5 early Pittsburgh Steelers defensive training camp positional battles in 2020
By Tommy Jaggi
Nickel CB: Mike Hilton vs. Cameron Sutton
As a pure cover corner, Cameron Sutton might be the better of the two. However, Mike Hilton is as well-rounded as they come for a nickel cornerback. His ability to physically crash down on the run and blitz off the edge make him an ideal fit for Pittsburgh’s aggressive defense.
However, Hilton also had a stretch of games where he really struggled as well, and hasn’t always been a consistent player in coverage. While Hilton graded out as the 46th best cornerback in the league last season, according to Pro Football Focus, Sutton’s grade would have qualified him for a top 20 grade had he earned enough snaps.
According to Pro Football References advanced statistics, Sutton allowed just 14 of 25 passes to be completed for just 9.4 yards per catch in 2019. In addition, he pitched in an interception and 5 pass defenses last year while allowing just a 54.1 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks.
The nickel cornerback job is Mike Hilton’s to lose, but if Sutton continues to impress, it will be hard to keep him off the field.