You can't teach size and strength, two of the most desirable attributes for an offensive lineman. However, knowing how to play the position with the proper technique is critical. Proper footwork and quickness are skills that easily develop with practice, and even smaller offensive linemen can thrive in football without having to rely on overpowering defensive players.
Sled Ride
No matter what level of football you play, the most basic drill for offensive linemen involves hitting the sled. Whether it's the NFL, college or beginning football, the blocking sled is a fixture on the practice field. A simple beginning drill for an offensive lineman is getting down in a three-point stance a yard or two in front of the sled and driving into the padding. This is an effective simulation for run blocking an opposing defender and it helps strengthen leg drive.
Start and Stop
The freeze drill helps offensive linemen practice footwork and balance. On the coach's whistle, linemen take a step or two out of their stance and stop. This allows the coach to see whether the linemen are moving the right way and whether their strides off the whistle are too short or too long. If the footwork is flawed, an offensive lineman can be slow to deliver a block and balance is likely to be compromised.
Block That Pass
Unlike run blocking, which requires offensive linemen to drive off the ball and move the defender, pass blocking is more stationary. A good drill for this is getting from the three-point stance to the straight-up position as quickly as possible on the coach's whistle and pumping the feet. The offensive lineman needs to practice keeping his head up, back straight and rear end down on pass blocking. By keeping the feet pumping at all times, the lineman can move side to side or backward in order to keep between the defensive player and quarterback.
Gang Up
An offensive lineman often blocks the defensive player right in front of him, but that's not always the case. On a sweep or counter play, the lineman is on the move after the football is snapped. A good practice drill to aid movement is lining three defensive players up against one offensive lineman. On the whistle, the lineman blocks the defender to the right and the play stops. He then blocks the defender right in front of him and the play stops again. Finally, the offensive lineman blocks the defender to his left. It's an effective drill that stresses quick movement and drive blocking.
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