Tag: Paulson Adebo

2021 3-round mock draft: Bills add playmakers then versatility

Here’s what the Buffalo Bills do in Draft Wire’s way-too-early 2021 NFL mock draft.

So far here’s what we know about the Buffalo Bills and 20201 NFL Draft: They’ll have at least three picks in first three rounds. What happens with those is very much up for debate.

Especially since the world has been turned upside down due to COVID-19 and we haven’t even started the 2020 regular season yet.

But Draft Wire decided to still take a very early stab at what the Bills could do next offseason at the draft and in doing so, the Bills add a couple of playmakers to both sides of the ball. Using the latest Super Bowl odds to peg their draft order, the Bills select a cornerback and wide receiver, respectively, before adding more of what Sean McDermott and Brandon Bean love: Versatility in the trenches.

Here’s what Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling has the Bills doing in his latest three-round 2021 mock draft:

Stanford Cardinal cornerback Paulson Adebo. Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

19. Buffalo Bills
Paulson Adebo | CB | Stanford

Paulson Adebo actually had a highlighted matchup against current Bills wide receiver Gabriel Davis in college. But the two shouldn’t mind if they end up on the same roster in the pros. At 6-foot-1, Adebo is a highly-touted cornerback prospect that has excellent length which is coveted in the NFL. So are ball skills, and Adebo has had four interceptions and at least 10 pass breakups in his two years as a starter.

While the Bills do have a packed cornerback room currently, there’s nothing there to suggest the position is out of play in Round 1 of next year’s draft. Tre’Davious White should be locked up long-term, but across from him, the Bills continue to employ one-year stop gaps. Past 2020, both Josh Norman and Levi Wallace could realistically be gone, clearing the way for McDermott to finally search for a solution at the N.2 cornerback spot for more than one season.

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Colts take CB Paulson Adebo in Touchdown Wire mock draft

Colts add to the secondary in TD Wire’s mock draft.

The 2020 season hasn’t even gotten here yet, and we are already looking at way-too-early mock drafts. The Indianapolis Colts have plenty of depth throughout the roster but still have some areas to address.

Of course, we have no idea what the next 10 months will hold before the 2021 draft. But in Touchdown Wire’s “way-too-early” mock draft, the Colts addressed arguably their biggest need in the secondary by selecting Stanford CB Paulson Adebo.

Here’s what they said about the pick:

If there is an issue on the defensive side of the football for the Indianapolis Colts, boundary cornerback is that issue. They added Xavier Rhodes this offseason at one cornerback spot, and are looking to perhaps T.J. Carrie or Rock Ya-Sin at the other spot (Kenny Moore II has the slot position locked down quite well).

Provided cornerback is the position to address, Paulson Adebo is a wise choice. He has started for the past two years on the outside for Stanford, and has the footwork and hip flexibility to stick on receivers in man coverage situations. He plays great in zone coverage schemes, something that will matter for the Colts as a zone-heavy team, as Adebo has great eye discipline and feel for passing off routes underneath. He would be an almost-ideal fit for the Colts’ defense.

Even with Rock Ya-Sin and Kenny Moore holding down the fort in the secondary, the Colts have a lack of depth at cornerback. They are taking a chance on Xavier Rhodes (albeit on a one-year deal) while the rest of the room is unproven.

The 2021 draft is far away and not currently in the mind of the Colts as they prepare for what should be an interesting season all things considered. But it won’t be a surprise if cornerback is their top need entering the offseason.

Vikings draft Stanford CB Paulson Adebo in way-too-early 2021 mock draft

Do you think the Vikings will take a corner in the first round of the NFL Draft?

Ok, it’s early and it’s hard to say what the Vikings will need for the 2021 NFL Draft.

But Bleacher Report tried to take a guess anyway. Have you heard this one before? Minnesota drafted a cornerback in the first round of the mock draft.

In Bleacher Report’s way-too-early 2021 mock draft, Minnesota took Stanford CB Paulson Adebo at pick No. 22.

Adebo was the fifth cornerback off the board in Bleacher Report’s mock. He was an All-Pac-12 first-team selection by the coaches, despite suffering a season-ending injury in 2019.

He played in nine games, but had four interceptions and 14 pass deflections. If the Vikings feel like corner is a position they have to shore up once again, I would personally be fine with picking Adebo at No. 22 overall.

However, players like Mike Hughes, Holton Hill, Jeff Gladney, Cameron Danztler and others have a chance to step up and become one of the better corners on a defense that is already pretty good. We’re going to have to see what happens in 2021.

Jaguars land QB Justin Fields, CB Paulson Adebo in way-too-early 2021 Draft Wire mock

Our comrades from Draft Wire have projections for 2021! With the Jags having the lowest Super Bowl LV odds, they were able to land a new QB.

