Top College Football Slot Receivers
A few years back, when I asked Doug Baldwin — one of the pre-eminent slot receivers of the last decade — about the importance of the position, he summed it up pretty well.
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A few years back, when I asked Doug Baldwin — one of the pre-eminent slot receivers of the last decade — about the importance of the position, he summed it up pretty well. “The slot receiver’s kind of the quarterback of the receivers,” he said in 2015. “More so because the slot receiver has more responsibilities in terms of reading. With that in mind, here are the top 10 highest-graded slot receivers through the first half of the college football season. This list of 10 highest-graded slot receivers is brought to you by Eckrich, the Official Smoked Sausage of the College Football Playoff. Slot receiver James Proche was near the top of the first down leaderboards and finished with the highest market share of total yards among returning FBS receivers, narrowly beating Jalen Reagor for. Wes Welker Welker with the Patriots in 2010 San Francisco 49ers Position: Wide receivers coach Personal information Born: (1981-05-01) May 1, 1981 (age 39) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Weight: 185 lb (84 kg) Career information High school: Heritage Hall (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) College: Texas Tech Undrafted: 2004 Career history As player: San Diego Chargers (2004) Miami. Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson catches a pass over Clemson cornerback Derion Kendrick during the first half of the 2019 Fiesta Bowl in a College Football Playoff semifinal.
“The slot receiver’s kind of the quarterback of the receivers,” he said in 2015. “More so because the slot receiver has more responsibilities in terms of reading coverages and different adjustments based on what coverages you’re seeing. It’s a lot more complicated. … You have to know a lot more. You have to stay within the confines and the framework of the offense — you have a lot of freedom because you have a little bit more space, but at the same time, your job is usually to get someone else open, or to get open on a crucial down where it’s one-on-one. You have to be versatile, and you have to understand how your route goes into the concept, based on the different coverages you can see.”
10. Adam Humphries 9. Golden Tate 8. Dante Pettis 7. Cooper Kupp 6. Jarvis Landry 5. Julian Edelman 4. Adam Thielen 3. JuJu Smith-Schuster 2. Antonio Brown 1. Tyreek Hill
It was an apt description in 2015, and though Baldwin has retired, the role of the slot receiver is quite similar to what it was then — and in 2019, one could argue that it’s even more important now. Three- and four-receiver sets are now the norm in the NFL, which means that teams will have double slot packages in which big and small receivers work together. And there’s no shame to the position — it’s not just for the Wes Welkers of the world anymore. Guys who can win outside just fine find themselves in the slot quite frequently, and you’ll find a few names that will rank highly on our upcoming list of outside receivers on this list as well.
Other Top 11 lists: Tight ends Centers Guards Offensive tackles Edge defenders Interior defensive linemen Linebackers Safeties Outside cornerbacks Slot defenders
So, here are the 11 best slot receivers in the NFL as we head into the 2019 season.
When watching Jacksonville’s 2018 passing offense, two things are abundantly clear — Jaguars receivers had one heck of a time with consistent production with Blake Bortles and Cody Kessler throwing the ball all over the place, and the acquisition of Nick Foles was a necessity to give those receivers any chance of improvement. Among those receivers, Westbrook may have the most potential, as he brought in 59 slot receptions on 83 targets for 646 yards and five touchdowns. Not bad for a second-year receiver who’s never had a lot of help from his quarterbacks at the NFL level.
Westbrook uses nimble feet and an impressive catch radius to make contested catches, and he has a good knack for getting open in zones. His drop rate was a problem at times, but with a credible quarterback at the helm, Westbrook could be a rising star in a big hurry.
- slot receiver
In the sport of football, there are different types of receivers on an offensive unit. Some receivers may be lined up in the 'slot' area, positioned between the offensive line and another wide receiver. Slot receivers may be specialized for this specific position or just wide receivers who get lined up in the slot.
The slot receiver is usually lined up just behind the line of scrimmage, but may need to be on the line of scrimmage to maintain seven players on the line.
In the past decade or so, the professional game has started to rely on slot receivers a lot more. Physically, slot receivers tend to be shorter and quicker than most traditional wide receivers.
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Role of the Slot Receiver
On passingplays, slot receivers run routes that correspond with the other receivers in an attempt to confuse the defense. Slot receivers often face an increased risk of injury, though, because they are closer to the middle of the field and therefore more vulnerable to big hits from different angles.
On running plays, slot receivers are important blockers for the ball carrier. They are in a spot on the field that is crucial for sweeps and slant runs to be successful.
Slot receivers are also often used in motion before the ball is snapped. Players are set in motion so that the quarterback may be able to read the defense. If a defensive back follows a player in motion across the center of the formation, the defense is likely in man-to-man coverage. But if the defense reacts minimally to the receiver's movement, they are likely in a zone coverage scheme.
Top College Football Slot Receivers Rankings
Famous Slot Receivers
Although the slot receiver is a generally new concept, there are some legendary players who thrive when lined up in the slot. These include Charlie Joiner, Brandon Stokely, and Wes Welker.