Learning to get in the way of the ball and deflecting a pass is essential for defensive backs to learn. Here are defensive drills football linebackers to use in your next practice.
What you need – Set up 3 to 5 different areas in the secondary that a defensive back might have to cover. These can be tackling dummies or targets for the quarterback to throw at.
How this drill works – The defensive back will start in the middle of all the targets. The coach will start with the ball. On the whistle, the coach will call out any one of four different targets: left, right, deep, short. This is according to the players side.
When the coach calls out the target, the defensive back needs to get to that target, and keep his eye on the ball. The DB must try to make a play on the ball by getting his hand in the way, or by intercepting the ball.
The coach can vary which target the DB must get to. This is a good conditioning drill as much as it is a football drill to help the defender read where the ball is going. The coach can throw the ball as hard as he wants, or he can float it. The variety will help the defensive back react to a number of different situations.
Result – Your DB’s will be in much better condition, but they will also learn how to get into position to deflect balls without touching the targets (receivers).
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