so big? Steriods?

 

Maybe it's because I live in a state with a high obesity rate, but there are just some kids that are bigger than others.
And I was actually selling that team short. After checking this year's roster, their linemen are more in the 260-280 range. That is not unusual for Class 5A and 6A football in our state. In fact, if you're putting 220-pound linemen on the field in those leagues they're probably going to get murdered.
In the past eight years we've had at least five D-I linemen come out out of out town, and there's another in the Class of 2019 that is getting a bunch of offers (and who is the younger brother of one of the other five). Three of them were at least 290 pounds when they were seniors, and the lightest is about 270.

 

Out Out of Out Town sounds like an indie band name. Berets and clove cigarettes all around.

 

Some kids have been bigger than since high schools started football teams and played on the line in football. But the general populace has not increased in size at the same rate as high school linemen. While I think more kids lift weights now a good weight training program does not take an 18 year old to 290. What is the reason the linemen are so big?