NFL News: A Look at 2023 NFL Kickoff Weekend Rosters

By Lydia Jane Allison

CRIMSON TIDE PACES ALL COLLEGES FOR SEVENTH STRAIGHT SEASON​​

TIDE ROLLING INTO NFL: For the seventh consecutive season, Alabama had the most or tied for the most players (57) on active NFL Kickoff Weekend rosters, the league announced today. The Crimson Tide also placed the most active NFL players on season-opening rosters in 2018 (44), 2019 (56), 2020 (53), 2021 (54) and 2022 (58), and shared the league lead in 2017 (39). Ohio State (47) ranked second in 2023, followed by Georgia (46).

A total of 231 colleges were represented on Kickoff Weekend active rosters. The colleges with the most NFL players:

COLLEGE PLAYERS COLLEGE PLAYERS COLLEGE PLAYERS
Alabama 57   Oklahoma 32   Texas A&M 23
Ohio State 47   Texas 30   Wisconsin 23
Georgia 46   Iowa 29   Miami (FL) 22
LSU 43   Auburn 28   UCLA 22
Michigan 38   Southern California 26   Tennessee 21
Clemson 37   Oregon 25   TCU 21
Notre Dame 37   Stanford 25   South Carolina 20
Florida 34   Washington 25      
Penn State 33   Mississippi 24      


QB BREAKDOWN: A by-the-numbers look at the 32 starting quarterbacks in Week 1.

​7 First or second-year players Howell, WAS; Pickett, PIT; Purdy, SF; Richardson, IND; Ridder, ATL; Stroud, HOU; Young, CAR.
21 First-round draft picks Allen, BUF; Burrow, CIN; Fields, CHI; Goff, DET; Herbert, LAC; Jackson, BAL; D. Jones, NYG; M. Jones, NE; Lawrence, JAX; Love, GB; Mahomes, KC; Mayfield, TB; Pickett, PIT; Richardson, IND; Rodgers, NYJ; Stafford, LAR; Stroud, HOU; Tagovailoa, MIA; Tannehill, TEN; Watson, CLE; Young, CAR
4 Second-round draft picks Carr, NO (No. 36 overall); Garoppolo, LV (62); Hurts, PHI (53); Smith, SEA (39)
7 Drafted in third round or later, or undrafted Cousins, MIN (fourth round, No. 102 overall); Dobbs, ARI (4, 135); Howell, WAS (5, 144); Prescott, DAL (4, 135); Purdy, SF (7, 262); Ridder, ATL (3, 74); Wilson, DEN (3, 75)
6 No. 1 overall picks Burrow, CIN; Goff, DET; Lawrence, JAX; Mayfield, TB; Stafford, LAR; Young, CAR
23 Younger than 30 years old Allen, BUF; Burrow, CIN; Dobbs, ARI; Fields, CHI; Goff, DET; Herbert, LAC; Howell, WAS; Hurts, PHI; Jackson, BAL; D. Jones, NYG; M. Jones, NE; Lawrence, JAX; Love, GB; Mahomes, KC; Mayfield, TB; Pickett, PIT; Purdy, SF; Richardson, IND; Ridder, ATL; Stroud, HOU; Tagovailoa, MIA; Watson, CLE; Young, CAR


THE TALL AND SHORT OF IT
: On NFL Kickoff rosters, there were 300 players weighing under 200 pounds, 262 players under six-feet tall and 337 players weighing over 300 pounds.​

Miami had 15 players weighing less than 200 pounds, the most in that category. Houston had the most players under six-feet tall with 13, while the New York Giants had the most players weighing over 300 pounds with 15.

