Blocking FGs

[Tony Oday]

OK this may sound dumb with the current roster limitations by why don't teams have a 7 foot guy on their team just to block longish to long kicks? You would think that blocking a FG a game would be worth it :)

[falco]

http://www.maniacworld.com/tallest-football-player.jpg

[falco]

For a little backstory: http://www.maniacworld.com/tallest-football-player.html

[Tony Oday]

Holy cow that is a sad/uplifting story

[Lurker64]

I think the major issue is that most 7 foot guys can't jump all that well. So when you're looking for a guy to block kicks, a 6'3" guy with a 42" vertical leap (those are Demaryius Thomas's numbers) is going to be able to get higher than a 7'1" guy with a 22" vert.

[get louder at lambeau]

I think the major issue is that most 7 foot guys can't jump all that well. So when you're looking for a guy to block kicks, a 6'3" guy with a 42" vertical leap (those are Demaryius Thomas's numbers) is going to be able to get higher than a 7'1" guy with a 22" vert.

And if the 7 footer CAN jump, he's in the NBA.

[Packgator]

OK this may sound dumb with the current roster limitations by why don't teams have a 7 foot guy on their team just to block longish to long kicks? You would think that blocking a FG a game would be worth it :)

Maybe that is what Ole Miss has in mind with this guy.......

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Terrell-Brown-may-be-the-largest-football-player?urn=ncaaf-262065

[MJZiggy]

OK this may sound dumb with the current roster limitations by why don't teams have a 7 foot guy on their team just to block longish to long kicks? You would think that blocking a FG a game would be worth it :)

Maybe that is what Ole Miss has in mind with this guy.......

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Terrell-Brown-may-be-the-largest-football-player?urn=ncaaf-262065

I think that dude sat across from me on the metro this week. I instantly felt safer.

[BobDobbs]

One word. Pad level.

[Lurker64]

One word. Pad level.

Closer to the truth than you might think. More important for blocking field goals than being able to jump ridiculously high is being able to push the pile backwards. The ball is going to be significantly lower in elevation 3 yards into the backfield than it will be at the line of scrimmage. I mean, hell, Terrence Cody blocked two kicks against Tennessee that way (though admittedly they were low kicks), and I'm not sure that he's physically capable of jumping.

[BobDobbs]

Just thinking about Cody jumping hurts my knees.

And you're right. Blocking a kick is about meeting the ball on the way up. The closer you get to the point of contact the lower to the ground the ball is going to be.