The Louisiana Tech slot receiver does a lot more than arrow routes.

Exceptional players expand the boundaries of a role. Add enough of these players to a unit and that unit becomes a nightmare for opponents.

Projecting strong performance from receivers most likely to man the slot is a fool’s errand. The last player to meet expectations of this kind was Jarvis Landry.

Don’t broach Jordan Matthews, because most advocates for the Vanderbilt receiver bristled at the notion that the slot was his best chance for sustained production. Matthews also earns the designation of “big slot,” which has some hybrid implications for an offense.

The traditional portrait of a slot receiver is a small, quick option, but a limited athlete or pass catcher on the perimeter. I have a lot more to study of Trent Taylor, but he exhibits potential for expanding the bounds of what an offense can do with him.

When a team can get more from him than the expected range of job duties, it heightens his value in that role. Here’s a play that may point to heightened value for Taylor.

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