Why defensive backs should watch college football and the NFL:

Roderick Rogers
Oct 25
2 min read

🧠 1. Learn From the Best

Watching elite college or NFL defensive backs lets you study real game situations that you can’t always replicate in practice. You see:

How they read routes and anticipate plays
Their footwork, leverage, and eye discipline
How they recover after getting beat
How they communicate and adjust coverages

Watching players like Jalen Ramsey, Patrick Surtain II, or Sauce Gardner can show you how great DBs handle both man and zone responsibilities.

🎯 2. Understand Offensive Tendencies

Football at higher levels reveals the patterns and tendencies of modern offenses — route combinations, motions, and spacing. By watching games, DBs can learn:

How offenses try to create mismatches
How QBs read coverage
The importance of pre-snap alignment and disguises

This helps high school DBs anticipate what’s coming and react faster.

🏈 3. Visualize Situational Football

The best DBs understand down-and-distance, field position, and game flow. Watching college and NFL games helps you see:

How DBs adjust in red zone, 3rd down, or 2-minute situations
How they play situational leverage (inside/outside, high/low)
When to take calculated risks for turnovers

You start to think the game like a coach — not just play it.

🧩 4. Improve Football IQ

Every great defensive back has a high football IQ. Watching games and analyzing coverages increases your understanding of:

Coverage concepts (Cover 2, Cover 3, quarters, man-free, etc.)
Adjustments vs. bunch or motion sets
How safeties and corners work together to close windows

The more you watch, the more the game slows down for you on the field.

🔥 5. Motivation & Confidence

Seeing players at the next level who started where you are can motivate you. You’ll see their grind, technique, and swagger — and start to believe, “I can do that too.”

🎥 Bonus Tip: Don’t Just Watch the Ball

When watching games, focus on the DBs, not the ball or offense. Watch:

Alignment and stance
First 3 steps
Eye placement
Recovery technique
Finish at the catch point

Take notes or record clips to study during the week like film review.

Coach Rod