03-05-2020, 02:31 PM
(03-05-2020, 02:14 PM)bengaloo Wrote: That is a good breakdown. I do notice though, that on places like Walter Football, they will rate players differently for the 4-3 and 3-4. For instance Benito Jones isnt listed very high as a 4-3 DT but has a little bit higher grade as a 3-4 NT for his skill set. Then in the pro's I wonder if players like TJ Watt, who is an OLB I think, if he would do as well as a 4-3 DE? Love to hear your insight on that type of thing. Obviously the hybrid LB/S type is becoming a big role for the hybrid 3-4, but maybe that is to keep up with the spread type offense taking place.
This is actually a really complex topic but I'll try and explain it the easiest way. The reason a lot of people refer to it that way is because old profiles of what the prototypical player at that position were like are hard for people to break from. Early on many 3-4 defenses were a 2 gap scheme. Because most 3-4 were ran as two gap schemes DT's were then pigeon holed as 3-4 DT's because they were probably a little bigger and more anchors than penetrators. Same for the inverse a lot of 4-3 schemes were traditionally single gap schemes where the personnel was a little smaller so they could shoot gaps and penetrate so if you were a smaller DT you often were type cast as 4-3 DT or 3-4 DE.
Now the thing to understand is most of those beliefs really aren't hard and fast rules anymore. Wade Phillips for instance doesn't like his linemen to sit back and wait so he runs a 3-4 single gap scheme. There are coaches as well that like to run a 4-3 2 gab even scheme where the D linemen eat more blockers and let their linebackers read and react.
It goes far more in depth than that but essentially players should be rated by their ability and what they will be asked to do in a scheme more than a generic scheme like they currently are done but the reality is the average fan doesn't know or really care what that means but they can under stand 4-3 versus 3-4.
