How fast do defensive ends need to be to play D-I football?
My son is 15 and is 6-foot-4, 255 pounds and runs a 4.9 40. Some say he should gotooffense, but he loves to hit the QB. Hi, I can see the offensive line coach licking his chops to get your son over playing as offensive tackle. This is always a never-ending battle between offensive and defensive coaches as to where certain players will line up. Is 4.9 fast enough to play D-I defensive end? Of course it is, but many wide pass rushers in college will be faster. It is not so much the 40 speed as it is the quickness off the ball. Quickness off the ball can be improved by putting more weight on the down forward hand and up foot, seeing and focusing on the movement of the ball, and concentrating on attacking across the line of scrimmage using a low, hard charge. As your son continues to get bigger – and at 15 he will – he should realize that there is a good possibility that he may be moved inside and become a much more effective defensive tackle than a defensive end and, at that position, his
