Inside the Session: Holding Your Leverage in Your Pedal

One of the biggest problem going on now in the development of young defensive backs is the unwillingness of defensive back coaches to teach players how to pedal.

Compounding this problem is the inability of defensive backs to be able to hold their leverage when playing off of a wide receiver.  The prevailing thing that is taught nowadays is to open early and try to cover a receiver running sideways.  I am here to tell you that this is a formula for disaster in almost every coverage that requires a defensive back to break on any intermediate route.

Nevertheless,  in order to truly win consistently in off coverage is to a) stay square as long as you can in your backpedal and b) use your weave to maintain your leverage.

In the video below,  I am teaching a young defensive back what he should do when he’s playing off and a wide receiver is stemming him against his leverage.  *TURN YOUR volume up to hear what I am telling him in the video.

The key points:

(1) Use your pedal and stay square as long as possible

(2) Use your weave to keep your leverage,  especially when you are responsible for having inside leverage.

(3) When having inside leverage,  do not attempt to get head up on the wide receiver if he tries to stem you outside at some point in the route.  At best you should move to his inside shoulder.  Always keep some form of inside leverage.

When a wide receiver stems you inside and you weave to keep your leverage,  he will do one of two things.  He will either continue trying to run inside to out leverage you (inexperienced receivers do this) or he will burst hard to your outside shoulder hoping to get you to either open or weave head up to him so he can attack back inside.

In either one of those scenarios you do not give up your inside.  If he bursts to your outside shoulder you speed up your pedal until you are forced to open or if he stems back outside,  you weave outside but only far enough to be on his inside shoulder.  If he wants to go inside you he will have to cross your face to do so.

If you have any questions on the video,  feel free to reach out to me via email at: cwilson@alleyesdbcamp.com – Thank you for being a member.

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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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