Wheel of NFL Positions

Spin for a random NFL position from 28, with the job explained under the name, or tap Offense and spin out all 11 spots with no repeats.

Wheel of NFL Positions

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Spin 1 · number 12

Defensive end

DE. The two outside men on the defensive line. On a pass they go after the quarterback; on a run they hold the edge so the play cannot get around them, a job called containment. The quicker of the two tends to play the right side, which is behind a right-handed quarterback's back.

Every spin uses the whole wheel.

28 positions on the wheel.

Numbers on the wheel

  1. Quarterback
  2. Running back
  3. Fullback
  4. Wide receiver
  5. Slot receiver
  6. Tight end
  7. Left tackle
  8. Left guard
  9. Center
  10. Right guard
  11. Right tackle
  12. Defensive end
  13. Defensive tackle
  14. Nose tackle
  15. Outside linebacker
  16. Middle linebacker
  17. Cornerback
  18. Free safety
  19. Strong safety
  20. Nickelback
  21. Kicker
  22. Punter
  23. Long snapper
  24. Holder
  25. Kick returner
  26. Punt returner
  27. Gunner
  28. Upback

Results

  1. 1. Defensive end

Tip: the space bar and the Enter key spin the wheel, and so does a tap on the wheel itself. Press again to skip to the result.

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Wheel of NFL Positions: how it works

This wheel of NFL positions spins and lands on one of 28 jobs, from quarterback to gunner, then prints what that player does under the name. Tap Offense, Defense or Special teams to shrink the wheel. It doubles as a random NFL position generator: tap Offense, switch to Elimination and spin out a whole side.

Spin once, or spin out a whole offense

Press Spin the wheel, or tap the wheel itself; a second press skips to the result. Normal mode uses every segment each time. Elimination takes each winner off the wheel. So tap Offense, switch to Elimination and press Clear results: 11 spins then hand out all 11 spots once each, numbered in the Results list. Clear results again puts every position back for the next deal.

What the three units contain

Offense holds 11 positions that make one legal formation: five linemen, a tight end and a wide receiver on the line of scrimmage, with quarterback, running back, fullback and slot receiver behind it. Defense holds nine, not 11, because a real defense doubles up: a 3-4 plays a nose tackle, two ends, four linebackers, two cornerbacks and two safeties. Special teams holds eight, kicker to upback.

Tips

  • Backyard game: set Offense and Elimination, then let each player spin for a spot. Short of 11? Hand out quarterback and center first, because every play from scrimmage starts with a snap.
  • Quiz round: hide the screen, read the job line aloud and let teams name the position.
  • Flag football or eight-man? Open My list and type your own positions, one per line.

Questions and answers

Which positions are on the wheel?

Twenty-eight. Offense: quarterback, running back, fullback, wide receiver, slot receiver, tight end, center, two guards and two tackles. Defense: end, tackle, nose tackle, outside and middle linebacker, cornerback, both safeties and nickelback. Special teams: kicker, punter, long snapper, holder, both returners, gunner and upback.

How do I run a spin the wheel NFL positions challenge?

Spin, then name or draft a player who plays that position before you spin again. In Elimination nothing repeats. To pick a random NFL position for a career save, tap Offense or Defense first. For real names, use the random NFL player generator.

Does it work as a random football position generator for school or backyard teams?

Yes. These are the standard positions of American football, so it serves as a wheel of football positions at any level. Flag and small-sided games play fewer than 11, so a group chip such as Backs and receivers gives a random football position that exists in your game. For soccer, try the random soccer position generator.

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All 28 positions

Linebackers 2

  • Middle linebacker MLB, the Mike, and an inside linebacker in a 3-4. Often called the quarterback of the defense, because the Mike is frequently the one calling the defensive plays. Stops running backs, covers passes over the middle and rushes on a blitz.
  • Outside linebacker OLB. Plays on the edge of the defense. First job: set the edge, a wall that turns the runner back toward the middle. On a pass, either blitzes the quarterback or drops into space to cover. Like every linebacker, starts in a two-point stance, with no hand on the ground.

Defensive line 3

  • Defensive end DE. The two outside men on the defensive line. On a pass they go after the quarterback; on a run they hold the edge so the play cannot get around them, a job called containment. The quicker of the two tends to play the right side, which is behind a right-handed quarterback's back.
  • Defensive tackle DT, once called a defensive guard. The inside men on the defensive line, across from the guards. They push the pocket back on a pass and close the middle on a run. A 4-3 defense plays two of them, and the second is sometimes called an under tackle.
  • Nose tackle NT, also nose guard or middle guard. Lines up directly in front of the center, almost nose to nose, hence the name. Clogs the middle against the run in a 3-4 defense or at the goal line. Usually the heaviest man on the defense, because his job is to keep two blockers busy at once.

Defensive backs 4

  • Cornerback CB. Stops passes by swatting the ball away from the receiver or catching it. On a running play the corner contains the runner, turning him back inside or forcing him out of bounds. A normal defensive line-up has two cornerbacks and two safeties.
  • Free safety FS. The deep safety, and usually the quicker and lighter of the pair. He stands farther from the ball than anyone else on the defense, watches the quarterback, and gets across to help a cornerback when a pass goes long.
  • Nickelback The fifth defensive back, named after the five-cent coin, in what is called a nickel formation. A sixth defensive back is a dimeback, because a dime package uses a second nickelback and a dime is worth two nickels.
  • Strong safety SS. The heavier safety, and the one nearer the ball. He lines up on the strong side, meaning the side the offense has loaded with its tight end, and spends more of the game stopping runs than the free safety does.

Offensive line 5

  • Center C. Starts each play by snapping the ball back to the quarterback, then blocks whoever is in front of him. He is normally the lineman who reads the defensive front before the snap and tells the other four whom to block.
  • Left guard LG. Lines up directly to the left of the center and blocks on both running and passing plays. Like the other interior linemen, a guard is ineligible to catch a forward pass.
  • Left tackle LT. The outside man on the left of the line. A right-handed quarterback turns his back to this side when he sets up to throw, so the left tackle deals with the rusher the quarterback cannot see. Teams tend to put their best pass blocker here.
  • Right guard RG. Directly to the center's right. A guard may pull: leave his place in the line to lead block for the ball carrier on traps, sweeps and screens. He is then called a pulling guard.
  • Right tackle RT. The outside man on the right of the line, and a blocker on every run and every pass. The zone between the two tackles is known as close line play: a block from behind that would be a foul in the open field can be legal inside it.

Backs and receivers 6

  • Fullback FB. The bigger of the two backs, and a blocker first: he goes through the hole ahead of the ball carrier and hits the first defender he meets. He sets up nearer the line than the tailback, and still gets the odd carry or short pass, mostly when only a yard or two is needed.
  • Quarterback QB. Takes the snap to start the play, then has three options: hand the ball off, throw a forward pass or run with it. Relays the play in the huddle and may change it at the line, which is called an audible. Lines up under center, in the pistol, or deeper in the shotgun.
  • Running back RB, also halfback or tailback. Lines up behind the offensive line to take a hand-off, and is often the team's main ball carrier. Doubles as the check-down, the short safe pass when nobody else is open. A formation with no running back is an empty backfield.
  • Slot receiver Lines up in the slot, the gap between the last man on the offensive line and the receiver split widest. He usually stands a step back from the line, which makes him one of the four players a formation may keep in the backfield; the other seven have to be up on the line at the snap.
  • Tight end TE. Lines up right next to a tackle. A hybrid, part wide receiver and part offensive lineman: blocks on most running plays and, as an eligible receiver, may catch passes too. A tight end set behind the line is an H-back.
  • Wide receiver WR. A pass-catching specialist, typically fast and tall, split wide near the sideline. The job is to run routes and get open. A split end stands on the line of scrimmage; a flanker stands behind it and counts as one of the four backs.

Special teams 8

  • Gunner Runs down the field very quickly on a punt or kickoff to tackle the returner. Lines up near the sideline, where there are fewer blockers. Usually a wide receiver or a cornerback. The player sent to slow a gunner down is called a jammer.
  • Holder H. Kneels about 7 yards behind the line, catches the snap and stands the ball on end for the placekicker. The job usually goes to the punter or a backup quarterback, the players who handle snaps every day.
  • Kick returner KR. Catches kickoffs and runs them back. Usually among the fastest players on the team, and typically a wide receiver or a cornerback as well. Returns carry a relatively high risk of injury, so most professional teams do not regularly use their very best receivers or corners here.
  • Kicker K, short for placekicker. Kicks off, and tries the field goals and extra points. On a kickoff the ball sits on a tee; on a field goal or an extra point a holder stands it on the turf for him.
  • Long snapper LS. A specialized center who snaps the ball straight back to the holder or the punter, a much longer snap than on an ordinary play. Generally the size of a tight end or a linebacker. Once a job for backups, now usually a dedicated player.
  • Punt returner PR. Catches punts and runs them back. Like the kick returner, usually one of the team's fastest players. A team may use one player for both return jobs, or keep one returner for punts and another for kickoffs.
  • Punter P. Stands about 15 yards behind the center, catches the long snap, drops the ball and kicks it before it lands. He comes on when a team gives up on fourth down and wants the other side to start as far back as it can be pushed.
  • Upback Also called the personal protector. A blocking back who stands a few yards behind the line on a punt, between the blockers and the punter. He often calls out the blocking, signals the long snapper that the punter is ready, and picks up any rusher who gets through. On a fake punt the snap may go to him instead.

How this list was compiled: All 28 positions, their grouping into offense, defense and special teams, and the position groups inside each unit follow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football_positions, checked 2026-09-18. That article carries a 'more citations needed' notice, so each role was also read against the league's own glossary of terms at https://operations.nfl.com/learn-the-game/nfl-basics/terms-glossary/ (checked 2026-09-18), which describes the center, guards, tackles, fullback, tight end, defensive tackle, nose tackle in a 3-4, linebackers, cornerbacks, the nickel back, the holder and the long snapper the same way. The role notes are written in this site's own words. Two distances are given and each was checked in a second article: the punter's 15 yards in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punt_(gridiron_football), and the holder's 7 yards in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holder_(gridiron_football). The nose tackle's weight and the upback's depth were taken out on 2026-09-18, because a second article gave a different range for the upback and the glossary gives no weight. The first source gives one entry each for offensive guard (OG) and offensive tackle (OT); this list splits them into left and right, as a depth chart does, with the usual depth-chart abbreviations LT, LG, RG and RT, which are not the source's. The other abbreviations are the source's own. Slot receiver, nickelback, gunner and upback carry no abbreviation because the source gives none. The Offense group is this site's own choice of 11 positions that make one legal formation (seven on the line of scrimmage, four behind it); it is one formation among many, not an official line-up. The Defense group has nine positions, not eleven, because a real defense doubles up on ends, tackles, linebackers and cornerbacks. Dimeback and jammer are explained inside the nickelback and gunner notes, not listed as separate positions. No players, teams or statistics are listed: the output is a position, not a person. Licence: own work