Evaluating Offensive Lineman: “The Anchor”

     I am sure you have heard the term before, “he provides a great anchor” and although it may seem like a cliché enveloped in imagery, it is a significant consideration when evaluating offensive lineman.

 The term “anchor” primarily is related to pass protection. The genesis of the term “anchor” comes from the pass blocking technique to take 3 steps back from the line of scrimmage and plant your outside foot to set your line of demarcation; from that point on you must maintain your “anchor”, you have planted yourself and your goal is to stop all progress beyond that point.

  However, the principle of an anchor extends far beyond the rudimentary genesis of the term in regards to football. Inhumanly large men with rare explosive movement characteristics can be considered to be locomotives. Heavy, Powerful, Stiff, and difficult to slow their momentum.

 Allow me to explain. In a gap blocking scheme, the playside offensive linemen blocks down the line of scrimmage, making it look as though they’re blocking away from the gap where the ball carrier is running, While a guard or tackle pulls towards that gap to block any defender responsible for that gap. In this scenario anchor blocking is very difficult, because the pull blocker is most likely at full momentum when he reaches his gap and his responsibility. It requires a special athlete and tactician to pull at full velocity and upon reaching his gap responsibility gather his momentum and drop his “anchor”.

Exhibit A: Austin Jackson. The Powerboat with no anchor. 

   I have seen every snap of Austin Jackson’s professional career and I can honestly justify the pick! Austin Jackson is a physical phenomenon, at his size and length he moves at a singular velocity. His lateral movement as a tackle, his explosive attack of a gap, IMPRESSIVE!! 

HOWEVER, all of his physical gifts are made irrelevant because, either he can’t anchor, or he was not explained the principle. As a Tackle, when his lateral movement to shield an outside pass rusher beats his man to the spot he gets pushed away like a floating rudderless vessel. As a Guard, he attacks his gap and consistently beats the linebacker but is so off balance from his momentum that he can’t stop and anchor the spot he just won. In short, he routinely beats his opponent to a spot, but rarely wins because he overshoots it, he is floating and has no anchor, no gravity.

Exhibit B: Robert Hunt: The Tugboat with the crown anchor!

  I have also seen every snap of Hunt’s professional career, and in his rookie campaign he was not very good. They started him at right tackle and unlike Jackson he does not have the physical talents to beat his man to the spot. They moved him to guard and the second year lineman became the best lineman on the team BY FAR!! Why? although he does not possess the rare explosive athleticism of his draft class teammate, once he establishes his domain he drops anchor like a luxury cruise liner, only way through is around. 

Exhibit C: Creed Humprey

In my evaluation of a player that I will eternally be a fan of because he lived up to my belief. I wrote “flawless anchor” because what I saw was a player that not only can win the spot but then gather and anchor unlike anyone I have ever seen, but one.

When evaluating Offensive Lineman, you have to understand that these lineman are nautical vessels that can only be effective with a strong “anchor”.