This Black & White Video Can Teach You All You Need to Know About Press Man

I have a treat for you.  There are a ton of videos on YouTube related to defensive back technique and more specifically press man.  I happen to think that the majority of them are not very good but there are some that are very useful.  The video I am talking about today is the one I have used the most and yes,  the freaking video is in black and white.

Sometimes things change and they end up just staying the same.  Press man coverage involves a philosophy and this video will display that.  It’s practice video of 1-on-1 reps from the Denver Broncos’ DBs of the late 70’s and 80’s.  What you will witness in the video is the essences of doing your job.  You will also notice solid technique and you will also notice all of the principles you need to grasp if you are going to be an effective press man cornerback.

One of the things I did when I was coaching DBs was teach them 2 man technique first.  Why?  Because most DBs have an overwhelming fear of the deep ball when they are playing press man.  That fear causes their technique to deteriorate when they are in competition.  The fear of the deep ball leads to opening the gate,  pedaling out on your heels,  turning the shoulder too far up field and looking up the field instead of at the WR.  All of these habits won’t help you vs. the deep ball and will also make you useless against the other routes in the route tree.

When you start off teaching 2 man technique and tell the DBs that you have two safeties helping you over the top,  it makes it easier for them to stay square,  be aggressive with their hands,  keep their eyes on the hips and keep the proper body positioning to cause a poor deep ball throw.  In addition,  all of these elements,  including keeping proper leverage, will develop solid press man habits that the DB is less likely to break when you move to other man coverages like Cover 1 and Cover 0.

This video that I am highlighting shows 2 man technique played the way it is supposed to be played.  What you will also notice is that in the video,  no actually safeties are used in the drill and despite that,  the passes aren’t being completed.

Hope you enjoy the video and the knowledge.  If you have any feedback or questions on it,  please send me an email to: cwilson@alleyesdbcamp.com

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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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