Agility is as important as strength for football players, even for a big lineman. You can be stronger than everyone, but if you can’t get around the field, you’re going to have problems.

You’ll ensure all bases are covered by incorporating speed and agility drills into your football training program. You’ll also increase flexibility and reduce the risk of injury.

Read on below if you want to learn the best agility drills for football players.

Before were get into specific drills let’s talk about the types of movements you need to cover.

• Transition Movements
• Actualization Movements
• Initiation Movement

Transition movements are when you wait in a football position and react with a football play. Actualization movements happen when you try to move around at max speed. Initiation movements are when you explode from a staring position or change the direction of your movement.

Transition

Static-Wait

A static wait is done from your football-ready position; you hold and ground yourself while activating your core.

Semi-Static Transition or Jockeying

You accomplish this by jockeying side to side.

Side Shuffle and Back Peddle

First, shuffle your feet quickly to each side, then back peddle and repeat.

Controlled Front Movement

Quick feet or chop steps from your football position.

Decelerations

Speed up and decelerate as fast as possible. Try to stop within three yards.

Diagonal Cross steps or Crossovers

Act as if you were diagonally shadowing an attacking player.

Actualization

Acceleration

Accelerate by moving in different patterns. Do this sideways and backward also.

Top Speed

Gradually accelerate to top speed from a standstill. Do that over 60 yards with four rounds.

Curved Running

This will be similar to a receiver running a passing route like a zig-zag or button hook.

Initiation

Start to Front – acceleration patterns

Start to Rear – backward drop step

1. Start to Side – quick crossover
2. Change Direction – Front and back and Lateral – Cut Step or Plant Step

Lateral Shuffle Pushback

Put two cones five to 10 yards apart. Start in your football stance at one cone. Explode and shuffle to the other. Then, plant your leg and explode back – 10 times on each side.

Mirror Shuffle

Place cones 10 yards away from each other. Two players stand and mirror the other. One player plays the attacking role, and the other plays defense by mirroring him. Each round lasts five to 10 seconds, and do 10 rounds. Remember to stay within the cones.

Cone and Cut

Two cones should be five feet apart. The player runs to one and makes a cut step exploding back to the other cone. Do this five times for five rounds.

Coach Signals

Players start in their football position. The coach will blow the whistle and move a football around with his hand, side to side, and back and forth. Players must keep up.

Post Drill

Two players face each other three yards apart. When the coach blows the whistle, the attacking player takes a few steps and makes a cut to either the left or right post. The defender must shadow them without getting beat.

Run to Cut

Two cones are placed 10 yards apart—one player at one cone and defender at the other. The attacker tries to get past the defender guarding cone two.

Some Things to Remember

You want to start by developing general stabilizing strength. You then want to move on to combination moves. After that, it’s time to focus on in-game sport-specific patterns. Finally, it’s time to do the in-game sport-specific movements at an uncomfortably fast speed.

Agility to Make You Better

Agility is essential in almost every sport, and although football may seem like a game of brute strength, it’s also vital to be agile.

Being agile will not only make you a better all-around player, but it will also increase your quickness and help prevent you from getting injured.