What is 3-4 defense football?

Answer 1

it's a kind of defense where 3 defensive linemen are used, with 4 linebackers playing behind them. in this scheme usually one linebacker is used to rush the quarterback and the d linemen all have to be big and athletic enough to occupy multiple blockers, especially the d-tackle. the best example of a 3-4 d-tackle is albert haynesworth, who occupies 2 blockers on every play with his size and athleticism.

In the 3-4 the 3 defensive lineman or different in that they have to big bigger. The best example is Alabama.

The defensive ends in a 3-4 defense would more than likely play defensive tackle in the 4-3 scheme. You want your 3-4 defensive ends to be in the 280-305 pound range. That way they still have enough athletic ability. And you want your NoseTackle to be ideally 320 or heavier preferbally about 335-340 because he has got to be big enough to clog up the holes on either side of the center. At linebacker your Outside rush linebackers need to be guys that would play 4-3 defensive end such as Demarcus Ware, The ideal college size for these guys would be the 6-3 to 6-5 range with guys that way 245-270. And your inside linebackers need to be in the 6-0 to 6-2 range and way 235-260. When your looking at College 4-3 defensive ends that would be the best to convert to 3-4 lb's in the nfl the best 2 examples are LSU'S Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo. Montgomery is around 6-4 250-255 with a 4.5 40 yd. dash and Mingo is about 6-5 245-255 with a 4.4 40 yd. dash. And 4-3 defensive tackles who would convert to 3-4 defensive ends is like LSU's Bennie Logan who is around 6-3 290-295 with a 4.8 40 yd. dash. This should give you an idea on the differences. In the size athletic ability thing. But the DB's are genarrally similar depending on what type of db's your team's scheme likes.