A team-by-team player dimension breakdown based on 2023 Kickoff rosters:

AFC
TEAM UNDER 200 LBS. UNDER 6-FEET OVER 300 LBS.
Baltimore 13 9 13
Buffalo 13 9 12
Cincinnati 7 7 13
Cleveland 7 7 11
Denver 13 12 10
Houston 12 13 11
Indianapolis 6 6 10
Jacksonville 9 10 10
Kansas City 8 7 12
Las Vegas 10 10 7
L.A. Chargers 7 6 12
Miami 15 12 10
New England 7 6 10
N.Y. Jets 8 10 10
Pittsburgh 10 8 9
Tennessee 8 7 8
NFC
TEAM UNDER 200 LBS. UNDER 6-FEET OVER 300 LBS.
Arizona 10 11 11
Atlanta 9 6 8
Carolina 9 9 10
Chicago 8 9 11
Dallas 9 6 12
Detroit 11 10 10
Green Bay 5 6 12
L.A. Rams 12 9 9
Minnesota 9 6 9
New Orleans 8 4 11
N.Y. Giants 12 8 15
Philadelphia 12 8 10
San Francisco 5 7 10
Seattle 11 9 12
Tampa Bay 8 7 9
Washington 9 8 10

HEIGHT, WEIGHT & AGE AVERAGES AMONG WEEK 1 ROSTERS, 2023

AFC
Team Height Weight Experience Age (Years) Rookie & 1st year Players Age 30 & Over  
Baltimore Ravens 6.19 247.33 4.81 26.52 6 11  
Buffalo Bills 6.18 245.32 5.11 26.57 5+ 9  
Cincinnati Bengals 6.19 247.42 3.58 25.42+ 10 1+  
Cleveland Browns 6.17 244.51 4.40 25.98 10 8  
Denver Broncos 6.19 242.85 4.31 26.42 10 11  
Houston Texans 6.13+ 238.40+ 4.72 26.43 11 9  
Indianapolis Colts 6.22 244.63 3.43+ 25.48 14* 2  
Jacksonville Jaguars 6.19 240.44 3.91 25.81 10 7  
Kansas City Chiefs 6.22 245.47 3.65 25.55 12 7  
Las Vegas Raiders 6.17 243.06 4.70 26.62 9 10  
Los Angeles Chargers 6.23* 244.63 3.93 25.63 9 6  
Miami Dolphins 6.17 238.75 4.55 26.34 7 6  
New England Patriots 6.19 249.11* 4.54 26.52 12 9  
New York Jets 6.17 243.65 5.24* 27.11* 7 15*  
Pittsburgh Steelers 6.18 243.27 4.73 26.38 8 7  
Tennessee Titans 6.20 244.57 4.02 26.39 11 10  
AFC average 6.19 243.96 4.35 26.20 9.44 8.00  
NFC average 6.20 244.37 4.03 25.97 10.69 7.00  
All NFL average 6.19 244.17 4.19 26.08 10.06 7.50  
* AFC high; + AFC low  
NFC
Team Height Weight Experience Age (Years) Rookie & 1st year Players Age 30 & Over  
Arizona Cardinals 6.17+ 244.69 4.13 26.13 13 5  
Atlanta Falcons 6.21 241.78+ 4.24 26.24 10 9  
Carolina Panthers 6.21 243.69 4.46 26.40 10 8  
Chicago Bears 6.17+ 241.81 4.04 25.91 9 5  
Dallas Cowboys 6.20 243.22 4.24 26.07 11 8  
Detroit Lions 6.18 243.25 4.02 25.81 8 5  
Green Bay Packers 6.25* 248.89* 3.00+ 25.13+ 17* 3+  
Los Angeles Rams 6.18 242.89 3.19 25.45 15 5  
Minnesota Vikings 6.21 242.45 4.04 26.09 8 6  
New Orleans Saints 6.21 245.34 4.83* 26.94* 9 12*  
New York Giants 6.21 245.61 4.35 25.89 8 9  
Philadelphia Eagles 6.17+ 243.19 4.44 26.11 8 8  
San Francisco 49ers 6.20 245.93 4.43 26.24 7+ 8  
Seattle Seahawks 6.18 248.43 3.70 25.48 15 7  
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6.19 244.25 3.28 25.58 15 6  
Washington Commanders 6.21 244.50 4.07 26.00 8 8  
NFC average 6.20 244.37 4.03 25.97 10.69 7.00  
AFC average 6.19 243.96 4.35 26.20 9.44 8.00  
All NFL average 6.19 244.17 4.19 26.08 10.06 7.50  
* NFC high; + NFC low  

COURTESY NFLmedia.com

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