Football Offensive Linemen Drills List

Offensive linemen are the heart of the offense. Without their support and protection, it is impossible to move down the field and score. Offensive lineman is a tough, physical, gritty position that requires as much mental strength as physical strength. Blocking and closing gaps are an offensive lineman’s primary responsibilities, and the best offensive lineman drills train those skills in a variety of ways. Find a list of the top offensive lineman drills below.

List of Offensive Lineman Drills

• Ball Punch Drill
• Barrel Drill
• Block Recognition Drill
• Cupping Drill
• Double X Dot Drill
• Fire Out from the 30 Drill
• Four Corners Drill
• Gap Blocking Drill
• Recovery Drill
• QB Protect Drill
• Wax On, Wax Off Drill

Ball Punch Drill

The ball punch drill has the lineman pick up a weighted ball and push it forward to a partner with both hands in a punching motion as if they were fending off a defensive lineman.

Barrel Drill

In this barrel drill, the lineman gets in the three-point stance and shoots up to punch the barrel directly in front of them. The goal is to move quickly and slide the barrel forward rather than push it over.

Block Recognition Drill

In the block recognition drill, one offensive lineman takes on three defensive linemen. The offensive linemen use different blocks that the defensive player must beat.

Cupping Drill

The cupping drill has linemen out on the line of scrimmage before falling back in a cup shape around the quarterback. They continue to move their feet in a quick up-and-down motion and put their hands out as if to punch the defense for the length of the drill.

Double X Dot Drill

In the double X dot drill, five spots or cones are set up in an X pattern, with four of the spots making up a square and the final spot placed in the center. The linemen jump from one spot to the next, always going through the middle spot.

Fire Out from the 30 Drill

The fire out from 30 drill is used with a number of linemen at once. Each player lines up in a three-point stance next to the other. On the coach’s signal, they each run ten yards and get back in the three-point stance. The first few to finish are done with the drill while the slower players have to continue. This is done until all players are finished.

Four Corners Drill

Cones are set up in a square. Linemen start at the bottom right cone then sprint to the one in front of them. They perform a karaoke shuffle left to the next cone before backpedaling to the final cone. A final shuffle to the right brings them back to the first cone, completing a rep of the drill.

Gap Blocking Drill

The gap blocking drill uses seven cones to simulate six holes, one of which the defensive player will run through. The offensive lineman tracks and touches the defensive player as quickly as possible.

Recovery Drill

The recovery drill has another player grab the breastplate of the defensive lineman, whose helmet is also askew. The defensive lineman must then make his way around the other player despite being at a disadvantage.

QB Protect Drill

The QB protect drill uses a dummy or bag to represent the quarterback. One offensive lineman stands at either side of the dummy at the line of scrimmage while trying to fend off two defensive linemen for as long as they can.

Wax On, Wax Off Drill

Offensive and defensive linemen stand facing each other. An offensive lineman will put their hands up to make a block while the defender tries to bat them out of the way. The offensive lineman will fight back, attempting to move their hands back into a blocking position.

FAQ