The sport of football has the most number of positions of any sport. The skills needed to play each position are extremely different. Consider this.  An individual’s athletic skill and size potential are the most important criteria. These can help decide an individual’s position potential based on skills needed for a specific position. Linemen for instance need to have a large build and strength to be successful. Skill positions (running backs, wide receivers and defensive backs) all need to have lean muscular builds, speed and agility to perform at a high level.

Athletic ability can be measured using a battery of physical tests. A forty-yard dash test is used to measure speed and explosion in an athlete. Explosion is key, particularly when playing in middle school and up.  Tools to help a player can differ.  Bench press and squat max lifts are used to find players upper and lower body power levels. A vertical jump measure is a pure test of one’s natural ability. This test provides the best measure of athletic potential.

Confidence, yes confidence you would think would be a trait any football player would posses, although after coaching my first year of tackle a realized there are way too many scared kids out there. Confidence or the level of aggressiveness plays a significant role in football because of the drastic contrast between offensive and defensive players.  A focused, and cool under pressure temperament is best suited for positions such as quarterback, wide receiver and kicker. While aggressiveness, ferocity and brash are traits tend to favor players on defense such as linebackers and safeties. All things being equal it is always best to have a balance of all of these characteristics. Regardless, if you don’t have the kind of ferocity needed you will not succeed at any positions.

- Quarterback: Intelligence, calmness, leadership ability, arm strength, upper body development and a tall lean build.

- Running back: Toughness, focus, agility, speed, balance, endurance and a compact muscular build.

- Wide receiver: Speed, hand-eye coordination, jumping ability, agility, focus and a tall lean build.

- Kicker: Focus, lower body strength and flexibility a soccer background.

- Lineman: Power, strength, aggressiveness, discipline and a large build.

- Linebacker: Aggressiveness, intensity, power, agility, and a large muscular build.

- Defensive back: Courage, aggressiveness, intensity, agility, quickness and a muscular build.

Each of the characteristics physical and personality wise are just criteria that most typical players at each position may possess. The measure of success in the game of football at any level mostly relies on the one intangible that cannot be quantified. The measure of an athlete’s heart, again, I said heart goes further than any physical or mental skill they may have. Players from the NFL such as Doug Flutie

, Walter Payton, Sam Mills, and Wayne Chrebet are examples of athletes with limited physical skills that have played the game of football at a high level. Walter Payton became the greatest football player ever. Payton overcame average athletic skill but with the heart of a lion was able to triumph. This shows that regardless if you are a star athlete or not having heart, dedication and determination at something goes along way, sometimes further then pure athleticism.