Paulson Adebo 2021 NFL Draft Overview
Position: Cornerback
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 198 pounds
Arms: 31 ½”
Hands: 10”
School: Stanford
Pro Day Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.45
Vertical: 36.5”
Broad: 121”
Three-cone: 6.69
Paulson Adebo Draft Profile
Overview
Paulson Adebo prepped at Mansfield in Texas where he earned himself a four-star recruitment rating along with being ranked as the 18th-best corner in his class. Additionally, Adebo earned himself academic all-state second-team honors before committing to Stanford. While Adebo did not see any playing time in 2017, he burst onto the scene as a sophomore in 2018. Adebo earned himself All-Pac-12 first-team honors after he played in 13 games (12 starts) and ranked number one in the nation with a total of 24 passes defensed which featured 20 pass breakups and four interceptions. Moreover, Adebo finished with the third most tackles on the team with 64 total, 44 solo tackles, and 3.5 tackles for a loss. As a junior in 2019, Adebo picked up where he left off, again earning All-Pac-12 first-team honors as he started all nine games before he suffered a season ending injury. Nevertheless, Adebo still tallied impressive numbers with 33 tackles, 10 pass breakups, and four interceptions. Adebo opted out of the 2020 season in favor of training for the NFL draft.
Strengths
- Long, lanky corner who fits the NFL prototype
- Elite agility for his size
- His size allows him to be utilized nicely within press coverage defensive schemes
- Adebo’s timed agility translates well on the field as his short area quickness and speedy footwork show up on tape
- Has excellent ball skills and times his jumps perfectly which is likely a product of him being an elite receiver in high school
- His athleticism is impressive and allows him to recover on plays which others would get beat on
- Intelligent football player
Weaknesses
- Has been away from the game for awhile due to injury and opt out
- His length can cause a hitch in his hips and change of direction on occasions
- Run support needs work as he plays with such aggression that he can sometimes miss tackles and over pursue, but this is easily fixable with good coaching
- Can rely on his athleticism too much rather than solid technique at times
NFL Comparison: Richard Sherman
Teams With Need at Position: Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans
Projection: Second round
The Bottom Line
Adebo was once considered a top cornerback prospect behind only Patrick Surtain Jr. However, after suffering an injury and opting out, Adebo’s draft stock has fallen. While it will likely take him some time to adjust to NFL level competition, Adebo is still an elite athlete with prototypical size for today’s NFL. His size, athleticism, and ball skills make him an extremely versatile prospect who could fit into any man, zone, and heavy press coverage scheme. While his tackling form needs work, this should not scare away any teams as Adebo is a more than willing tackler whose over aggression is the very reason why his form suffers. It will be interesting to see where teams have him ranked, but a team getting him in the second round would be a steal.
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