A football team isn’t complete without a slot receiver, and there are few positions in the game that have been as hot as this one in recent years. Typically shorter than traditional wide receivers, these players line up inside the defense’s secondary and are a threat to do virtually anything when the ball is snapped. The best ones have a unique combination of speed and skill that makes them impossible to defend.
A good slot receiver knows just about every route in the book, and they must be able to run them quickly. They also need to be precise with their timing. It takes a lot of practice to get on the same page as the quarterback, but when it works, it can be a thing of beauty.
Because they’re often the second receiver to be hit after the outside wide receiver on most running plays, slot receivers need to have advanced blocking skills. They’ll need to be able to chip defenders like nickelbacks and outside linebackers, and they’ll also need to be able to do a back-to-the-wall block on safeties or defensive ends.