How to
improve your skills as a Defensive Lineman
by Cecil Martin
Chase
My name is Cecil “Martin” Chase and I played as a Defensive
Tackle in the NFL for eight years. In this article I am
going to provide you with techniques you can use to master
your skills as a defensive lineman.
There are four core qualities that a defense linemen needs
to posses. These qualities are strength, speed,
intelligence, and a fiercely competitive nature. If you do
not have these qualities, you need to practice them over and
over until you master them. By mastering them, you will be
attractive to college football scouts as well as NFL scouts.
Here are the reasons why you need to master the qualities of
strength, speed, intelligence and a highly competitive
nature:
1. You need strength to move past the opponents that are in
front of you and who are trying to keep you from tackle the
quarterback or running back.
2. You need speed to pursue and rush the quarterback and
running back.
3. You need intelligence to react to different events that
are happening all around you and you need to respond to them
in a split second. If you hesitate, you’ll get burned.
4. Most important of all, you absolutely must have a
fiercely competitive mindset. You must believe you are the
best and no other player can stop you. A defensive lineman
has to be a fighter and he needs to love competing against
the man in front of him. He must take pride in physically
defeating his opponents. He must understand that winning
these battles is vital to helping his team win games.
A good defensive lineman must also be completely unselfish
and willing to sacrifice his own body to help his teammates
make plays. The defensive lineman also needs to be highly
self-motivated. Defensive lineman rarely receive recognition
for the key job they perform. Therefore, they must be able
to motivate themselves to compete as the highest level
possible. A truly great defensive lineman understands the
importance of his role on the field and he must always play
with pride and dedication.
By making these qualities your own, you will be well on your
way to becoming an elite defensive lineman.
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