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.