Flag Football Positions

Flag football has fewer positions than tackle and every one of them matters more, because there are no linemen to hide anybody behind. This is what each position actually does, and which child to put there.

Coach Ray Carroll12 seasons, youth and rec flagUpdated Sep 8, 2026

The short answer

Flag football has six positions worth naming: quarterback, center, receiver and running back on offense, and rusher, cornerback and safety on defense. In 5v5 every player is eligible to catch, so the offensive roles are about assignment rather than eligibility. The rusher is the only defender permitted to attack the quarterback and must usually start seven yards off the ball. Put your most accurate thrower at quarterback and your best athlete at safety, not the other way round.

Offensive positions

In 5v5 there are no ineligible linemen, so every one of these players can catch a pass. The names describe jobs, not restrictions.

Accuracy over speed

Quarterback

Takes the snap and throws. In most leagues he may not run with the ball unless it has been handed off and pitched back. Pick the child who can put the ball on a receiver at ten yards, not the fastest one: a quarterback who is quick but inaccurate turns every play into a scramble.

Underrated, and eligible

Center

Snaps the ball and then releases as a receiver in most rulebooks. Under NFL Flag rules the center is explicitly eligible and becomes a genuine weapon underneath. A reliable snap is worth more than it sounds: a bad one costs three yards before anybody moves.

Where your athletes go

Receiver

Runs routes and catches. With four eligible receivers in 5v5, this is where speed pays off most, because a receiver touches the ball more often than a quarterback who has to throw it to someone. Put your best two on opposite sides so a defense cannot bracket both.

A receiver who starts deeper

Running back

Lines up behind the quarterback and takes handoffs or releases into the flat. In flag he is really a receiver with a different starting point, and defenses habitually under-cover him, which is why a swing route is one of the most reliable throws available.

Defensive positions

Defense is simpler: one player attacks, the rest cover. Who covers whom is the entire decision. Flag football borrows tackle football’s names loosely, so the same player gets called a cornerback, a corner or just a cover defender depending on who is talking. The job is the same whichever name your league uses.

The only one who attacks

Rusher

The single defender permitted to go after the quarterback, starting a set distance off the ball, most often seven yards. Some leagues require him to be declared before the snap. Give this to a child who runs hard in a straight line rather than your best cover player.

Man or zone

Cornerback (cover defender)

Covers a receiver in man, or an area in zone. Most leagues and most parents call this player a corner or cornerback, borrowing the tackle-football name; some rulebooks just say defender. At youth level they chase whoever is nearest regardless of what you called, which is why crossing routes work so well and why teaching one simple zone beats teaching complicated man rules.

Put your best athlete here

Safety

Plays deepest and cleans up everything the others miss. This is the single most valuable defensive position in youth flag, because one child who can run down a broken play prevents more points than any pass rush.

How to assign positions on a new team

Start with two decisions and let the rest follow. Who can throw accurately, and who is your best athlete. The thrower plays quarterback, the athlete plays safety on defense and receiver on offense. Everything else is rotation.

Rotate the remaining positions every game at younger ages. A child who only ever plays center learns one job and stops enjoying it, and you will not discover your second quarterback if you never give anyone else a snap.

Once you know who is playing where, diagram your plays with real names on them so your team sees their own position rather than a letter, then print a playbook for game day.

Common questions

How many positions are there in 5v5 flag football?

Five on the field per side, but only a handful of named roles. On offense: quarterback, center and three receivers, with one sometimes used as a running back. On defense: a rusher, defenders in man or zone coverage, and usually a safety playing deepest.

What is a rusher in flag football?

The one defender allowed to attack the quarterback, and in most leagues he must start a set distance off the ball, commonly seven yards. Some rulebooks require the rusher to be declared before the snap. Everyone else covers.

Is there a center in flag football?

Yes, someone must snap the ball, though the position works differently by format. In standard 5v5 the center snaps and then usually becomes an eligible receiver. In NFL Flag rules the center is explicitly eligible, which changes the play design entirely.

Where do you put your best athlete in flag football?

At safety on defense, because he cleans up everything, and at receiver rather than quarterback on offense. A quarterback who can throw accurately matters more than one who is fast, and your fastest child touches the ball more often as a receiver than as a passer.

Do flag football positions change between 5v5 and 7v7?

The roles are the same but 7v7 adds a tight end and a second back, which makes run-pass option concepts and two-back sets possible. The quarterback, center and safety do the same job in both.

What are the defensive positions in flag football?

Three roles cover it. The rusher is the only defender allowed to attack the quarterback and must start a set distance off the ball, usually seven yards. The cornerbacks, also called corners or simply cover defenders, take a receiver in man coverage or an area in zone. The safety plays deepest and cleans up broken plays. In 5v5 that is typically one rusher, three cornerbacks and one safety.

Is there a cornerback in flag football?

Yes, though rulebooks rarely use the word. The player covering a receiver on the outside does the same job as a cornerback in tackle football, and most coaches, parents and leagues call the position a corner or cornerback. There is no press coverage because there is no contact, so the technique is about staying between your receiver and the flag rather than jamming at the line.

Related guides

Take it to your team

Draw your plays in the flag football play creator, collect them in the flag football playbook builder, and print football play cards so every player knows them come Saturday.

Put your roster on the field

Draw your formations with your own players' names on them, then share a printable playbook with your staff. Free, no download.

Open the Play Designer

Coach Ray Carroll

Coaches 5v5 flag football from kindergarten through 7th grade in San Mateo and San Carlos, California, and built RC Football to design, teach and print the plays his own teams run.

Cite this page: Ray Carroll. “What are the positions in flag football?” RC Football, 2026. rc-football.com/rules/flag-football-positions