Is playing nickel more challenging than corner? Does a shutdown corner only play on one side of the field. Explain Cover 2 please. Thanks. 

Nickel is the hardest 

We were told McDonald could play nickel this year yet he never did.  What does that tell you?

37 minutes ago, Califashorn75 said:

Is playing nickel more challenging than corner? Does a shutdown corner only play on one side of the field. Explain Cover 2 please. Thanks. 

I would say that playing nickel is harder in that you're expected to get in and mix it up with the big boys in run support as well as your coverage duties. 

As to coverage corners it depends on if you're zone based or man based as to whether you switch sides or not. Now defenses run both, it depends on their preference, what they're best at etc. 

Cover 2 means 2 high defenders (your safeties) and the others underneath, with corners in the flats, outside linebackers in the hook/curl zone, and middle in the middle (duh). There's variations like 2 man, where the under defenders man up but the 2 high still plays zone, Tampa 2, with the middle linebacker dropping deeper in his zone than normal to help take away that hole in between the safeties, zone blitz variations, etc. I'm still learning more about coverages myself.

Many believe Guilbeau had a better year at nickel over CB.  Jahdae Senior CB was better than his junior year at nickel.  But i haven’t seen anyone better at blowing up the WR screen game than sophomore Jahdae.

There are a number of factors as to why that may be.  Is one more difficult than another?  I’d say the skill sets are a bit different so it depends on the player but also the defense.

I believe Rod Babers who says nickel is the hardest position to play in the secondary.