Average Height and Weight of an NFL Cornerback in 2023
I’ve been a collegiate sports performance coach for 20 years. One thing I always felt was effective was showing guys the heights and weights of players at their position in the NFL.
It helped give many players the extra motivation needed to gain weight when they were able to compare themselves to guys at the next level. (Sometimes it was even a stark reality check for, say, defensive backs who thought 175 pounds was ‘an average size’ to play in the NFL.)
So, this is essentially the same research I would share with players, but now I’m sharing it with you. I took 53-man active rosters for the 2022 season (just before the final week of the season – Jan 2023), almost 1700 players total and broke them down by position.
For this guide, I took an average of the heights and weights of the 153 active cornerbacks* across the league. In addition, just for fun, I listed the tallest, shortest, heaviest and lightest cornerbacks as well. Go ahead and impress someone today with your newfound random football knowledge.
Editor’s Note: There are about 60 players listed simply as DB. With no way of knowing if they’re a cornerback or safety (or perhaps they exclusively play nickel or dime), I left those completely out of all my results.
Average Height of an NFL Cornerback
The average height of an NFL Cornerback is 71.88 inches (just under 6’0″ tall).
Average Weight of an NFL Cornerback
The average weight of an NFL Cornerback is 193.53 pounds.
Who Are The Tallest Cornerbacks in the NFL?
There are only 4 cornerbacks that are listed at 6’4″ or taller. They are:
- Keith Taylor – 6’5″ – Panthers
- Tariq Woolen – 6’4″ – Seahawks
- Nahshon Wright – 6’4″ – Cowboys
- Israel Mukuamu – 6’4″ – Cowboys
Who are the Shortest Cornerbacks in the NFL?
There are about a dozen corners in the league listed at 5’9″. But, only two at 5’8″.
- Amik Robertson – 5’8″ – Raiders
- Marcus Jones – 5’8″ – Patriots
Who are the Heaviest Cornerbacks in the NFL?
Overall, corners are some of the smallest players in the league. Only 6 guys are listed at 210 or more.
- Brandon Stephens – 215 pounds – Ravens
- Lonnie Johnson – 213 pounds – Titans
- Tariq Woolen – 210 pounds – Seahawks
- Xavier Rhodes – 210 pounds – Bills
- Mike Jackson – 210 pounds – Seahawks
- James Bradberry – 210 pounds – Eagles
Who are the Lightest Cornerbacks in the NFL?
While you don’t need to be over 200 pounds to be an NFL corner, it does appear there is a pretty standard minimum weight. Only 5 guys are listed at under 180 pounds.
- Marcus Jones – 175 pounds – Patriots
- Brandin Echols – 175 pounds – Jets
- Cordale Flott – 175 pounds – Giants
- Duke Shelley – 176 pounds – Vikings
- Levi Wallace – 179 pounds – Steelers
Final Thoughts
So, what did I learn?
Cornerbacks all fall in a pretty tight window when it comes to weight. 84 of the 153 (54.9%) corners fell between 190 and 200 pounds.
The Seahawks have a longstanding reputation for big defensive backs under Pete Carroll that still appears to hold up. A few of the biggest corners in the league, Tariq Woolen and Mike Jackson both play in Seattle.
Other Positions
I’ve done the same height and weight breakdown for other positions too including:
