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Are offensive linemen headed for 400 pounds?
Posted on 1/26/15 at 9:43 am
Posted on 1/26/15 at 9:43 am
Georgia just stole a New Jersey recruit from Wisconsin. His name is Madden.
He is 6'7" and 345 pounds. At the age of 18.
Georgia may make him lose some weight, but at that age, he is likely to get bigger. Through lifting weights, he may even put on more pounds.
I foresee a day when offensive linemen reach 400 pounds.
Think about this: During the Arkansas vs. Texas bowl game, the producers showed the weights of the Arkansas 1964 national championship football team. Most of the offensive linemen were around just 200 pounds...smaller than most of today's running backs.
He is 6'7" and 345 pounds. At the age of 18.
Georgia may make him lose some weight, but at that age, he is likely to get bigger. Through lifting weights, he may even put on more pounds.
I foresee a day when offensive linemen reach 400 pounds.
Think about this: During the Arkansas vs. Texas bowl game, the producers showed the weights of the Arkansas 1964 national championship football team. Most of the offensive linemen were around just 200 pounds...smaller than most of today's running backs.
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Posted on 1/26/15 at 9:45 am to samson'sseed
I don't know but DL and LB are probably gonna get smaller and more conditioned in the coming years.
Posted on 1/26/15 at 9:45 am to samson'sseed
Aren't there restrictions on weight? 400 lbs sounds terrible.
Posted on 1/26/15 at 9:46 am to Legendary0903
No way a 400 lb OL could stay healthy.
Many linemen out of highschool are WAY out of shape and have terrible eating habits just due to ignorance and lack of a proper S&C program. This kid will likely lose weight in college or stay the same.
Many linemen out of highschool are WAY out of shape and have terrible eating habits just due to ignorance and lack of a proper S&C program. This kid will likely lose weight in college or stay the same.
This post was edited on 1/26/15 at 9:48 am
Posted on 1/26/15 at 9:48 am to samson'sseed
Going into the 2014 season....
quote:
The top 12 OL BIG Men in college football(minus Elam):
1-Tulane’s Redshirtfreshman OG Jason Stewart is unofficially the heaviest O-lineman in the country at 6’4? and 395 lbs.
2-USC true freshman OT Damien Mama, listed at 6’5-370 lbs.
3-Baylor junior LG LaQuan McGowan, 6’7-385 lbs.
4-Georgia Tech freshman LG Shamire Devine, 6’7-370
5-Washington senior RG James Atoe, 6’7-375
–Kentucky freshman DT Matt Elam, 6’7-375 (on defense, I know; had to mention him though)
7-Alabama freshman OT Brendon Hill, 6’6-370
8-North Texas senior RG Shawn McKinney 6’4-365
9-Kentucky senior OT John Guenschlaeger, 6’11-364
10-Troy sophomore RG Xavier Fields, 6’4-360
11-Georgia State LT soph. Michael Ivory 6’5-360
12-Florida senior RG Trenton Brown, 6’8-354
This post was edited on 1/26/15 at 9:50 am
Posted on 1/26/15 at 9:48 am to samson'sseed
No, I don't think so. 400 pounds you just have no endurance. Herman Johnson was 380ish at 6'7 and I was surprised how good he was for entire games.
Then again, about 30-40 years ago, linemen probably averaged 250ish. Nobody thought we'd see the day we'd have athletic 300+ pounders on the line.
In fact, here is UGA's 1980 National Championship starting OL:
LT: Jeff Harper, 6-3, 245, Sr.
LG: Jim Blakewood, 6-2, 247, Jr.
C: Hugh Nall, 6-0, 235, Sr.
RG: Tim Morrison, 6-3, 254, Sr.
RT: Nat Hudson, 6-3, 265, Sr.
Crazy to think about
Then again, about 30-40 years ago, linemen probably averaged 250ish. Nobody thought we'd see the day we'd have athletic 300+ pounders on the line.
In fact, here is UGA's 1980 National Championship starting OL:
LT: Jeff Harper, 6-3, 245, Sr.
LG: Jim Blakewood, 6-2, 247, Jr.
