Before he was a two-time All-Pro kick returner, Keisean Nixon was a cornerback.
At Bishop Mora Salesian High School in Los Angeles. At Arizona Western. At the University of South Carolina. In the NFL with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders.
Even as Nixon's special-teams star began to rise after signing with the Green Bay Packers in 2022, the 5-foot-10, 200-pound playmaker still considered himself a defender first and foremost.
This year, Nixon is showing why.
After starring inside as Green Bay's nickel cornerback in 2023, the fifth-year veteran has demonstrated how far his versatility can stretch while playing both inside and outside cornerback this season to the tune of 88 tackles (eight for a loss), seven passes defensed, three sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.
After playing a career-high 809 snaps mainly inside last year, Nixon led all Packers cornerbacks with 1,020 snaps (94%) during the 2024 regular season while playing wherever Green Bay needs him most.
On several occasions this year, the switch-up has happened in the midst of games due to injuries.
"Nobody cares that your starters not playing, you gotta step up," Nixon said. "I came into this year playing nickel and then they told me that I was going to play corner, and I was excited about it and I've been outside all year.
"Somebody gets hurt and I gotta go inside but I'm not tripping on it. That's what I want. Inside, outside, I just want to be on the field. The best players be on the field and I don't come off."
Depth has been one of the Packers' biggest strengths under first-year defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who's fully embraced his plethora of options in the secondary.
Nixon has been a catalyst to it all. Earlier this season, Nixon moved outside to help Green Bay get its top three safeties – Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams and Javon Bullard – on the field at the same time.
Nixon's multiplicity went from a luxury to a necessity after former All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander sustained a knee injury against Jacksonville that ultimately ended his season.
When injuries at safety recently required Bullard to move from the slot to the back end, Nixon ably slid back inside while Carrington Valentine and Eric Stokes manned the perimeter.
"It's unusual, especially in pro ball," said Packers defensive passing game coordinator Derrick Ansley when asked about Nixon's versatility. "I had a couple guys in college that have been a nickel or a safety, or a dime and a safety. Never a guy that really went from corner back inside to nickel.
"It's a testament to Keisean's ability to compete, because nickel is totally drastic, different from corner. At corner, you've got one misstep and the band's playing and it's PAT/field goal. He's done a really nice job of wanting to do that, not blinking when it happens."
Nixon's flexibility has been critical for the Packers' fifth-ranked defense, which finished the regular season with 17 interceptions (third in the NFL) and 31 takeaways (tied for fourth).
Nixon has flashed playmaking ability regardless of whether he's outside or inside. When on the perimeter, Nixon has the speed and timing to match up against No. 1 receivers. The 5-foot-10, 200-pound cornerback is also tough and physical enough to play inside en route to his career-high three sacks.
"I think Keisean's had a really good year," said Hafley recently. "It's been kind of quiet that lot of people haven't brought him up, but look at what he's been able to do – his coverage has been tight, he's been able to blitz, he's been aggressive against the run.
"I think Keisean needs to get more credit than he's probably getting for all that we've asked him to do and all the different things he's actually been able to have success with. I'm really proud of him."
Nixon's development has been a five-year process. Lauded for his coachability, the 27-year-old cornerback entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Raiders in 2019, playing on the core special-teams units (692 snaps) and rotating in as an outside cornerback (273 snaps).
In 2022, Nixon followed former Raiders special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia to Green Bay. After making an immediate impact as a returner, he received a massive opportunity on defense last year, his second with the Packers.
It was really the first time Nixon played nickel cornerback, and he parlayed that playing time into 79 tackles (58 solo), six passes defensed and an interception in 17 games with 13 starts.
After hiring Hafley as their new defensive coordinator, the Packers prioritized re-signing Nixon as an unrestricted free agent. Not only because of what he brings on special teams – more than 2,700 all-purpose yards and a touchdown – but also his growth on defense.
"He's taken his game up another level," Head Coach Matt LaFleur said. "Every year, he's a guy that's shown the ability and has gotten better and more consistent in his football in terms of him going out there and performing. Kei is a guy that we've got a lot of confidence in."
Nixon agrees with Ansley's assertion of the major differences between playing inside and outside as a defensive back and it goes well beyond just the weekly preparation involved.
On gamedays, there isn't much time to read and diagnose formations inside. Everything is reaction. On the perimeter, there's more time to read routes, determine timing and break on balls. It's also a highwire act of avoiding explosive plays.
Nixon's physicality shows up on a weekly basis whether it's covering receivers at the line of scrimmage or coming down for support in the run game. But if you ask Alexander, the key to it all is Nixon's unrivaled athleticism.
"You're talking about a guy who can just wake up in the morning and dunk a ball with two hands – I don't see how he does that. But that's Keisean," said Alexander in October prior to his injury.
"It's a testament to how versatile Keisean is. He's an elite kick returner, punt returner, and now he can play nickel, he can play corner when we need him to. He's one of the most athletic guys I've seen in the DB room."
With Alexander likely out the remainder of the season, Nixon has a major role to play in a potential postseason run for Green Bay. That test begins in Philadelphia Sunday when the Packers square off against the Eagles in the NFC Wild Card playoffs.
Never one to back down from a challenge, Nixon aims to be a driving force for the defense the rest of the way. Regardless of whether he's inside or outside, Nixon is constantly hunting for that next big play.
"I know both positions. I know what I'm doing," Nixon said. "I don't come off the field, so that's fine with me. The more plays, the more opps you get. It's hard to get opps in this league, so being able to play inside and outside, being versatile, that shows."
