Each year, a new crop of players rises to the ranks of the elite at their respective positions. Whether it be because of new coaching, being unlocked in a new scheme or just the general continuation of development and growth, new players establish their place in the upper echelon of the NFL every year. Over the next few days, we’ll be highlighting these players who are up next in the NFL hierarchy, and are candidates for a breakout season in 2024.
When the New Orleans Saints draft a defensive back, it’s best that you keep your eyes on them. The Saints have a history of bringing in quality defensive backs and turning them into stars in their man coverage heavy system. Marshon Lattimore and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson definitely come to mind when thinking about recent hits in New Orleans’ secondary.
Soon you will be able to add Paulson Adebo to that list. Adebo was healthier last season, and he made the most of his opportunities on the outside. Adebo played in and started 15 games for the Saints, and his play took off. He led the Saints in interceptions and pass deflections, and with Lattimore missing time due to injury, Adebo stepped up to defend most of the top receivers New Orleans faced. Now entering a contract year, Adebo might be set to play his best football of his career, a needed boost for a Saints team that’ll more than likely be very good on defense again.
Adebo is a smooth man corner, who trusts his speed and top 70th percentile wingspan in coverage on the outside. In New Orleans’ man and quarters’ heavy scheme, he’s often left to fend for himself on the outside, and holds up really well. Adebo finished the 2023 season 11th in Yards per Coverage Snap in man coverage for all outside cornerbacks, which divides the total yardage allowed as the primary defender from the total snaps played. So on a per snap basis, Adebo was limiting yards allowed as the primary defender at one of the best rates in the NFL. If you stack that on top of his ball production, you get a guy who put together some of his best football in 2023. Adebo’s instincts really pop out when he’s in off coverage and able to read out the play before triggering downhill, just like he did on this curl route against the Buccaneers. He doesn’t panic at all, breaks on the ball and almost gets a pick out of it.
Adebo is a football player; yes, I know that seems like an obvious thing to say, but when you watch him play he just knows how to make plays on the ball. He’s got good timing and can adjust to whatever offenses throw at him with incredible speed. This is one of my favorite plays he made all season, breaking off of the crossing route he was initially covering and replacing S Tyrann Mathieu as the deep defender in cover 1 and making the PBU.
Adebo excels in these types of coverages, where he can read the play out and then react based on what the offense shows him. However, he sometimes flashes the strength to jostle pass catchers at the catch point and fight through to make plays on the ball. While he sometimes struggles against bigger body receivers, Adebo holds his own and fights through for interceptions and pass breakups.
This shows up a lot on in-breaking dig routes where the receiver has to declare the route instead of running something like a deep over route with less of a break. Adebo can trigger down and fight through to get an interception, just like he does here. He takes the bump on the in-breaker and makes the play.
Adebo is such a smart player, who thrives on the outside using those instincts and playmaking ability to their best. In the Saints’ defensive scheme, he’s the perfect corner to take on opposing receivers. Where I think he can improve is against bigger bodied receivers. He tends to try and use his physicality at the top of the stem against larger receivers and gets put on the wrong side of a highlight, but if he can trim some of that the sky is the limit.
To this point in Adebo’s career, it’s safe to say he’s become underrated. However, the ball skills and production he showed at Stanford are finally coming to light with him being healthy. The Saints’ defensive back group is already strong with Lattimore still there, along with Alontae Taylor and rookie CB Kool-Aid McKinstry. However, it’s Adebo who can become the breakout star from that secondary and put his name among the best at the CB position.
