What Makes a Good Defensive Lineman in Football? Part 2

While handicapping NFL football teams, you need to be able to handicap the individual players.  You have no way of knowing whether a team has a strong defense unless you know whether each of the defenders is strong in turn.  That is why you need to know the traits and abilities which make for a good defensive lineman.  In Part 1, we discussed some of these qualities: size, speed, toughness, and strength, particularly in the arms and hands.  Now let’s talk about a few more important traits!

• Vision.  It’s vital for a defensive lineman to be able to see what is going on around him, even when warding off offensive linemen from the opposing team.  This can be quite a challenge.  Also on that note, a defensive lineman needs to absorb impacts in part through the use of his head—all without getting neck injuries.  Even while doing that, he needs to demonstrate strong visual awareness of what is taking place.

• Instinct.  Part of awareness goes beyond physical vision and takes the form of intuition.  A defender who can anticipate the direction of the ball when it is played can act quickly.  Defenders need to be able to read the stances of other players, including both fellows on their own team and opposing team members.  It is particularly critical to be able to read the stances of the offensive linemen.  Offenders are often forced to telegraph their upcoming moves.  The more skilled a defensive lineman is at reading those telegraphed stances, the more effectively they will be able to do their job.  Defensive players also need to be aware of situational aspects of play, like the distance across the field that is left to a first down or a score.

• Attitude.  Another trait which tends to be overlooked is attitude.  This is an intangible, and it is hard to measure.  The only way to identify it is basically by watching and following along with different players’ careers.  The best defensive linemen are determined and aggressive, and have no problem being brutal toward offensive linemen from the opposing team.  They will do what they need to in order to protect their goal. 

If you haven’t already, go back to Part 1 and read through the other qualities that good defensive linemen need in detail.  If you have read Part 1, then congratulations—you now have a much better idea what you need to look for when you are evaluating defensive players.  When you are handicapping a team’s defense, make sure you pay attention not only to the individual players, but also the team chemistry and the defensive strategy.  Do players communicate well?  Do they anticipate each other?  Does their strategy utilise all of their strengths?  Does it curb their weaknesses?  Consider both the whole and the parts, and you will get a comprehensive picture of a team’s defensive health!