4. Mike Hilton, Pittsburgh Steelers
Now reaching the midway point of the list of potential cornerbacks comes the first nickelback of the group in Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike Hilton. At just 5-9 and 184 pounds, Hilton does not have the body to hang with the bigger receivers outside the numbers, but in today’s NFL, the nickel corner is as much of a starter as the outside guys.
Hilton will be 26 years old by the time the 2020 season rolls around, so there is plenty of football left in him after three seasons with the Steelers. Thus far in his career, Hilton has recorded four interceptions and 17 passes defended in nine starts; in 2019, Hilton has tallied a pick three passes defended, three tackles behind the line of scrimmage, and one hit on the quarterback.
Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles loves to send players off of the edge from the secondary, so if he decides to start Murphy-Bunting outside the numbers next year, the Bucs could be in the market for a new nickel. Hilton could be the scrappy, physical nickel corner that would thrive in Bowles’ defensive scheme.
The only true nickel on this list of players, Hilton is probably on his way to a much larger payday as nickelback Justin Coleman received a four-year deal from the Detroit Lions this offseason worth $9 million annually.