What Are the Special Skills Required of an NFL Player?

The players who make it to the National Football League are special athletes with special skills. In addition to athleticism and fitness, NFL players must possess special skills relative to their position. The NFL tests its prospects each year at the NFL Combine, a workout camp where scouts can observe the special skills potential for athletes looking to be quarterbacks, running backs, tights ends, wide receivers, offensive and defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs.

  1. Quarterback

    • Assessing the potential of a young quarterback is among the most difficult scouting jobs in the NFL. Quarterback candidates are evaluated for arm strength, accuracy, touch, vision, mobility and ball release. At the combine, quarterbacks must throw after a three-step drop, a five-step drop and a seven-step drop. In each drill they throw the following routes: in, out, slant, deep and corner. Quarterbacks must also demonstrate good footwork when dropping back after the hike.

    Running Back

    • NFL scouts assess the skills of potential running backs by using the off-tackle reaction drill during the combine. This drill involves the player getting a hand off and then running over a series of sandbags spaced a few feet apart. After clearing the sandbags a coach indicates whether the back should break right or left. Coaches are looking for players who have acceleration, balance and vision. Players must demonstrate confidence in their footwork by looking at the coach in front of them and not at the bags they step over.

    Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

    • Wide receivers and tight ends wishing to make an impression at the combine must perform well in a drill called "the gauntlet." Athletes get thrown two balls at the start of the drill, one from the left side and one from the right. After catching and dropping both balls athletes sprint forward and are thrown to four times as they cover a distance of 50 yards. Athletes must catch and release each pass before the next one is thrown. Coaches are looking for players who have skilled hand-eye coordination and down-field vision as well as acceleration.

    Offensive Linemen

    • Offensive linemen must be able to protect the quarterback. NFL scouts are looking for linemen who possess a natural ability to perform a skill known as the kick slide. The combine features a kick slide drill where offensive linemen are put into a two-point and three-point defensive stance. They must protect a dummy from a rushing defender by pulling up and opening their bodies at a 45 degree angle. They kick outward and slide along the angle while keeping their knees bent and their backs straight. Scouts analyze the athletes' kick slide motion and look for players who exhibit balance by keeping their hips low.

    Defensive Linemen

    • Defensive linemen in the NFL need to master two basic techniques known as ripping and swimming. To test this during the combine, scouts set up two bags in front of linemen who are at rest in a defensive stance. One is four yards in front of them, the other is eight yards. The drill starts when a coach moves a football to simulate a hike. This tests vision and the explosive power athletes have when coming out of their stances. The first bag tests ripping, which involves defensive linemen dipping their outside arm under and around an offensive linemen and slipping past them. The next bag tests swimming, which involves linemen attacking the bag with their outside arm and then bringing their inside arm up and over the offensive lineman.

    Linebackers

    • Linebackers in the NFL must be able to defend against the pass and scouts at combine test athletes' ability to do this with the pass, drop and hip rotation drill. During this drill linebackers line up facing a coach that is five yards in front of them. The linebackers run backwards and the coach gives them three direction changes while they do this. They must face the coach and watch the football he is holding. After three changes the coaches has them run forward and throws the ball to them. Scouts use this drill to assess if the linebacker has the necessary skills to watch a quarterback and follow his movements before the pass.

    Defensive Backs

    • In order for defensive backs to effective cover wide receivers in the NFL they must have ball skills and an ability to backpedal. Combine scouts test for this with the speed turn drill. In this drill, defensive backs backpedal 10 yards away from a coach and then 10 yards towards a coach. The coach then signals which direction the throw is headed and defensive backs must plant their feet, turn and sprint. As they run down field, defensive backs look over their shoulder to locate the ball in the air and move to catch it.