Every year, new players join the elite ranks at their positions. Whether it’s a change of coach, the implementation of a new scheme, or simply continued growth and development, new players rise to the top of the NFL every year. Over the next few days, we’ll be taking a look at some of the players who are next in the NFL hierarchy and could be breakout stars in 2024.
Time New Orleans Saints If you are drafting a defensive back, it is best to keep an eye on them. The Saints have a history of acquiring quality defensive backs and developing them into stars in their man-coverage-heavy system. When thinking of recent hits in the New Orleans secondary, Marshon Lattimore and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson undoubtedly come to mind.
Paulson Adebo will soon be added to that list. Adebo was healthier last season and made the most of his opportunities on the outside. Adebo played and started 15 games for the Saints and his play improved dramatically. He led the Saints in interceptions and pass deflections, and with Lattimore out with an injury, Adebo stepped up to guard most of the top receivers New Orleans faced. Entering the final year of his contract, Adebo could play the best game of his career. This would be a much-needed boost for a Saints team that is likely to be very good defensively again.
Adebo is a smooth man cornerback who relies on his speed and top 70th percentile wingspan to cover on the outside. In New Orleans’ man-and-quarter heavy scheme, he often has to fend for himself on the outside and has held up extremely well. Adebo finished the 2023 season 11th in yards per coverage snap in man coverage among all outside cornerbacks. This is calculated by dividing the total yards allowed as the primary defender by the total snaps played. In other words, on a per-snap basis, Adebo had the highest percentage of yards allowed as the primary defender in the NFL. Stack this with ball productivity and you have a guy who framed the best football in 2023. Adebo’s instincts really stand out when he can read the play in off coverage and trigger a downhill run, as he did on this curl route. BuccaneersHe wasn’t in a hurry at all, he lunged at the ball and nearly got an interception.
Adebo is Football Player; Yeah, that might seem like an obvious thing to say, but when you watch him play, you see how he makes plays with the ball. He has great timing and is able to react with incredible speed to any attack. This was one of my favorite plays he’s made this season, where he broke off a crossing route in first coverage, replaced S Tyrann Mathieu as a deep Cover 1 defender and earned a PBU.
Adebo excels in these types of coverages where he can read the play and react based on what the offense is presenting, but he also shows glimpses of his strength at times, pushing past pass catchers at the catch point and fighting to make a play on the ball. Adebo can struggle against bigger receivers, but he holds his own, fighting for interceptions and pass breakups.
This is common on in-breaking dig routes where the receiver has to declare the route rather than running a route with less of a break like a deep over route. Adebo can fight to trigger a down and get an interception, like he does here, taking a bump with the in-breaker and making the play.
Adebo is a very smart player who utilizes his instincts and playmaking ability to thrive on the outside. In the Saints’ defensive scheme, he’s a perfect corner to challenge opposing receivers. I think where he can improve is against bigger receivers. He tends to use his strength at the top of the stem against bigger receivers, which puts him on the wrong side of the highlights, but if he can cut down on that somewhat, the possibilities are endless.
It’s fair to say Adebo has been underrated so far in his career, but the ball skills and production he showed at Stanford are finally coming into focus now that he’s healthy. The Saints’ defensive back corps is already strong with Lattimore still around, plus Alontae Taylor and rookie cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, but it’s Adebo who could be the breakout star from that secondary and make a name for himself as one of the best players at the cornerback position.
