Draw play (American Football Strategy)

A draw play, or simply draw for short, is a type of play that is run in American and Canadian football. The draw is a running play disguised as a passing play. It is the opposite of a play-action pass, which is a passing play disguised as a running play. The play is often used in long yardage situations.

The idea behind a draw play is to attack aggressive, pass-rushing defenses by "drawing" the defensive linemen across the line of scrimmage towards the passer while the linebackers and defensive backs commit to positioning themselves downfield in anticipation of a pass. This creates larger gaps between defenders and thereby allows the offense to effectively run the ball. Draw plays are often run out of the shotgun formation, but can also be run when the quarterback is under center. These types of draw plays are sometimes referred to as "delayed handoffs".

The running back will most often run straight downfield through the hole in the "A-gap" (the space between the center and the offensive guard), although there are more complicated variations. The most common variation of this play is the "quarterback draw," where the quarterback himself runs the ball, instead of handing it off, meaning the running back is free to help block.

Maneuvers

Offensive movement during a draw play

The quarterback drops back to pass, just long enough to get the pass rush to come upfield.
The offensive linemen momentarily show pass block, but also try to push the defenders to the outside, creating a crease in the middle.
The running back momentarily fakes as if he is staying in to help pass protect, then takes the hand-off from the quarterback and heads downfield through the crease created by the linemen.
The receivers run clear-out routes downfield in order to take the defensive backs out of the play.

SPORTS

American Football

Game play in American football consists of a series of downs, individual plays of short duration, outside of which the ball is dead or not in play. These can be plays from scrimmage – passes, runs, punts, or field goal attempts (from either a place kick or a drop kick) – or free kicks such as kickoffs and fair catch kicks. Substitutions can be made between downs, which allows for a great deal of specialization as coaches choose the players best suited for each particular situation. During a play, each team should have no more than 11 players on the field, and each of them has specific tasks assigned for that specific play.