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Darius Slay (left) has quickly developed into one of the NFL's best young cornerbacks.

(Melanie Maxwell | MLive.com)

ALLEN PARK -- It was supposed to be next season when Darius Slay put it all together, but the Detroit Lions cornerback has seemingly skipped a year in his development, transforming into one of the league's best young players at the position.

The key for Slay has been balance -- not just with the footwork which allows him to blanket opposing receivers, but his ability to mesh his abundance of confidence with a willingness to embrace coaching and veteran advice.

A second-round draft pick in 2013, Slay arrived in Detroit possessing all the physical traits a team could want in a corner. He has good size, length, leaping ability and world-class speed.

But those tools weren't enough to guarantee immediate success. He found out the hard way, quickly losing the starting job he earned in training camp as a rookie.

Instead of moping about his early struggles, Slay attached himself at the hip to veteran Rashean Mathis, soaking up all the knowledge he could. In the offseason, the young corner flew out to California to train and study the position with Hall of Famer Rod Woodson.

"He's not afraid to take advice from other guys and the guys who have been in the league," defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. "They give you pointers and tips and you have to take what's best for you and use it. Some guys don't like that, they just want to learn on their on their own, but I think he took all of that and he's worked really hard."

The dedication to learning the nuances of playing cornerback has paid quick dividends for Slay.

Despite being routinely tested by opposing quarterbacks, especially early in the season, Pro Football Focus ranks him as one of the top-10 corners in the league through 12 games.

His 12 pass breakups are also among the league leaders, two behind perennial All-Pro Darrelle Revis on the leaderboard and tied with 2013 Pro Bowler Brent Grimes.

"I couldn't be any more happier for him," Mathis said. "He works at it. He does a lot more than people think, especially on the mental part of it. Last year, he was just out here playing. This year, he's grasping mental concepts of the game. That's when growth comes, when you separate yourself from being a rookie, being young-minded and things of that nature."

Slay and Mathis have formed a well-publicized bond, one bordering on brotherhood. Slay epitomizes the role of the younger brother, desperately seeking Mathis' attention and approval, while the veteran plays the willing and eager teacher with limitless patience.

The dynamic can be amusing to witness in the locker room. While being interviewed by reporters, little brother will see big brother walking by and not so casually work in a comment about how he could beat the veteran in basketball, or maybe lob a potshot about Mathis' age.

Glances are exchanged, smiles shared.

Mathis strikes a more measured, fatherly tone when asked about Slay.

"He's young, so it doesn't take much to grow his confidence," Mathis said. "I'm the guy here to try to humble him when times like that happen."

But don't misunderstand Mathis here -- he loves the swagger Slay plays with on Sundays. Confidence is an essential trait for cornerbacks. If they don't trust their eyes and their skills, they will react slowly and often find themselves out of position.

Playing fast hasn't been an issue for Slay this season. He said last year it felt like the ball was moving 90 miles per hour, but that's dropped to around 10 this year.

Obviously that's hyperbole, but you get the point. As he's becoming more familiar with what opponents are trying to do, the game is slowing down, coming to him more naturally.

"You see him out there on game day, he's locked in, he's in a zone, no one is really catching passes on him," safety James Ihedigbo said.

Slay is anything but quiet off the field, but between the lines, he doesn't typically do a lot of talking. He admitted Chicago's Brandon Marshall was giving him an earful last week, telling Slay he was too small and too young to cover him.

In the 34-17 win, Slay turned in one of his best performances, breaking up three throws. Marshall caught six passes for just 42 yards, and after the game, the receiver sought out Slay to congratulate him on the performance.

While Slay tries to let his play do the talking, he's incorporated an extra something when he forces an incompletion -- a simple wag of the finger. It's a taunt he stole from retired basketball star Dikembe Mutumbo, a renowned shot blocker.

"I know you all have seen it, 'No, No, not in my house,'" Slay said, referencing a recent commercial staring Mutumbo.

That's just Slay's confidence shining through. And as long as he continues his upward trajectory, opponents are going to see plenty of that finger for years to come.

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