Draw
Sell pass protection, then run into vacated gaps
The Draw play is the ultimate change-of-pace run. The offensive line initially sets up in pass protection, inviting the defensive line to rush upfield. After 1-2 seconds of selling the pass look, the offensive linemen transition from pass-set to run blocking, redirecting their rush-hungry defenders past the play. The running back waits in pass-protection posture before taking a delayed handoff and running through the gaps vacated by the over-pursuing pass rushers. The Draw is devastatingly effective on long-yardage situations when defenses expect pass, yet it accounts for a tiny fraction of rushing attempts, making it one of football's most underused plays.
Blocking Assignments
All five offensive linemen initially set up in pass protection, mirroring their normal dropback pass sets for 1-2 seconds. This invites the defensive linemen to rush upfield. After the initial pass-set, the linemen transition to run blocking: they allow the pass rushers to commit to their rush lanes, then redirect them, driving them past the intended running lane. The center and guards wall off their defenders to the outside, creating a vertical crease up the middle. The play relies on the DL's own momentum working against them.
Running Back Read
Sell the pass protection look, set up as if preparing to pass-block, then take the delayed handoff from the QB. Read the gaps created by the pass rushers' upfield momentum. The aiming point is typically the A-gap or B-gap, wherever the interior DL have vacated by rushing past the play. Hit the crease with speed once you commit, the delay creates the hole, but you must be decisive through it.
Why It Works
The Draw weaponizes the defense's aggression. When a defense is expecting pass and rushing upfield, they create the very gaps the RB runs through. The pass-set disguise makes it nearly impossible for defenders to diagnose the run until the RB is already through the hole. On long-yardage downs, when defenses play their most aggressive pass-rush fronts, the Draw is at its most deadly because defenders rush harder and vacate more space.