Small in stature, huge in heart, Mike Hilton excels at a position of growing importance

On the day before the Seinfeld-inspired faux holiday of Festivus, Kenny Moore II took to social media for an airing of grievances. 

“Don’t call me a slot corner no more because it’s disrespected,” tweeted the Colts’ defensive back Tuesday morning in reaction to his Pro Bowl snub. 

Ten minutes later, the Steelers' slot corner, Mike Hilton, amplified Moore’s comment with a tweet of his own: “Big Disrespect! One of the toughest positions to play!”  

Moore and Hilton share much in common. Both are Georgia natives who entered the NFL as undersized, undrafted free agents. Each stands 5-foot-9 and is approximately 185 pounds of attitude. 

During his first training with the Steelers in 2017, Hilton flew around the practice fields of Latrobe, breaking up passes and sarcastically yelling, “I’m too small. I’m too small.”

“I call him, ‘Sawed Off’ all the time,” Keith Butler said of Hilton. “That’s my nickname for him because I love the way he plays. He plays hard. He’s a very tough guy for his size.”

Hilton and Moore, who have become friends and offseason workout partners, meet again Sunday at Heinz Field with much riding on the outcome. The reeling Steelers (11-3), losers of three consecutive games, look to lock down an AFC North title, while the Colts (10-4) try to maintain a playoff spot.

Neither Moore nor Hilton is among his team’s biggest-name players, but each excels at a demanding position that’s growing in importance as the game evolves. Slot corners or nickelbacks are among the most versatile athletes on the field — tasked with defending receivers of all sizes and sacrificing their bodies to help stop the run and blitz the quarterback.

National recognition and Pro Bowl honors are rare. But draft experts say teams are increasingly in search of players such as Moore and Hilton as nickel and dime packages become the norm in combating spread formations.

“I would say that it is an undervalued position,” Indianapolis defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus told reporters this week. “ ... Kenny does a lot of different things. He matches coverages, he is between the hash (marks) and the numbers a lot in zone coverage and (he) has to play those guys in man-to-man and make different calls. Then, he pressures a lot. He does a lot of different things for us and does them very well.”

The Colts aren’t just paying lip service to Moore’s contributions. They made him one of the league’s highest-paid slot corners a year ago, signing Moore to a four-year, $33.3 million extension ($9 million guaranteed). 

Hilton, 26, is cherished among teammates and coaches, but the salary-cap strapped Steelers likely will have a tough time paying fair market price for the pending unrestricted free agent. 

“Of course, I would like to stay,” Hilton told DK Pittsburgh Sports. “(The Steelers) are the team that gave me my first real opportunity. We will see how things play out in the offseason. Right now, I’m focused on the end of this year and trying to get us to the Super Bowl.”

NUMBERS GAME

When Hilton began playing high school football in Tyrone, Ga., slot corners were part-time contributors. 

In 2008, NFL offenses employed “11 personnel,” featuring three receivers, a tight end and a running back, 34 percent of the time, according to Pro Football Focus. Last season, the personnel grouping was deployed on 57.5 percent of all offensive plays, per Sportradar. The total has climbed to 60 percent this year. 

The trend translates to clubs rarely using their base defenses that traditionally include two corners and two safeties. Moore, who plays outside corner in the Colts’ base defense, seldom leaves the field. Meanwhile, Hilton has been part of 63.9 percent of the Steelers' snaps during games in which he’s played this season. 

“Nickel has become the new base, not the sub package,” said Dane Brugler, The Athletic’s draft expert. “Look how popular the dime (package) has become. We’re seeing more six defensive-back packages than four defensive-back packages. It’s just a much different NFL as teams are more willing to use their athletes in different ways. I’m not a huge Xs and Os guy, but I have to pay attention to this to understand what (NFL) teams are looking for. Nickelbacks, cornerbacks and versatile safeties — everyone is looking for them in the draft because of the ways teams are getting five and six DBs on the field.” 

It will be interesting to see if the league starts investing more draft picks in the position. Right now, a handful of the NFL’s best slot corners — Hilton, Moore, K’Waun Williams (49ers), Brian Poole (Jets), Nickell Robey-Coleman (Eagles)— came into the league as undrafted free agents. 

Hilton was released by the Jaguars and Patriots before catching on the with Steelers. He was so feisty and effective in his first camp, the organization opted to release 2015 second-round pick Senquez Golson, Hilton's teammate at Mississippi. The fourth-year defensive back credits former Steelers assistant Carnell Lake for inspiring him to believe he could stick in the league. 

Overshadowed by the likes of Joe Haden, Steven Nelson and Minkah Fitzpatrick in the Steelers’ secondary, Hilton has earned the respect of teammates for his tenacity. Officially listed at 184 pounds, he plays with the fearlessness of a bull rider. Despite missing four games due to a shoulder injury, he ranks sixth on the team in tackles (46) and is tied for third in tackles for loss (eight). 

“Playing this game, you have to have some kind of toughness no matter how big you are,” Hilton said. “It’s a challenge you have to accept.”

