DB Drill Series: W Drill Back Pedal

If you have played defensive back at all, then you know that the W drill is the father of all DB drills. Some may wanna call this drill old-school but call this drill essential. What matters though is how you do it.

Don’t just go through the motions when doing this drill. Be very specific about what you’re doing and it will help you greatly out on the field when it comes to making your brakes .

Here’s how the drill works:

The Setup: Place 4 cones, three big strides apart along the yard line. You will be starting on the first cone during this drill and ending on the last cone.

(1) Start off in a comfortable off man/zone stance. Begin backpedaling straight back looking inside and imagining yourself reading the quarterback. At about 4 to 5 yards plant your back foot and throw your eyes from the quarterback to the cone which represents the receiver. Your back foot should land under your center of gravity. You should then replace that back foot with the front foot and push off in the direction of the cone. Be sure to rotate that back foot before replacing it so that your hips are lined up with the cone. Avoid planting either foot outside of your center of gravity. Keep all your foot work within a small circle underneath you.

(2) Sprint towards the cone with your eyes focused intently on it. This teaches you to drive to the receiver with your eyes before you look for the ball when you’re breaking on a route during competition. You should be keeping your shoulders and hips low as you drive to that receiver. It should be similar to you coming out of the blocks in a 100 m dash.

(3) When you reach the cone, return your eyes to the quarterback, and begin to backpedal in a straight line off of the cone. You will then repeat the steps of making your break that you did off of the first cone. Remember that as soon as you plant your back foot, you are throwing your eyes from the quarterback to the cone a.k.a. the receiver.

(4) Repeat this three times and sprint through the last cone. If you have a partner there with you, it is nice to have them throw you the ball as you come through that last cone so that you can also work on your balls skills.

(5) As a variation shown in the video below. You can make three breaks out of your back pedal and off of the last break return to the second cone to simulate, breaking in the opposite direction, as if you were breaking on a comeback route.

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alleyesdbcamp

Owner at All Eyes DB Camp

Chad Wilson is the founder of All Eyes DB Camp and a former standout defensive back for the Miami Hurricanes. After an elite collegiate career, Wilson spent a season with the Seattle Seahawks before transitioning into coaching. A 3-time Florida state champion defensive coordinator, he has spent over 20 years developing the "All Eyes" blueprint that has produced NFL All-Pros and stars like Xavien Howard, Patrick Surtain II, Tyson Campbell, Minkah Fitzpatrick and more. His coaching system is proven at the highest levels—his own sons, Quincy and Marco Wilson, both excelled as starters in the SEC before being drafted into the NFL.

Chad is the author of "101 DB Tips"—The Ultimate DB Reference Guide. You can find more information on the manual and how to order your copy in the sidebar and footer of this page.

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