Next Level Training: Ultimate Defensive Back Skills and Drills

Donovin Darius, a 10-year NFL veteran safety, brings a wealth of experience to the defensive back position. In this detailed DVD he teaches you the skills and drills that helped him become the Big East Defensive Player of the Year during his college playing career and ultimately a first round draft pick.

The drills in this video are demonstrated by youth, middle and high school players. Coach Darius starts with the basics for both the corner back and safety positions and progresses to more advanced techniques.

Stance and Start
A defensive back must have the ability to explode out of his stance and engage and lock onto a receiver in space. This all begins with the stance and start. Discover why your front foot is important and what to do and not to do with your back foot. You will learn all of the footwork you need to neutralize fleet-footed wide receivers.

Build Momentum When Back Pedaling
The Pace Drill will develop a defensive back's internal clock by helping him recognize short routes, medium routes and deep routes. Your defensive back will learn why the first three steps are important and why a 15 yard back pedal is vital.

The Defensive Back Route Tree
Learning the Defensive Back Route Tree will help neutralize the physical skills of any explosive wide receiver. This drill will teach your defensive backs to plant, break, and drive while using the correct angle. These drills emphasize how to read a route, what to do with your eyes and catching the ball at its highest point.

Train Your Eyes
The ability to train your eyes will prevent your defensive backs from becoming victims of double moves and out-and-up routes. You will learn when to turn your eyes to the quarterback as you break on the wide receiver.

Outside and Slot Receivers
There is different footwork used for each wide receiver. You will learn how to finish to the wide receiver, attempt to strip the football and then secure the tackle.

Coverage Keys, Cover 1 and Cover 2
As a defensive back you must understand Alignment, Assignment, Run/Pass Key, Technique and Finish. Coach Darius explains how outside versus inside receiver coverage varies and what players must do to cover both effectively. He explains run and pass keys and provides drills to help you understand how to engage receivers in zone and man coverages.

Also included in this video is a variety of ways to strip the ball from the wide receiver.

Coach Darius provides just the right amount of information on fundamental techniques, secondary coverage and drills so that coaches and players can easily absorb the information. Coaches at the youth, middle and high school levels will find this video invaluable to improving their performance on game day.

82 minutes. 2013.