PAYING THE PRICE

Hilton never played soccer, and doesn’t watch it. But when it comes to blitzing, he times his runs and avoids offside calls in ways that would impress Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah. 

He did it again Monday night in the Steelers’ 27-17 loss to the Bengals. On a third-and-5 late in the first quarter, Hilton timed his run to perfection, forcing quarterback Ryan Finley to abandon the pocket and step into the waiting arms of Cam Heyward. 

Few corners in the league are better at the technique:

“He loves the blitz,” Butler said. “He’s got great timing and great feel for blitzing, so we are going to use him in that regard, knowing that’s one of the better things he does.” 

Hilton registered three sacks in his first four games, and the pressure he supplies from the edge has helped the Steelers lead the league in sacks since joining the club. 

His reckless approach, however, comes at a cost. Hilton was injured in the club’s Oct. 18 win over the Browns in a collision with running back Kareem Hunt. It’s the price of doing business so close to the line of scrimmage. 

“You’ve got to take on guys twice your size in the run game,” Hilton said. “You get sent on blitzes. You got to be in top shape and you’ve got to be able to run, also. It’s a physical position.”

‘PREMIUM POSITION’ 

Nobody has greater appreciation for the defenders of the slot more than those doing it for a living. Hilton refers to Chris Harris Jr., a four-time Pro Bowler, as “the Godfather.”

The game moves at warp speed inside the numbers. Interception opportunities are fewer. Bone-rattling hits are more violent. It’s why slot corners have a mutual admiration society of sorts. 

Hilton and Moore, who already were friends through social media, decided to get together in the offseason and train in Florida.

“I always knew who he was and I paid attention to his game,” Hilton said. “I liked the way he played. After working out with him, I can see why he’s one of the top guys. He puts so much into it.”

Moore, 25, produced one of the NFL’s plays of the year on Dec.13 with an outrageous one-handed leaping interception in the end zone against the Raiders. He also forced a fumble in the same game for the Colts, who arrive in Pittsburgh as winners of five of their last six contests. 

On the season, he has four interceptions, including a pick-six. 

Like most corners, Moore would prefer to defend on the perimeter, where the chance to create big plays and gain more exposure is greater. But the Colts’ defense, which ranks third in turnovers (24) behind only the Dolphins (26) and Steelers (25), is more effective with Moore manning the slot in sub packages. 

With offenses attacking the middle of the field more efficiently, NFL Network analyst and former defensive back Bucky Brooks said defenses need seasoned corners playing the inside whenever possible. 

“Young players typically thrive on the outside because they can line up and focus on their man,” Brooks said at Senior Bowl in January. “Normally, an experienced player should be asked to move inside because you are asking him to get involved in the blitz, get involved in the run and handle his guy. There’s a nuance to the position that everyone doesn’t always pay attention to. It takes a smart player to do it well.”

Defending the slot used to mean a steady diet of diminutive, shifty receivers. It still does to some degree, but offenses are moving their best playmakers all over the formation nowadays. In the past two seasons, the Saints’ 6-foot-3 Michael Thomas ran 25 percent of his routes from the slot. 

A quality slot corner no longer can just survive on short-area quickness. He needs spacial awareness and the ability to hold his nerve with his back to the quarterback. 

In the past two games, Hilton has gone from guarding 5-foot-8 Cole Beasley in Buffalo to 6-foot-2 Tyler Boyd in Cincinnati.

“Those are two different type of receivers who you have to play two different ways,” Hilton said. 

The Steelers’ defensive back said film study has become more important as he’s grown into the position. 

Opponents are completing 72.9 percent of passes when targeting Hilton, according to Pro Football Reference, which represents their best success rate against him since 2017. But the yards per completion is just 9.2, which is a career-best mark, and he's surrendered only one touchdown in coverage.

“We’re certainly glad to have him,” Butler said. “We missed him when we didn’t have him (for the four games). The thing is staying healthy, and he can help us as we go down the road.”

While the Steelers’ offense has been maligned during their three-game skid, Hilton said the banged-up defense could be playing better, as well. Pittsburgh has failed to generate takeaways just three times this season, but two came in losses to Washington and Cincinnati. 

“We have to be able to finish games and get off the field as a defense,” he said. “We also got to get back to getting turnovers. We feel like we’ve missed some opportunities that put us in bad spots.”

Hilton, who ranked second on the Steelers with 11 pass breakups last season, remains one of the league’s better slot defenders because of his all-around play and all-out effort. Whether he stays in Pittsburgh or gets to free agency in March, Hilton is likely to receive a nice bump from the one-year, $3.29 million deal he signed last offseason.  

Given the thankless nature of the position, Hilton would like to see slot defenders earn more notoriety for their work. Harris’ four trips to the Pro Bowl remain an exception for the men who defend the middle of the field. 

He clearly believes Moore was overlooked this year.

“It’s definitely becoming a premium position,” he said. “You can do a lot with a top slot corner. I think it’s starting to get its notice for how important it is to our game.”

He will know more for sure in a few months, but if he does get to the open market, Hilton is unlikely to air any grievances.