Making the Modern Day Offensive Lineman

    Offensive linemen in today’s football are athletes in that they have to be strong, well-balanced, powerful, flexible and coordinated while being the biggest guys on the field. These special athletes need to possess these combination of characteristics in order to be successful against defensive lineman who are equally big, but generally faster and more agile. Let's delve into the base characteristics at each position on the offensive line.

The Tackles

   

Tyrone Smith (left Tackle) oft the Dallas Cowboys

     Playing the position of Tackle on the offensive line requires the same combination of great footwork, balance, and athleticism. These athletes protect the edges against elite defensive ends that can be the same size, but faster and more agile.  The optimum size range for this position ranges from 6’5”-6’7” and weigh in at tops 320 pounds. In addition to having very long arms to create separation from defensive lineman. A little known fact, the left tackle that protects the “blind side” of the quarterback is the second highest paid position thanks to defensive end Lawrence Taylor.

2 Taylor ended quarterback Joe Theismann’s career in 1985 after sacking him, ultimately breaking his leg.1

The Guards

    These guys are the brutes of the trenches and have to move meat. When facing interior defensive lineman, these guys have to possess the most power and strength to drive defensive tackles who can weigh up 360 pounds. Optimum height for this position is between 6’4”-6’6” and these players typically weigh in at 330-350 pounds.

The Centers

   


Center Nick Mangold of the New York Jets

    This is the position I played in college and I believe is the most fun because it challenged me both mentally and physically the most. To be a successful center requires not only some characteristics of guards and tackles. In that they have to have the strength of a guard and the feet of a tackle. Also they have to be smart and be able think on the fly. The center is known as the quarterback of the offensive line and/as he commands the direction of the line as a whole. He controls the pace of the offense, calls pass protections, run block combinations. In some cases has the snap count and all of this must be done in a matter of seconds in a game setting. The ideal center stands between 6’3-6’5 and weighs at most 315 pounds.

1. Remembering Joe Theismann’s leg injury, 30 years later. (n.d.). Retrieved February 03, 2016, from http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/remembering-joe-theismann-leg-injury-30-years-article-1.2441238
2. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/6989-left-tackle-the-money-position-in-the-nfl