There are hundreds of stories being told during the planning and anticipation of the 2017 NFL Draft. Today we will be looking at a scouting report for junior safety Jamal Adams, LSU Tigers.
S-Jamal Adams, LSU 6’1” 212 lbs.
Adams is considered a top ten talent in this year’s draft and should hear his name early on April 27th. He is the son of former New York Giants running back, George Allen, who won a league championship back in 1986. Can the young defender beef up a team to grab his own championship or perhaps secure one for a fantasy team that selects him early? Because I’m a high school football coach and educator by trade, let’s break down what I saw in the five games I reviewed of the junior playmaker: 2016 contests versus Louisville, Auburn, Alabama, and Texas A&M along with a 2015 game against Texas Tech. Most of these game videos are available via draftbreakdown.com. Here are my thoughts:
Cons: It’s hard to pick apart one of the best athletes in this year’s class, but the former LSU Tiger has a few hiccups in his game. In his bowl game against Louisville, Adams got beat over the top by the opposing quarterback’s first deep throw. All NFL quarterbacks will test this young man until he makes them suffer. On a few occasions, the safety would try to jump short routes which frees up the receiver for a longer throw. The defender gets physical in his coverage which is good, but also tends to get a bit handsy aka in the offensively driven NFL flags will fly when he’s too touchy. While Adams shows off a lot of burst in short areas, his long deep speed does not hold up as well. he also finds himself on the ground too much trying to bring down the ball carrier. His back pedal could use a little work as the safety seems to be more effective moving forward than backwards.
Pros: He spent the majority of his collegiate career as a free safety, but helped covering slot receivers and showed discipline against the run and may perhaps transition to a strong safety in the NFL. This two-year starter is a team leader with high football intelligence who had zero penalties in 2016. Adams does a good job reading the quarterback’s eyes, tracks the ball well in the air, can out jump most of his opponents, and has overall good play recognition. His bouncy feet and loose hips help him move around the field effortlessly. The former Tiger has good closing speed to narrow the gap between himself and the receiver. Sometimes Adams can shadow the opponent’s best player like he was used, at times, against Texas A&M’s Christian Kirk. The safety gets good leverage against blockers by getting underneath their shoulder pads and then sheds them to find, then smash the ball carrier. He is a very good open field tackler when the defender is keeping his feet. When sent on a designated run blitz, Adams stuffed many runners for a loss or short gain. Occasionally, the safety rushed the passer on the outside to show off his versatility. The former LSU playmaker was an important cog in punt coverage as a gunner with his ability to scream down the field tracking the ball with ease.
Overall impressions: This safety could beef up an entire defense with his athleticism much like Landon Collins did for the Giants. The problem is that defensive backs are usually a dime a dozen for fantasy teams. While I love everything he can bring to the NFL, Adams is at best a third round pick in most fantasy rookie drafts. If you need the defensive back help, grab him but know that Jabrill Peppers and Malik Hooker are almost as good with an even smaller rookie draft cost.
Thanks for reading. I will continue to discuss my scouting reports with you throughout the next several months, so keep checking the site for more content. Please check out my other content as well. You can also follow me on Twitter @AndrewMiley.