It’s been a week since the 2020 NFL Draft concluded for the Jacksonville Jaguars and the league in general. In the process, the team made all 12 of their selections (to the surprise of many) and were able to land some phenomenal athletes to the roster.
While the draft’s conclusion will allow fans to now focus on offseason workouts and training camp for their respective teams, our hard-working friends at Draft Wire moved right on to the 2021 draft. Why you ask? Well, because it’s never too early to start looking ahead.
Using the latest Super Bowl odds from BetMGM to determine the draft order, they have the Jags taking Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields second overall. Afterward, with the first-round pick they received from the Los Angeles Rams, the Jags once again went with a cornerback by selecting Stanford’s Paulson Adebo to pair with C.J. Henderson.
The Jags being slotted Fields is no surprise as it will be a routine thing despite there being a chance Gardner Minshew II could pan out. Many of the nation’s draft pundits feel as though Jags fans and the organization need “that guy” at quarterback, and if the Jags end up being second in next year’s draft order, that could mean Minshew or the offense didn’t fare too well.
As for Fields, there is a lot to like about him as a prospect. At 6-foot-3, 223 pounds, he can do it all from dissecting teams from the pocket or using his feet. He proved to be very accurate and took care of the ball in 2019 finishing the season 238-of-354 (67.2%) for 3,273 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and just three picks.
Adebo is a player our own Daniel Griffis did a breakdown on as he was eligible to enter 2020’s draft. In the breakdown, he praised Adebo’s length (at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds), ball skills (he was a former receiver), and athleticism, all of which are traits the Jags proved they liked with last week’s selections.
Of course, by targeting a cornerback early next year, it would mean that Tre Herndon didn’t pan out as many had hoped, but like Minshew, he shouldn’t be discounted. After all, he showed a great deal of growth while starting in 14 games for the Jags in 2019 as Jalen Ramsey was traded and A.J. Bouye dealt with injuries. That said, fans should watch him with a close eye this upcoming season as he could take another step in the right direction and solidifying himself alongside Henderson.

Stanford CB Paulson Adebo returning to school for 2020 season

Stanford cornerback Paulson Adebo is returning to school for another season instead of entering the 2020 NFL draft

One of the top cornerback prospects in college football is putting off the pros for another season in school.

Stanford’s Paulson Adebo is returning to the Cardinal for his senior year. The announcement was made on the football program’s official website.

Already a two-time first-team all-conference pick, Adebo was widely regarded as a potential first-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft class. Instead, he’ll return for another year at the college level, where he’s likely to be among the top candidates to be the first cornerback selected in the 2020 draft.

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49ers bolster secondary in 2020 NFL mock draft

49ers roster gets some cornerback help in Draft Wire mock.

While the 49ers are in the midst of a playoff run with their eyes on the franchise’s sixth Super Bowl win, other teams not in the playoffs have their eyes set on the 2020 NFL draft. Luke Easterling of the Draft Wire published a three-round mock draft after the wild card round, and changed his pick for the 49ers from his previous mocks.

Easterling had the 49ers selecting Clemson running back Travis Etienne in consecutive mock drafts, but altered his new selection with San Francisco selecting with the No. 31 overall pick.

Instead of grabbing another offensive weapon, the 49ers went with Stanford cornerback Paulson Adebo.

Richard Sherman’s resurgence this season, along with improved play from Ahkello Witherspoon and the emergence of Emmanuel Moseley have put the 49ers in a position where cornerback is a less dire need than it was going into the year.

However, Sherman is on the wrong side of the 30 and on the final year of his deal. Witherspoon has been mostly up and down in his three seasons, and Moseley hasn’t proven himself over a large sample size. The latter two corners are also on track to enter the last year of their rookie deals next season.

Bolstering their depth at corner with a possible long-term starter would behoove a team looking to get younger and cheaper at some key spots.

Easterling describes Adebo as “an athletic cover man with the smarts and technique to quickly develop into a difference-maker.”

Getting to learn under Sherman, one of the smartest players in the league, would likely accelerate any climb Adebo is going to make upon entering the NFL. While he hasn’t officially declared for the draft at press time, Stanford head coach David Shaw told Todd McShay in September he doesn’t anticipate having Adebo back for his senior season.

The 6-1, 190-pound corner was a three-sport athlete in high school and one of the nation’s top recruits as a wide receiver and cornerback. He didn’t play as a freshman, but started 12 of 13 games in his second year for the Cardinal with roaring success.

Adebo was First-Team All-Pac-12 and led the country with 24 passes defensed. 20 of those were breakups, and four were interceptions according to the Stanford Athletics site. He also racked up 64 tackles in his first season as a starter.

His junior season was cut short by an injury and he only played nine games. Still, Adebo posted 33 tackles with 10 pass breakups and four interceptions.

Just two years of starting experience probably means Adebo will need some additional seasoning before stepping into a full-time starting role. A team like the 49ers with a strong leadership structure and one of the best cornerbacks of all-time leading that position group would be a perfect situation for Adebo to reach his ceiling as a prospect.

There’s still a lot of time before the draft, and the 49ers’ needs aren’t exactly certain yet, but it’s hard to imagine a highly-skilled corner won’t be near the top of their list come draft time. Adebo certainly fits that bill.

2020 NFL mock draft: 3-round draft sees CB early for Bills

Paulson Adebo to the Buffalo Bills in Draft Wire’s latest 2020 NFL mock draft.

The Bills arguably have the best secondary in the NFL. Could the club add the cherry on top with their first-round pick at the 2020 NFL draft? Draft Wire seems to think so.

In their latest three-round mock draft after Week 15, the Bills do exactly that, adding cornerback Paulson Adebo from Stanford.

Here’s explanation as to why:

25. Buffalo Bills

Paulson Adebo | CB | Stanford

It feels unfair to keep loading this defense up with studs, but that’s exactly what happens here. The Bills already have one of the league’s best corners in Tre’Davious White, but giving them another talented cover man like Adebo would make their secondary even more scary.

Making the case for a cornerback for the Bills in the first round is tough looking through the spectrum of their offense and other needs, even on defense. But at the second cornerback spot, the Bills have had a rotation with Levi Wallace and Kevin Johnson this season. The Bills have shown in the past that they’d prefer having someone in that role that the team can trust to play almost every snap in games.

Rounding out Buffalo’s next two picks are more of those needs we’ve referred to via the receiver and pass rusher positions:

58. Buffalo Bills | Justin Jefferson | WR | LSU

89. Buffalo Bills | Julian Okwara | EDGE | Notre Dame

Jefferson is a popular pick for the Bills via Draft Wire, as he was their selection in the most recent mock draft prior to this one. In Jefferson, the Bills would land a potential project for their No. 1 wideout spot in the future. After getting rid of Zay Jones, the Bills have a need for youth there as John Brown and Cole Beasley are playing well, but are vets. The 6-foot-2 Jefferson would give the Bills a bigger body the offense and Josh Allen needs on the outside, too.

Via Okwara, the Bills would help replace and put fresh blood into their pass rushing situation. The Bills could be without Shaq Lawson and Trent Murphy next year due to their contract situations. While the Bills have gotten to opposing quarterbacks in the second half of the season, plenty have come from the inside of their defensive line via Jordan Phillips and Ed Oliver. The edge defender position could see some improvement.

2020 NFL draft: Paulson Adebo scouting report

Everything you need to know about Stanford cornerback Paulson Adebo

Paulson Adebo | CB | Stanford

Height | 6-1

Weight | 190

College Bio Page

Career Stats

Strengths

Teams like length at the cornerback position, and Adebo certainly fits that criterion.

His 6-foot-1 frame bears lengthy arms and the size to match up physically with some of the league’s taller wide receivers. Adebo has the physicality in his skill set to jam receivers in press-man coverage, and he does a very good job of using his hands to counter release techniques and shut his opponents down. He is also a willing tackler who takes good angles and possesses the play strength to bring ball carriers down.

Adebo is more than just a big and physical corner, though, as he blends intelligence and athleticism into his game, as well. He is a patient defender who times his jumps on routes very well and fires out of his stance with great acceleration for his size. His hip fluidity is intriguing: he flips his hips with ease and has the athleticism to mirror his receivers’ routes consistently. If you’re looking for ball production, Adebo has that, too, as he has topped four interceptions and at least 10 pass deflections in each of his two seasons as a starter.

Weaknesses

Adebo did not see any playing time during his freshman year. Though he has been productive since, there are some flashes of his relative inexperience at times. His ball production is impressive, but there are times when he can be late to turning his head towards the ball and tracking it down on deep throws, thus impacting his ability to make a play on a more consistent basis.

He shows promise as a tackler, but his form could still use a little bit of work. His footwork in press-man coverage isn’t incredibly consistent yet, so considering he will likely spend a lot of his time in that role in the NFL, he should work on not wasting any steps at the line of scrimmage.

Bottom Line

Adebo is a length, physical and athletic cover man who has the physical tools that teams love at the outside cornerback position. His upside makes him one of the best prospects at his position in this draft class.

Projection: Round 1-2