Player sizes and speeds as they evolve

[jobberone]

We have gone from tackles less than 250lbs and high 4 40s mostly 5s in the 1960s to the current OL playing at 320+ and running the same speeds with more iplaying in the high 4s and occ lower. We have DEs playing LB who are pushing 280+ and run 4.6-7s and at times lower.

One questioned when would we see 300 LBs at OLB. I suspect we will see an occasional back in the next few years with increasing numbers over the next ten years. Not sure that will ever be the norm and certainly smaller LBs will survive and thrive likely more than the former.

15-20 lbs isn't too much to add to actually get one up to 300. I worry it will take a specific body type and taller players ala the Mad Stork but well filled in to accomplish what you want from that player. In other words the body type must fit, they must have the proper athletism, and speed. They must be able to pick that skill set up since I imagine most will arrive to the bigs playing DE.

Anyone care to comment on that and the evolution at any position on D or O.

I can't wait to see some of these answers of both types.

 

[MiStar]

Many of the top programs in the college game seem to be slimming down, especially on defense, rather than bulking up, so it's kind of interesting to see how these college players are transitioning to the pros. It's seems to me that more than ever, teams are trying to take college DE's and converting them to linebacker.

 

[Muhast]

seem like most teams put there big safties at linebacker. big linebackers at de big de's at DT etc.

so faster, smaller players on d.

 

[Dale]

Hell, Shawne Merriman is only about 25 pounds (listed, at least) away from 300 -- and that guy can run, or at least play, at like a 4.6 seemingly.

 

[superpunk]

Interesting topic. I think it comes and goes, a little bit. For example, the west coast offenses dictated certain changes to defenses. The Cowboys power running game also changed how defenses made themselves. So, the type of athlete needed varies based on how their succesful counterparts needed to be combatted. Right now, small, speedy receivers are en vogue because of the stricter enforcement of the illegal contact penalties. Things like that come and go.

The big change is nutrition, year round training, vigorous workout during the season. I think there have been studies done on the hormones in our meat, and the resulting size of children. I'm sure if they can continue to figure out how to pack more muscle on a skeleton, and not sacrifice speed or quickness, they'll continue that trend.

Or maybe they're all on space age growth hormones. Who knows? lol

 

[Cowboys&Caps]

yea i am seeing players that change themselves to fit their surroundings

Ware - reciever in highschool got a scholorship on athleticism and evolved into a good sized defensive end at that college level. He again gets by on his athleticism and gets drafted into the OLB spot wich suites his 6'5" frame but not his 250 so he gained 10 pounds of muscle and will gain some more to play that spot around 270.

Personally i came to ga southern to play olb but i weighed 230 out of highschool they want me at 245-250 but i have a whole year to get there cuz im rehabbing my knee so i know if i work out hard, improve my speed and upper body strength i can meet that.

as far as the nfl what you have seen is alot of passing teams love to pass so they put logs there to impede the defensive onslaught trying to interuppt the passing plays. look at the eagles offensive line. the eagles want to pass 65 percent of the time so they put big ol sacks of lard there to impede the blitzes and have big fullbacks to fill the gaps. those guys arent road graders they are big speed bumps.

 

[JonCJG]

HGH

If they ever test for that s*** , bet weights drop.

 

[MiStar]

How much weight can you resonably add with substances like creatine?

 

[Cowboys&Caps]

How much weight can you resonably add with substances like creatine?

how much do you know about creatine?

it is natural to your body, and it helps you work out harder especially with explosive lifts aka cleans, lighter weight benching at a fast rate. it helps your muscles work harder so they can build themselves.

taken appropriatly and with a good workout schedule they can dramatically help 10 lb of muscle a year maybe more. 25-50 weight lifting increase.

ive seen the diffrence.

but it has drawbacks and must be taken resposibly

 

[JonCJG]

How much weight can you resonably add with substances like creatine?

Maybe 20 lbs, mostly water at first. As your strength increases and with enough protein, more muscle is built. But on an average person, 10-20 lbs in a year, maybe.

It all depends on the person really.

I gained 20lbs in about a month and a half, and another 10 lbs of lean mass in the span of a year.That's was it for me. It made me bigger, and much stronger but my muscles looked smoother as well. I had to really watch my diet to keep my muscles looking vascular, and not puffy.

