Dragging

Get a car tire... and 10 feet of rope

Loop the rooe around his waiste.... make sure there is tension and have him bird dog 2-4 steps with that resisitance.

If his feet are heavy loop each foot with rope (2 feet, means 2 ropes...1 for each) and do the same

I have a 4th grade team this season, which is loaded with talent.  We went 7-1-1 last year, losing the Championship to Bob Lilly Jr (yes - the son of *THAT* Bob Lilly!).  We spent the summer recruiting a few boys, and found a GIANT fella who's father played OT for the Jets for a few games as a reserve.  The boy is Tall, VERY strong, and smart... not a fatty... almost all muscle.  He is not afraid (per se), but when we put him in a stance, and say "hut"... he just "waits" for contact, rather than firing out.  I have never had a problem getting a kid to grasp the "go forward" part... but this kid just takes the blow from the other player, and then tries to engage while going backwards...  We do Sumo drills and he is slow there too... far smaller and weaker kids just drive him back. Strangely enough, when we put him at DT, he just flies right through the blockers...  I need an OL,  NOT a DT... My D-line is already awesome... my O-line needs more size and power. 

The kid's parents are divorced, so his pro lineman Dad is not around to help drill and train his son...I am scratching my head.

Besides the Tennis Ball Drop drill, is there any other drills  - preferably ones that feature contact--  that you guys might suggest?

1 and 2 step drills
Then to a bag fit
Then to a bag drive

2 things I can think:

1) He wants to play D line and does not want to play O line, so he sand bags
2) Paralysis by analysis, he is thinking too much about what to do

2 things I can think:

1) He wants to play D line and does not want to play O line, so he sand bags
2) Paralysis by analysis, he is thinking too much about what to do

Correct
Not knowing who to block can be the issue

So can not anticipating the snap count- if you are going on different counts
False Stepping too

Had a kid like this in 4th grade. Gentle giant. He was a little pudgy though. After watching it for a bit and seeing how he was doing, I asked him why he wasn't hitting the other kids in blocking drills. He said that he didn't want to hurt the other kid. I told him that it won't hurt, but he is going to try to hit you and hard.

It takes some time to have them learn to go against what they have been taught up to this point - don't touch, don't shove, don't hurt.

This kid ended up being a stud lineman who is heading for his 3rd all-star season. Keep working it.

Kid is not confused by blocking assignment... In SUMO Drill the only assignment is push the other kid out of the ring.  He is slowly getting the idea, and today gave really good effort... But still gets beat by much weaker kids.  His Pro OG father seems to have worked with him a bit this week.  Hope he continues to develope...