Annually, 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 improvement and development, new gamers set up their place within the higher echelon of the NFL yearly. Over the subsequent 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 finest that you just 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 fascinated with 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 surface. Adebo performed in and began 15 video games for the Saints, and his play took off. He led the Saints in interceptions and cross deflections, and with Lattimore lacking time attributable to harm, Adebo stepped as much as defend many of the prime receivers New Orleans confronted. Now coming into a contract 12 months, Adebo is perhaps set to play his finest soccer of his profession, a wanted increase for a Saints staff that’ll greater than probably be excellent on protection once more.
Adebo is a clean man nook, who trusts his pace and prime seventieth percentile wingspan in protection on the surface. In New Orleans’ man and quarters’ heavy scheme, he’s typically left to fend for himself on the surface, and holds up rather well. Adebo completed the 2023 season eleventh in Yards per Protection Snap in man protection for all outdoors cornerbacks, which divides the whole yardage allowed as the first defender from the whole snaps performed. So on a per snap foundation, Adebo was limiting yards allowed as the first defender at among the best 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 finest soccer in 2023. Adebo’s instincts actually come out when he’s in off protection and capable of 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 once you watch him play he simply is aware of find out how to make performs on the ball. He’s acquired good timing and may regulate to no matter offenses throw at him with unimaginable pace. That is one in all 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 a majority of these coverages, the place he can learn the play out after which react based mostly on what the offense exhibits him. Nevertheless, he typically flashes the energy to jostle cross catchers on the catch level and struggle via to make performs on the ball. Whereas he typically struggles towards greater physique receivers, Adebo holds his personal and fights via for interceptions and cross breakups.
This exhibits up so much 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 struggle via 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 wise participant, who thrives on the surface utilizing these instincts and playmaking potential to their finest. Within the Saints’ defensive scheme, he’s the right nook to tackle opposing receivers. The place I feel he can enhance is towards greater bodied receivers. He tends to try to use his physicality on the prime of the stem towards bigger receivers and will get placed on the flawed 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 change into underrated. Nevertheless, the ball expertise 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. Nevertheless, it’s Adebo who can change into the breakout star from that secondary and put his identify among the many finest on the CB place.
