Positions and roles
Slot corner (nickel)
The corner who covers the inside receiver, defends option routes and often blitzes.
The slot corner, also called the nickel, covers the inside receiver. He plays in space with no sideline to help him, defends option routes both ways, and is often the defender sent on a blitz because he starts closest to the ball.
Slot corners matter for receiving props because the inside receiver sees the highest target share on most passing downs.
Related terms
More in Positions and roles
- Head coach (HC)
- Offensive coordinator
- Defensive coordinator
- Quarterback (QB)
- Running back (RB)
- Fullback (FB)
- Wide receiver (WR)
- X receiver
- Z receiver (flanker)
- Slot receiver
- Tight end (TE)
- Offensive line (OL)
- Center (C)
- Guard (G)
- Left tackle and right tackle
- Defensive lineman (DL)
- EDGE
- Linebacker (LB)
- Cornerback (CB)
- Safety (SAF)
- Kicker (K)
- H-back