Average Height and Weight of NFL Running Backs 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 ends who thought 210 pounds was ‘big enough’ 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 116 active running backs* across the league. In addition, just for fun, I listed the tallest, shortest, heaviest and lightest running backs as well. Go ahead and impress someone today with your newfound random football knowledge.
*Editor’s Note: I did not include the 13 players currently listed as a fullback. Those guys are all, as one would expect, significantly heavier than the average running back and I felt it would skew the results.
Average Height of an NFL Running Back
The average height of an NFL Running Back is 70.93 inches (just under 5’11”).
Average Weight of an NFL Running Back
The average weight of an NFL Running Back is 213.92 pounds.
Who Are The Tallest Running Backs in the NFL?
Here are the four tallest running backs in the NFL in 2023, all listed at 6’3″ tall.
- Derrick Henry – Titans
- Zander Horvath – Chargers
- Jakob Johnson – Raiders
- Latavius Murray – Broncos
Who are the Shortest Running Backs in the NFL?
There are six running backs listed at 5’8″, but only two are listed under 5’8″. The two shortest backs in the league are:
- Boston Scott – 5’6″ – Eagles
- Devin Singletary – 5’7″ – Bills
Who are the Heaviest Running Backs in the NFL?
It’s probably not too big of a surprise that the two heaviest running backs are also two of the tallest. Here are the top 5.
- Jakob Johnson – 255 pounds – Raiders
- Derrick Henry – 247 pounds – Titans
- AJ Dillon – 247 pounds – Packers
- Gus Edwards – 238 pounds – Ravens
- Royce Freeman – 238 pounds – Texans
Who are the Lightest Running Backs in the NFL?
There are 4 running backs listed at 190 pounds, the lightest weight for any running back. (Interestingly enough, none of the 5’8 or shorter guys)
- Raheem Blackshear – Panthers
- Demetric Felton – Browns
- Matt Breida – Giants
- James Cook – Bills
Final Thoughts
So, what did I learn?
That Derrick Henry is an absolute beast. Well, I didn’t learn that necessarily, I already knew that. But, can you imagine being a defensive back trying to tackle 6’3 and 250 pounds in the open field?
If you found this info interesting, you might also enjoy the fastest running backs in NFL combine history.
Other Positions
I’ve done the same height and weight breakdown for other positions too including:
Or, you can check out the average heights and weights of all NFL Players by position here.
