Slot Receiver

A narrow opening; a slit or groove; a keyway in a piece of machinery. A slit for a coin in a vending machine, etc. A position in a group, series, or sequence; as, a slot in a schedule of events.

Slot Receiver

A receiver who lines up in the slot area, a gap between and slightly behind the outer wide receivers and offensive linemen on the football field. Usually, a slot receiver lines up just behind the line of scrimmage and can run any route given to him.

Skills for a Slot Receiver

The slot receiver’s most important skill is running routes. The slot receiver needs to be able to run inside and outside, short and deep passes. The slot receiver is usually a little shorter and smaller than an outside receiver, so he should have great hands to make up for this.

The slot receiver has become a very important part of any offense in recent years, and teams are looking for players who fit this role. They need to be fast and can get the ball out of the hand quickly. The slot receiver also needs to be able to run precise routes and block well. In addition, they need to be able to get open and make quick decisions when the quarterback fakes handoffs.