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I play a base 3-3-5 with 3-3-5 Nickel and 3-2-6 Dollar as my sub-packages. My base is 3-3-5 Stack but I also make use of the other 3-3-5 formations (3-3-5 Okie is basically a 3-4 alignment with 3-3-5 personnel, 3-3-5 Split is a 4-2-5 alignment with 3-3-5 personnel).

Recruiting requirements:

DE: They need to be good pass rushers and run stoppers. Pure speed rushers won't do, as they get washed away in the run game. Think Richard Seymour...

DT: Starter needs to be an old-fashioned Nose Tackle - as big as possible with strength and blockshed as the most important attributes. I usually have a backup DT or DE who gets subbed in for the Dollar formation in clear passing situations. Damon Harrison would be a good example from the NFL for the starter role.

LOLB: More of a 2-down player, as he leaves the field in sub-packages. Should be a run-stopper and pass rusher. Terrell Suggs comes to mind.

MLB: Run stopping and coverage, he doesn't blitz a lot. Just get the best LB you can possibly get and put him at MLB.

ROLB: Needs to be a complete player - run stopping, blitzing, coverage - he needs to do it all. Lance Briggs in his prime comes to mind.

CB: I play a lot of man coverage, equally press- and off-man. If I play zone, it's mostly zone blitzes with a Cover 3 shell. So my Corners need to be coverage guys first and foremost. Nickel CB should be a decent tackler and doesn't need to be as good in press-man coverage.

FS: Pure Centerfielder - he's usually my last line of defense, sometimes I also use a good-tackling CB and convert him to FS. Think Earl Thomas or Ed Reed.

SS: In my 3-3-5 I have 2 starting SS so this position is more important than in other defenses. They are the guys who can make or break this defense. Need to be able to man-cover against slot-receivers but also set the edge at the line-of-scrimmage. Think Jabrill Peppers or Shaq Thompson.