Working the Pressure Release Press Man Drill

This is just a short clip but a valuable one.  In the video,  I am working with current Colts cornerback Rock Ya Sin leading up to the NFL combine and the Senior Bowl in 2019.

In the clip we are working what I call the pressure release.  Here are the important points of the drill.

Alignment:  Align roughly 1 to 1.5 yards away from the WR.  The amount depends on your ability to react to the first movements of the WR.  Some WRs are quicker than others.  The quicker the WR,  the further back you align.  It’s like being a batter in baseball.  The harder that pitcher throws,  the further back in the batter’s box you align yourself to give yourself enough time to judge the ball coming in.  Same concept here.

First movements:  Your first movements depend on what the WR does.  Some cornerbacks and their coaches want their guys to soft pedal vs the WRs release.  Others want you to stay in their hard and get a jam.  Some don’t care either way and in the video you will see us work both.

If the WR attacks your toes right now meaning he comes directly at you on the snap of the ball,  you can do one of two things.  You can pedal out giving space waiting for the WR to either get close enough for you to jam him or for him to declare left or right which way he’s going.  So as he comes forward,  you pedal straight back.  IF he gets close enough,  you jam him and you can do so with two hands if he’s within your frame (directly in front of you).  If he attack inside or outside before you can jam him,  then you kick slide to mirror him and then shoot your off hand when you are close enough.  The other thing you can do if the WR comes directly at you is hold your ground with your feet planted firmly in the ground. Once he is close enough you fire a two hand jam to his chest and move with him once he goes inside or outside.

If the WR immediately or relatively soon upon his release attacks your inside or outside shoulder then kick slide to mirror the release.  When close enough,  shoot your off hand violently and proceed upfield with him from there.

Emphasis:  Whatever you end up doing with your feet and body,  the major emphasis in this should be on your eyes.  We tend to place an over emphasis on our feet and hands while ignoring the most important part which is our eyes.  IF your eyes are not where they are supposed to be,  your feet and hands will fail you.  Keep your eyes on the WR’s waist. Not just at the snap but once he moves.  Force your eyes to stay down on the WR’s waist throughout the release at the line of scrimmage.  You must also force your eyes to stay down while you are making your jam.  Many cornerbacks pick their eyes up to throw their hands to see the chest of the WR.  At the point their eyes stay high and they get shaken by the shoulders / head movements of the receiver.  Keep the eyes on the waist while shooting the hands at the chest.  You don’t need to see the chest to hit it.  Wherever the WR’s waist is,  the chest is right above it.

So why is it call pressure release drill?  It is called that because the pressure by the WR determines what we do as the DB.  If the WR pressures us straight ahead,  we release back to absorb the pressure.  If he pressures us inside we react inside with the pressure.  The same is true if the WR pressures us outside.  Occasionally,  we will meet the pressure coming straight at us with our own pressure to force the issue by jamming the WR right away. It’s a simple little drill but a very effective one to work on and tighten up your press man coverage.

If you have any questions about this drill and or my member’s area,  feel free to email me 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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