Every year, a brand new crop of gamers rises to the ranks of the elite at their respective positions. Whether or not it’s due to new teaching, being unlocked in a brand new scheme or simply the final continuation of growth and development, new gamers set up their place within the higher echelon of the NFL yearly. Over the following few days, we’ll be highlighting these gamers who’re up subsequent within the NFL hierarchy, and are candidates for a breakout season in 2024.
When the New Orleans Saints draft a defensive again, it’s greatest that you simply preserve your eyes on them. The Saints have a historical past of bringing in high quality defensive backs and turning them into stars of their man protection heavy system. Marshon Lattimore and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson undoubtedly come to thoughts when serious about current hits in New Orleans’ secondary.
Quickly it is possible for you to so as to add Paulson Adebo to that listing. Adebo was more healthy final season, and he made essentially the most of his alternatives on the skin. Adebo performed in and began 15 video games for the Saints, and his play took off. He led the Saints in interceptions and go deflections, and with Lattimore lacking time resulting from damage, Adebo stepped as much as defend a lot of the prime receivers New Orleans confronted. Now coming into a contract yr, Adebo is perhaps set to play his greatest soccer of his profession, a wanted increase for a Saints staff that’ll greater than possible be superb on protection once more.
Adebo is a easy man nook, who trusts his velocity and prime seventieth percentile wingspan in protection on the skin. In New Orleans’ man and quarters’ heavy scheme, he’s usually left to fend for himself on the skin, and holds up very well. Adebo completed the 2023 season eleventh in Yards per Protection Snap in man protection for all outdoors cornerbacks, which divides the overall yardage allowed as the first defender from the overall snaps performed. So on a per snap foundation, Adebo was limiting yards allowed as the first defender at the most effective charges within the NFL. For those who stack that on prime of his ball manufacturing, you get a man who put collectively a few of his greatest soccer in 2023. Adebo’s instincts actually come out when he’s in off protection and in a position to learn out the play earlier than triggering downhill, similar to he did on this curl route towards the Buccaneers. He doesn’t panic in any respect, breaks on the ball and nearly will get a pick of it.
Adebo is a soccer participant; sure, I do know that looks like an apparent factor to say, however if you watch him play he simply is aware of methods to make performs on the ball. He’s received good timing and may alter to no matter offenses throw at him with unimaginable velocity. That is one among my favourite performs he made all season, breaking off of the crossing route he was initially protecting and changing S Tyrann Mathieu because the deep defender in cowl 1 and making the PBU.
Adebo excels in these kind of coverages, the place he can learn the play out after which react primarily based on what the offense reveals him. Nonetheless, he typically flashes the power to jostle go catchers on the catch level and combat by means of to make performs on the ball. Whereas he typically struggles towards greater physique receivers, Adebo holds his personal and fights by means of for interceptions and go breakups.
This reveals up lots on in-breaking dig routes the place the receiver has to declare the route as an alternative of working one thing like a deep over route with much less of a break. Adebo can set off down and combat by means of to get an interception, similar to he does right here. He takes the bump on the in-breaker and makes the play.
Adebo is such a sensible participant, who thrives on the skin utilizing these instincts and playmaking skill to their greatest. Within the Saints’ defensive scheme, he’s the proper nook to tackle opposing receivers. The place I believe he can enhance is towards greater bodied receivers. He tends to attempt to use his physicality on the prime of the stem towards bigger receivers and will get placed on the incorrect aspect of a spotlight, but when he can trim a few of that the sky is the restrict.
Thus far in Adebo’s profession, it’s protected to say he’s turn out to be underrated. Nonetheless, the ball abilities and manufacturing he confirmed at Stanford are lastly coming to gentle with him being wholesome. The Saints’ defensive again group is already sturdy with Lattimore nonetheless there, together with Alontae Taylor and rookie CB Kool-Support McKinstry. Nonetheless, it’s Adebo who can turn out to be the breakout star from that secondary and put his title among the many greatest on the CB place.
