Nate Hobbs Ranked as Top-10 Slot CB

With the NFL becoming more and more passing-oriented as the years go by, base defensive concepts have changed as well.

There are no longer teams lining up the majority of the time with only four defensive backs, with over 50 percent of defenses being in nickel formation over the last few seasons.

That puts a large emphasis on the slot for both offenses and defenses, with top wide receivers now playing much more on the inside to exploit mismatches.

That means good defenses need to have cornerbacks who can specialize in a slot role, and that's was Nate Hobbs was able to do for the Las Vegas Raiders as a rookie.

Drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Hobbs came from playing mostly on the outside while in college at Illinois.

Hobbs stood out playing in the slot in training camp last year, and that, combined with injures in the Raiders secondary, earned him a starting job.

He would make the most of it, finishing fourth on the Raiders in tackles with 74 total, along with having one interception, three pass breakups, one sack and one forced fumble.

Those numbers were good enough to be ranked as Pro Football Focus' fifth-best cornerback last season.

It shouldn't be any surprise then, that in a recent list ranking the league's 10 best slot corners, Hobbs is included.

Hobbs comes in at No. 8, below veterans like Kenny Moore II and Mike Hilton who are not only great slot corners but are among the most valuable defenders on their respective teams.

Hobbs should already hold that distinction for the Raiders, as only one returning player on the Raiders defense had a higher PFF rating, that being defensive end Maxx Crosby.

Hobbs' versatility is a big plus for his overall play, bringing an aggressive mentality in run defense and proving to be an effective blitzer as well with nine quarterback pressures.

In only one season, Hobbs has proven to be a Swiss army knife of a defender who can impact the game in multiple ways, something that should make him an indispensable part of the Raiders' defense for years to come.

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