CFB 27 · Build your team
Your 4-2-5 needs a second safety you trust
Build a CFB 27 4-2-5 recruiting board around both SS roles, coverage and tackling. See the actual plays and what their yards-allowed distributions look like.
One great safety doesn't fill two spots. Start your 4-2-5 check with SS1 and SS2, then look at who has to cover and tackle around them. That extra defensive back needs to help you on the run calls too.
Try the recruiting checklist
Pick the book. Know who to recruit.
Start with three jobs your roster needs to handle. Switch books to see what changes before you spend your recruiting hours.
Build toward 4-2-5
Build around a mix of calls and the 4-2-5 personnel menu.
SS1 / SS2Two strong safeties
Default 4-2-5 sets use SS1 and SS2 together. Check both: one strong starter does not cover the second role. Package substitutions can change the lineup.
- Key attributes
- SpeedTackleZone coverage
- Optimal Archetype:
- Hybrid · Coverage Specialist
CB1 / CB2 / CB3Coverage corners
Prioritize a mix of calls; nickel packages also make the third corner worth checking.
- Key attributes
- Man coverageZone coverageSpeed
- Optimal Archetype:
- Field · Zone
LB1 / LB2Two sub linebackers
Choose coverage-capable tacklers for the sub-LB jobs. These are linebacker candidates, not a read of your saved SUBLB depth chart.
- Key attributes
- SpeedTackleZone coverage
- Optimal Archetype:
- Signal Caller · Lurker
Archetypes are scouting starting points. Check the player's actual ratings and your in-game depth chart; a label alone doesn't make a player the best fit.
4 plays to get a feel for the book
Try these commonly called plays from 4-2-5. Check the offensive look, know your assignment, and see where you need help. The bars show yards allowed in our CPU games.
Cover 3 Sky
Nickel · 3-3 Odd
Before the snap: Find the offense's trips side and your curl-flat defenders. Three deep zones still need help against seams and throws underneath.
After the snap
- Protect your seam. If you user an underneath defender, watch the inside receiver release upfield before chasing a short route.
- Rally to the throw. Keep the ball in front and close after the pass. Chasing the flat too early opens the curl or crossing window behind you.
5.8 yd avg allowed
15,722 recorded attempts · CPU Dynasty simulations
Tap a bar for the count. Taller bars mean more attempts.
Held opponents to no gain or a loss on 29% of attempts. Allowed 10+ yards on 26%.
| Yards allowed | Attempts |
|---|---|
| Loss | 960 |
| 0 | 3669 |
| 1–4 | 5275 |
| 5–9 | 1786 |
| 10–19 | 2828 |
| 20+ | 1204 |
Tampa 2
4-2-5 · 3 High
Before the snap: Identify who has the deep-middle drop between the two safeties. Check the outside receivers for a possible sideline shot.
After the snap
- Carry the middle. If you control the middle dropper, gain depth with an inside vertical instead of jumping the first short route.
- Close underneath. React down once the throw declares. Watch the sideline space between the flat defender and the deep-half safety.
5.3 yd avg allowed
14,120 recorded attempts · CPU Dynasty simulations
Tap a bar for the count. Taller bars mean more attempts.
Held opponents to no gain or a loss on 35% of attempts. Allowed 10+ yards on 24%.
| Yards allowed | Attempts |
|---|---|
| Loss | 960 |
| 0 | 3992 |
| 1–4 | 4308 |
| 5–9 | 1499 |
| 10–19 | 2378 |
| 20+ | 983 |
Cover 3 Match
3-4 · Tite
Before the snap: Check the edge responsibilities in this Tite front, then locate the inside receivers. The match defenders must account for their releases.
After the snap
- Stay with the release. Expect an underneath match defender to carry a vertical receiver. If you user that defender, don't abandon him just to sit in the painted zone.
- Fit the run. Confirm the handoff before leaving coverage and fill your assigned gap. Don't chase an inside fake and give away the edge.
5.3 yd avg allowed
13,872 recorded attempts · CPU Dynasty simulations
Tap a bar for the count. Taller bars mean more attempts.
Held opponents to no gain or a loss on 28% of attempts. Allowed 10+ yards on 22%.
| Yards allowed | Attempts |
|---|---|
| Loss | 821 |
| 0 | 3075 |
| 1–4 | 5253 |
| 5–9 | 1697 |
| 10–19 | 2146 |
| 20+ | 880 |
Cover 3 Match
Nickel · 3-3 Odd
Before the snap: Locate the slot receivers and your match defenders. Check for trips or a stacked release that can make the assignments harder to follow.
After the snap
- Watch the slot. Be ready for a vertical carry instead of a stationary zone drop. Keep your assigned receiver accounted for when usering underneath.
- Don't chase the bait. Let the underneath help handle a short throw until the ball comes out. Crossing routes can pull you away from the space you need to protect.
5.7 yd avg allowed
13,617 recorded attempts · CPU Dynasty simulations
Tap a bar for the count. Taller bars mean more attempts.
Held opponents to no gain or a loss on 29% of attempts. Allowed 10+ yards on 25%.
| Yards allowed | Attempts |
|---|---|
| Loss | 806 |
| 0 | 3202 |
| 1–4 | 4631 |
| 5–9 | 1532 |
| 10–19 | 2447 |
| 20+ | 999 |
Now put your own players on the board.
See which players fit 4-2-5, where you need depth, and which attributes to scout next. Import your dynasty roster to turn the checklist into a plan for your team.
See how your roster fitsStart with a free selected-style report. Plus adds ongoing comparisons and deeper play research.
Check SS2 before you chase another corner
The base 4-2-5 priorities include two separate strong-safety roles. Look at each player's speed, tackling and coverage for the jobs your calls give them. A big overall beside SS1 can hide a very different player in the next slot.
Check the in-game formation and substitutions as well. A depth-chart label isn't a promise about every package. Keep the actual personnel in mind when you move from a base look into Nickel or another set.
Speed only helps if somebody finishes the tackle
Spreading defenders across the field puts more of them in space. Check pursuit and tackling alongside coverage. The short throw you allow is much less painful when the first defender brings the receiver down.
Man, Zone, Shell and Pressure books ask different things of the same depth chart. Switch the book below and watch the priorities change. Recruiting for a coverage you hardly call leaves the work to somebody else.
Make one stop you can repeat
- Pick a base call and check which safety and linebacker are actually on the field.
- After a big gain, find the first missed assignment or tackle before changing the whole defense.
- Read the long-gain bars as yards allowed. A lower average can still hide a few painful explosives.
Still deciding on your style? Check the 3-3-5 defense recruiting plan.