Replacing Mike Hilton’s slot duties won’t be easy. Hilton was the near-perfect version of an NFL slot corner. Tough, tenacious, thriving as a blitzer and against the run. But unless Cincinnati is feeling generous and wants to give him back, Pittsburgh will have to find their next man up. In a Q&A session with reporters on Wednesday, defensive assistant/secondary coach Teryl Austin threw sophomore Antoine Brooks Jr.’s hat into the ring.
“Yes, he is an option,” Austin confirmed. “That’s where he’s working. When you looked at him coming out of Maryland, he was listed as a safety, but he basically played as a nickel type position and he was very productive there.