STRENGTHS
Jamal is an excellent cover safety with the ability to tackle in the open field consistently. He shows leadership skills through his play on the field. He has excellent instincts and his football intelligence is off the charts good. He understands down and distance and the route tree of the offense and because of this knowledge he is able to come off his coverage responsibility and impact. He can cover in the slot and be used to blitz the quarterback because of his quickness and change of direction skills. He could play corner in the right system but because of his high football IQ you want this kid patrolling the middle of your Defense. Jamal will be your coach on the field, your best player in your secondary and the sheriff of the middle of your defense. He has speed, quick feet, size, can flip his hips and is physical enough to handle bigger tight ends and receivers in the middle of the field one on one. Every team in the NFL needs a player like Jamal on their team to have a great defensive back field so expect Jamal to be selected early in this draft.

CONCERNS
There is no sense in nit picking Jamal’s game other than to say Jamal has to remember that as a safety he is the last line of defense and form tackling is the key to staying healthy and becoming the player his talents suggest you can become…not THROW a should and head into the body or legs of an opponent to make the BIG hits. You will strip more balls and cause more fumbles with wrap up, head up, squeeze and drive form tackling.

BOTTOM LINE
Jamal is a safety and some teams do not value that posiiton very high so where Jamal will be rated on each teams board will vary. Of course if you ask Steelers, Ravens, Chiefs and Seahawks the impact and value of their safeties I think you would get a different opinion of the value an impact of that position in their defenses. Ask the Cardinals this year how good they are when their impact safety is on the field compared to when he is off the field and hurt. I think you know the answer… at least I do. You can put an arbitrary value on a position to make up your board and separate players with equal talent but when you come across a player with Jamal’s talent you can throw that “value of position” right out the window. Jamal will make your defense better the day after you select him and will make the players around him better and that is what value is all about. The Sherriff is back in town folks and he comes in the form of Jamal Adams…giddy up.

Drew Boylhart  JAN.2017