The five players lined up in football are called the offensive line, which consists of players that block for the quarterback and other players coming out of the backfield. The offensive line is made up of two tackles, who line up on each end of the line; two guards, who line up inside the tackles; and a center, who is in the middle and snaps the ball to the quarterback.
Rules for Offensive Linemen
Offensive linemen are not allowed to be the first player to touch the ball on a forward pass and are not allowed to go beyond the line of scrimmage before the quarterback passes the ball. One of the most common penalties called on offensive linemen is holding, in which the offensive lineman "cannot use his hands or arms to push from behind, hang onto or encircle an opponent in a manner that restricts his movement as the play develops," according to the NFL rule book. In addition, offensive linemen are not allowed to assist a ball carrier except in blocking for him.
Run Blocking
Perhaps the most important aspect of the offensive lineman's job is run blocking, in which each lineman has a certain job to do to free up the running back behind them. Run blocking includes many different techniques to disguise where the ball carrier is going, including zone-blocking schemes and pulling linemen to the other side of the field. Pulling linemen usually involves the guard going underneath the center and other offensive linemen on the other side of the line to set up a block in the hole created against a defender.
Zone Blocking Technique
A popular technique for offensive linemen is the zone-blocking scheme, in which one side of the line works together to block a space instead of having blocking assignments. According to Bob Davie, former Notre Dame head coach and ESPN analyst, the advantage of zone blocking is that you create a double-team with two offensive linemen blocking one defensive lineman. This allows the offensive linemen to be more aggressive because of the help that will be there if the defensive lineman goes to the inside and creates a point of attack for the running back.
The Quarterback's Blind Side
An area of emphasis for NFL teams in recent years has been in developing left tackles, who block the back side of a right-handed quarterback when he drops back to pass. With the emphasis on the passing game, NFL teams must have a solid left tackle to prevent the quarterback from getting blind-sided from a rushing defensive lineman or cornerback coming on a blitz. Because of the increased emphasis, left tackles are among the highest-paid linemen in the league, with several left tackles often taken in the NFL Draft each year.
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