A defensive lineman is any of the down positions on the defensive side of Canadian and American football. Although alignments vary, the most popular consist of either 3 or 4 down linemen. On a 3 lineman set, there are 2 Defensive Ends which bookend an often large Nose Tackle. In a 4 lineman set, the Ends bookend 2 Defensive Tackles. The primary job of a defensive lineman is to gain penetration past the line of scrimmage to disrupt an offensive play. The best results are a sack on the quarterback or tackling a ball carrier for a loss of yardage. Almost all Defensive Linemen have certain key traits. These are important factors that often make or break how a lineman performs. Defensive Lineman are responsible for controlling the line of scrimmage for the defense. They engage offensive lineman in hopes of freeing up the linebackers who are then able to make the tackle. Defensive Lineman are usually large weighing over 300 pounds. There are several variations of defensive lineman: [ - ]

A defensive lineman is any of the down positions on the defensive side of Canadian and American... [ + ]