The Slot is a very versatile and important position in the NFL. As offenses have become more and more diverse, the need for quality Slot receivers has grown. The position gets its name from where the player lines up pre-snap: between the last man on the line of scrimmage (often either a tight end or an offensive tackle) and the outside receiver. Because of this positioning, the Slot is very fast and can make a lot of quick cuts without losing too much speed.
In addition, the Slot can also act as a running back on some plays like reverses and end-arounds. This requires them to have a good pre-snap motion and to be very quick in breaking off on defenders.
Lastly, the Slot is a very important part of the blocking game as well. They will often block (or chip) nickelbacks, outside linebackers and safeties. This is especially important on running plays that go to the outside of the field, as it’s up to them to seal off those defensive positions and allow the outside receivers to run free.
The main things that make a good Slot are route running, timing and chemistry with the quarterback. They need to be able to run every single route in the book and have great timing with their releases. It’s also very important that they can create chemistry with their quarterback, as good chemistry leads to big play after big play.