C: Hugh Nall, 6-0, 235, Sr.
RG: Tim Morrison, 6-3, 254, Sr.
RT: Nat Hudson, 6-3, 265, Sr.
Crazy to think about
This post was edited on 1/26/15 at 9:51 am
Posted on 1/26/15 at 9:49 am to samson'sseed
I would think that it is a rare bodytype/frame that can safely hold 400 pounds. Add to that the ability to safely carry that weight and still be athletic as a lineman needs to be, you may find a few here and there but it will most likely never become the norm.
Posted on 1/26/15 at 9:53 am to samson'sseed
Hope not. 400 lbs is ridiculous.
Posted on 1/26/15 at 9:55 am to PJinAtl
quote:
I would think that it is a rare bodytype/frame that can safely hold 400 pounds. Add to that the ability to safely carry that weight and still be athletic as a lineman needs to be, you may find a few here and there but it will most likely never become the norm.
It will eventually get there because people are getting bigger. Don't know if it's from the food we eat or selective breeding, but people are getting bigger/taller every generation.
My great grandfather was the starting center for VPI back in the leather helmet days. He was 6'0", 170 lbs.
Posted on 1/26/15 at 9:56 am to samson'sseed
Linemen? Hell, it looks like NFL RB's are headed in that direction.
Posted on 1/26/15 at 10:00 am to NorthGwinnettTiger
I bet the Big Show could have played o-line and he is ~450 
Posted on 1/26/15 at 10:11 am to thunderbird1100
quote:
Herman Johnson was 380ish at 6'7 and I was surprised how good he was for entire games.
Herman was not that fat either. He was pretty cut for being that heavy. Strong SOB.
Posted on 1/26/15 at 10:14 am to Legendary0903
If size can't handle the speed of the edge rushers you still struggle offensively.
Posted on 1/26/15 at 10:20 am to samson'sseed
Make them play both ways and you won't see many linemen at 300+ lbs.
I wonder how many of these kids suffer from heart problems and bad knees, etc. in later life.
I wonder how many of these kids suffer from heart problems and bad knees, etc. in later life.
Posted on 1/26/15 at 10:24 am to samson'sseed
400 LBS? Step ya game up playa...
This post was edited on 1/26/15 at 10:25 am
Posted on 1/26/15 at 10:24 am to thesoccerfanjax
quote:
No way a 400 lb OL could stay healthy.
Blood pressure issues, getting gassed after a few series, limited mobility, etc.
Posted on 1/26/15 at 10:27 am to samson'sseed
there have been several plus 400 pound HS football players on the radar recently, and none have shown anything like the ability to play D1 ball, due to bad athleticism.
A 400 pound kid that was "healthy" would probably need to be over 7 feet tall, and would still have the question of how well his knee joints could take the strain.
Your assumptions on this topic are way off base, as usual.
Posted on 1/26/15 at 10:28 am to Jagd Tiger
not in the spread/hurry up offense era we live in now.
Posted on 1/26/15 at 10:32 am to gameovergt
quote:
not in the spread/hurry up offense era we live in now.
it really makes no difference in style of offense, in COMO at Rock Bridge recently there was a kid over 450, had no where near the endurance to play in the 4th quarter. I really hate to see kids like this, many are going to suffer major knee joint issues by their late 20's.
Posted on 1/26/15 at 10:38 am to samson'sseed
quote:
Are offensive linemen headed for 400 pounds?
I don't think it's really a matter of weight. There are guys in the NFL who are under 300 lbs who are among the best OL in the world, and then there are guys in that same elite category who are 340 lbs It's really about if a guy can move, move defenders, protect the QB, and makes smart decisions.
So one day, I wouldn't be shocked to see an elite NFL OL who is close to 400 lbs, b/c he wouldn't be there unless he could do the other things well. What also comes into play is the frame of the guys. You can have two guys who are both 6'6" 300 lbs, but one looks more in shape because of a broader frame in the shoulders and hips.
There are plenty of giant 350 lbs OL even in HS, who are horrible players b/c they can't move around at all and you would probably just classify them as out of shape. However, if you find one who is in shape and can move, that's awesome.
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