2020 NFL Draft: Top 5 nickel cornerback position rankings

The nickel is a glorified starting spot in today’s NFL and deserves its own rankings. Who are the top 5 in the 2020 NFL Draft and is there a sleeper?

The nickel has become an important position in an NFL defense. In response to offenses constantly trying to spread teams out, defenses have responded by playing a majority of their snaps with an extra defensive back on the field. A nickelback is now basically a starting position in an NFL defense because they will play in a majority of the snaps; this has placed a premium on them in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Over are the days where your nickel is just your 3rd best cover guy. The NFL has become a heavy matchup game where offenses will put their best player in the slot on critical passing downs. This idea allows for your best receiver to work in space and get open when a team needs it the most. Playing the nickel is no longer seen as a spot you put smaller guys or guys who aren’t fast.

Being able to play the nickel is a specialty and it requires elite quickness to cover in space. A nickel has to have high football IQ to be able to play as an underneath defender. Most importantly a nickel has to be tough enough to do the dirty work and set the edge of the defense in run support. Nickel players can also be the ultimate chess piece weapon within a defense and should be seen as a specialty position.

Coming in different shapes and sizes, this class of nickels aren’t just guys who have a physical limitation. This is a group of players who can really change a defense if they reach their ceiling at the position. The rankings with this group are special because each guy has traits that can make them an elite player at a position that requires unique abilities. A unique position requires a unique set of rules so let’s take a dive into the Top 5 nickels in the class plus a small-school sleeper to watch out for.