On a 5'10 frame going from 190-220 is a big difference.

When you get off it, you will notice a dramatic difference. Loss of size and strength. I went down to 205.

Only side effects I have seen are cramping, but that only happens to people who don't understand how creatine works.

Creatine has been around since 1993, and I am sure it has helped nfl players pack on lbs of muscle, along with whey protein.

I still think HGH is HUGE in the NFL and one day we will find out just how big and deep the hole really is.

 

[tunahelper]

We have gone from tackles less than 250lbs and high 4 40s mostly 5s in the 1960s to the current OL playing at 320+ and running the same speeds with more iplaying in the high 4s and occ lower. We have DEs playing LB who are pushing 280+ and run 4.6-7s and at times lower.

One questioned when would we see 300 LBs at OLB. I suspect we will see an occasional back in the next few years with increasing numbers over the next ten years. Not sure that will ever be the norm and certainly smaller LBs will survive and thrive likely more than the former.

15-20 lbs isn't too much to add to actually get one up to 300. I worry it will take a specific body type and taller players ala the Mad Stork but well filled in to accomplish what you want from that player. In other words the body type must fit, they must have the proper athletism, and speed. They must be able to pick that skill set up since I imagine most will arrive to the bigs playing DE.

Anyone care to comment on that and the evolution at any position on D or O.

I can't wait to see some of these answers of both types.

All is owed to steroids and weight training and diet?

 

[StanleySpadowski]

HGH

If they ever test for that s*** , bet weights drop.

HGH? Heck regular old 'roids are what most are using. Look at the story about the Panthers that almost no one seems to care about. The NFL testing policy is a joke. It nails recreational drug users because it has to protect the owners' interests, but when was the last time you heard of someone busted for performance enhancing drugs? Sauerbrun got 4 games for ephedra but other than that?

 

[AbeBeta]

HGH? Heck regular old 'roids are what most are using. Look at the story about the Panthers that almost no one seems to care about. The NFL testing policy is a joke. It nails recreational drug users because it has to protect the owners' interests, but when was the last time you heard of someone busted for performance enhancing drugs? Sauerbrun got 4 games for ephedra but other than that?

On the other hand, do you want the league to test for substances when no reliable test for that substance exists?

The league right now wants to only employ reliable tests -- reliable means that if you give the same test to the same sample, you'd get the same result (nearly) all the time. If such tests don't exist for certain substance then you end up suspending guys who falsely test positive and missing the guys who are false negatives. The false negatives are fine -- but the false positives can have serious financial consequences.

 

[joseephuss]

yea i am seeing players that change themselves to fit their surroundings

Ware - reciever in highschool got a scholorship on athleticism and evolved into a good sized defensive end at that college level. He again gets by on his athleticism and gets drafted into the OLB spot wich suites his 6'5" frame but not his 250 so he gained 10 pounds of muscle and will gain some more to play that spot around 270.

Personally i came to ga southern to play olb but i weighed 230 out of highschool they want me at 245-250 but i have a whole year to get there cuz im rehabbing my knee so i know if i work out hard, improve my speed and upper body strength i can meet that.

as far as the nfl what you have seen is alot of passing teams love to pass so they put logs there to impede the defensive onslaught trying to interuppt the passing plays. look at the eagles offensive line. the eagles want to pass 65 percent of the time so they put big ol sacks of lard there to impede the blitzes and have big fullbacks to fill the gaps. those guys arent road graders they are big speed bumps.

Ware's 250 lbs is okay for the OLB spot. He was too light to play a 4-3 DE full time. He didn't need to gain weight as much as he needed to gain strength. The two are related so if you increase strength, you may gain some weight.

 

[lurkercowboy]

Remember when Dallas drafted linebacker Jesse Penn in the second round of the 85 draft? We weighed in at 217 if I recall correctly.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

just think, our own Rayfield Wright was a sweltering 263 during his heydey

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Remember when Dallas drafted linebacker Jesse Penn in the second round of the 85 draft? We weighed in at 217 if I recall correctly.

there are a couple of LBs who only weigh 215 now LOL