Average Height and Weight of NFL Defensive Backs (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 ‘about average’ to play in the NFL. (Spoiler Alert: It’s not)
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 327 active Defensive Backs (including corners and safeties*) across the league. In addition, just for fun, I listed the tallest, shortest, heaviest and lightest Defensive Backs as well. Go ahead and impress someone today with your newfound random football knowledge.
*If you’d like to get more specific and look at just cornerbacks or just safeties, I broke both of those down individually as well. Just follow those links.
Average Height of an NFL Defensive Back
The average height of an NFL Defensive Back is 71.9 inches (just under 6’0″ even).
Average Weight of an NFL Defensive Back
The average weight of an NFL Defensive Back is 198.01 pounds.
Who Are The Tallest Defensive Backs in the NFL?
There are 7 guys listed at 6’4″ or taller. 4 cornerbacks and 3 safeties.
- Keith Taylor – 6’5″ – Panthers
- Isaiah Pola-Mao – 6’4″ – Raiders
- Kyle Hamilton – 6’4″ – Ravens
- Jayron Kearse – 6’4″ – Cowboys
- Tariq Woolen – 6’4″ – Seahawks
- Nahshon Wright – 6’4″ – Cowboys
- Israel Mukuamu – 6’4″ – Cowboys
Who are the Shortest Defensive Backs in the NFL?
There are 20 DBs listed at 5’9″, but only 3 listed at 5’8″ – the shortest height in the league. 2 corners and 1 safety.
- Amik Robertson – 5’8″ – Raiders
- Marcus Jones – 5’8″ – Patriots
- Lamarcus Joyner – 5’8″ – Jets
Who are the Heaviest Defensive Backs in the NFL?
I got the chance to coach Tariq Carpenter when he was at Georgia Tech and not only can I confirm that that weight is accurate, but he also carries it amazingly well.
- Tariq Carpenter – 230 pounds – Packers
- Erik Harris – 225 pounds – Falcons
- Miles Killebrew – 222 pounds – Steelers
- Miles Brown – 222 pounds – Titans
Who are the Lightest Defensive Backs in the NFL?
It turns out, 175 pounds is not an ‘average’ size for a defensive back in the NFL. In fact, only 5 guys out of over 300 guys are listed at 175 pounds or less.
- Damontae Kazee – 174 pounds – Steelers
- Marcus Jones – 175 pounds – Patriots
- Brandin Echols – 175 pounds – Jets
- Dee Alford – 175 pounds – Falcons
- Cordale Flott – 175 pounds – Giants
Final Thoughts
So, what did I learn?
Almost half of the Defensive Backs in the NFL (46.8%) fall between 190 and 200 pounds. That’s a pretty tight window, especially considering it’s including both corners and safeties.
The Cowboys seem to really like tall Defensive Backs. 3 of the 7 DBs 6’4″ or taller play for the Cowboys and then they have two more guys – Markquese Bell and C.J. Goodwin – who are 6’3″.
Other Positions
I’ve done the same height and weight breakdown for other positions too including:
