Jamal Adams is without a doubt the top defensive back talent entering the 2017 NFL Draft. He has the combination of size, speed, and leadership that is drawing comparisons to names like Landon Collins and Eric Berry.

Adams has been a 3-year starter and leader for the LSU defense throughout his career. His father, George Adams, a former New York Giant running back, brought him up with the game, as his football intellect definitely shows when watching him play. The LSU safety can play in the box, on the line, and play both safety positions, providing his future NFL team to utilize him however they want and to show some diverse defensive packages on Sundays.

Jamal Adams NFL Draft Profile:

Strengths

1) Downhill Aggression

Jamal Adams is one of the best run defenders from the safety position. Watching him scream downhill and stop the ball carrier in his tracks, or pace the ball carrier running laterally is something special to watch. He has the football intellect to recognize plays quickly and react with force, which makes him comparable to the likes of Landon Collins. Looking at the plays below, we can see Jamal Adams quickly recognize an out route and act with speed and a sure tackle.

Now, this is a very similar to what Landon Collins showed this past season, with this exact type of play against the Cowboys:

Being able to line up over the slot receiver, which Adams did very consistently over his college career, while showing that he can stop short passes with extreme pursuit is a skill that is very valuable in today’s NFL. Teams like the Patriots that dominate defenses with the quick game and exploit match-ups are the exact reason why safeties like Adams are extremely valued.

It’s not just Adams’s ability to come downhill on short out-routes, but his aggressiveness in the run game. Looking at his quick run-game recognition of this jet sweep, it shows Adams’s pure run-stopping ability. He loves contact and he likes to hit, which is a tone-setter for a defense. Just watch how he tries to punish the ball carrier.

We can look at another play, in the same game, where Adams is trying to be the tone setter for his defense. This is a great sign for the NFL team that takes him. While studying Adams, his teammates always get hyped up when he makes plays. They play better when he plays better. This is a great quality in a rookie who will be a future leader of the defense.

2) Versatility

Jamal Adams played all over the field for the LSU Tigers throughout his career. We saw him play both safety positions – free safety and strong safety. Being able to be the deep third player as the free safety and be able to be a viable centerfielder shows Adams’s speed. Being able to line up over slot receivers and being aggressive downhill on the run shows Adams’s tenacity to step up and help in the run game.

What really impressed me while studying Jamal Adams was his ability to line up over premier tight ends in O.J Howard and Troy Fumagali, while performing extremely well. O.J. Howard was held to 1 reception for -3 yards. Having that ability is a huge attribute in today’s NFL safeties.

Adams was also able to line up in the box and be a primary run defender, which he also excelled at. Adams can be moved all over the field, into any defensive scheme, and be an efficient player.

3) Big-Play/Star Ability

Jamal Adams is the type of player that can change the game on any given play. He’s always around the ball, and when a player is always around the ball, good things happen. Adams can make plays that not many other, or if any other, players can make, creating game-changing turnovers

This is one of the signature plays of Jamal Adams’s season, and one where he lines up in the box:

Adams has a knack for the ball, and a knack for making plays. During the Alabama game, Adams showed his football IQ by knowing the play Alabama was running and moving to the exact spot before the Alabama wide out ran his route. Adams knew that both the receivers were breaking out and at different depths.

Despite having his nose around the ball at all times and the football IQ, Adams has the ability to cover sideline to sideline. He is a relentless defender, as we can see in this play below:

Adams starts the play out as the left cornerback, recognizes the play immediately and chases down one of the fastest players in college football before he could even reach the line of scrimmage. Adams has flat out talent, and he’s a flat out heat seeking missile. Just a special talent, his big play ability is something that not many players contain.

Weaknesses

Missed Tackles

Jamal Adams strength of coming downhill aggressively is also his drawback. While he always seems to put himself in a position to make a play, he may come screaming down uncontrolled, leading to missed tackles. This is what you get when you have an absolute freight train flying down into the box. He’ll either reek havoc, or whiff, but more often than not, Jamal Adams is reeking havoc on opposing offenses.

Coverage

Jamal Adams is definitely a good cover safety. Definitely not the best, or a ball hawk like Malik Hooker from Ohio State, but he is very sound in his coverage. Playing deep safety he rarely gets beat, and he seems to always be over the top for help. While playing strong safety, he excels at stopping short passes and out routes; however, he does seem to get lost when he is in zone coverage, or on certain combination routes in man. While in zone coverage, Adams can be seen watching the quarterback rather than eyeing down his receivers and dropping back into his correct zone. What this leads to is him just sort of bouncing around in a useless area, not spying the quarterback, and just aimlessly leaping from 10 yards away to try and bat down a pass.

An example of this would be in the Citrus Bowl, Louisville ran a simple crossing concept, where Adams did not follow either crossing receiver. Instead, he got hung up in the middle of the field not covering anybody, and leaving a crosser wide open. If Lamar Jackson made a better throw, this play would have gone for six.

Blitzing

In today’s NFL, safety blitzes are essential in creating blitz packages to confuse offensive lines and pressure the quarterback. We see teams like the Giants, Broncos, Cardinals, Vikings, and Steelers all utilize safety blitzes a good amount. Landon Collins recorded 4 sacks this past season, while TJ Ward of the Broncos recorded 8 QB hurries. Being able to blitz effectively as a safety is definitely an important skill to have in the NFL.

Jamal Adams almost never blitzed this past season. Most likely a scheme thing than an ability thing, but it still has to raise some questions as to why he was never utilized to pressure the quarterback.

Analysis of Jamal Adams

After studying Jamal Adams, it is clear why he is one of the top defensive talents to come out of the draft this year. He contains a killer instinct, along with the size and speed that an NFL safety needs. When coming down into the box, Adams is an absolute enforcer, bringing the blow to every ball carrier in his way. In pass coverage, he excels in stopping short out routes and quick screens, using his football IQ to recognize plays quickly and stop them before they develop.

Adams is an ultra aggressive, very smart football player. He will no doubt be the leader of any defense he is on, setting the tone for his team. Every coach at LSU has spoken of Adams’s leadership and the great leadership qualities that he contains, which says a lot about his character.

While struggling in coverage and getting lost sometimes, there will be some growing pains in his rookie campaign. What this reminds me of is how Landon Collins came out as an aggressive run stopper, but struggled in pass defense. In just his second season in the NFL, Collins was able to improve his game tremendously and become the best safety in the league. This is how I compare Adams. He is a little raw in some aspects, but he with the right coaching and dedication, which he has, he can become one of the best safeties in the league.

Prediction:

4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jamal Adams, S, LSU.

Jamal Adams is a top-5 talent. He is without a doubt the best defensive back in the 2017 NFL Draft Class. Any team taking him will be transforming their defense and adding an immediate difference maker. The Jaguars are definitely in a rebuilding stage, and with Tom Coughlin now at the helm of football decisions, I think he will see a lot of Landon Collins in Adams. Pairing with Jalen Ramsey will create a deadly duo in the Jaguars defensive backfield, while having some playmakers upfront in Malik Jackson and Donte Fowler Jr. If Adams was to fall, I could see him dropping to Carolina at 6, Tennessee at 8, or Tampa Bay at 10 the latest.