NFL: Potential 2021 Season Breakouts
There will likely be a few Josh Allen/Calvin Ridley/Brian Burns who make the leap from star to superstar, and players like Jessie Bates/Quinnen Williams make the jump from high-risk/high-reward to becoming a star. Even a Wyatt Teller/Garrett Bolles can come out of absolutely nowhere.
We all think we know who that next guy will be, and there are a few consensus breakout picks every year. But for every Josh Allen/Calvin Ridley, there is an Anthony Miller/Daniel Jones that fails to launch. And that's what makes it fun to look back at these lists. They are a snapshot in time but have both high hit and miss rates and will forever be taken out of context to make the writer look either stupid or galaxy-brained. Without further ado, here are 25 breakout candidates for the 2021 NFL season.
The Stars Who Emerge As Superstars
Roquan Smith, ILB, Chicago Bears
Last year, Smith appeared to break out and had a significant increase in his development. However, the consensus around the former number eight overall pick is that he is a good player but a tier below the Bobby Wagner, Fred Werner types. That could change in 2021. It's no secret that Smith has the athleticism to become a star at the position. He's blessed with true 4.5 speed, dinner plate hands, elite processing quickness, and surprising coverage ability (former wide receiver). However, he struggled with consistency in 2018 and had a clunky transition into Pagano's defense in 2019.
Things all started to come together for Smith last year, particularly in pass coverage where he had a league-leading 59.6 passer rating against, allowing just 290 yards on 79 targets with 11 pass breakups and two interceptions. His 84.0 pass coverage PFF grade was third among linebackers. He was also extremely effective when used as a blitzer, converting four sacks and 11 pressures on just 33 blitz attempts. On a per rush basis, he was every bit as effective a pass rusher as Devin White. Despite finishing seventh in tackles last year with 139 with a very solid 6.7% missed tackle rate, Smith was too conservative at times and needs to be more aggressive in the run game, attempt to finish tackles with a strip, and avoid/get off of blockers more efficiently in traffic to truly become an all-pro-level player.
In an aggressive, quarters-heavy defense under new defensive coordinator Sean Desai, Smith is set up for success. Desai will put Smith in zone coverage situations with an aggressive, take the ball away mentality that should lead to higher interception totals. He will be more aggressive with Smith as a pass rusher and has extensively worked with Smith this offseason to get his hands on the ball when tackling and know where the ball is at all times.
In a time when coverage ability has never been more important at the linebacker position, Roquan Smith is as good as they come. He is back in the (Fangio tree) type of defense he was drafted to play in, and he's going to be one of the true stars of the 2021 NFL season.
Darnell Savage, S, Green Bay Packers
Safeties simply do not come more explosive than Darnell Savage. The former Terrapin plays like a Mario Kart turtle shell on defense, flying around with alarming speed and destroying everything in his path. At 5'11 200-pounds with a sub 4.4 40-yard dash and eye-popping lower half explosiveness, Savage has the range to play single high and the physicality to play in the box. Savage took a massive leap from 2019-2020, but when playing like a missile, he can be inconsistent at times, and that was the only real thing keeping him from emerging as a true superstar in the league.
With do-it all-safeties who can disguise defensive looks all the rage in the NFL this offseason and a new defensive coordinator in Joe Barry - who was a major part of the Rams two-high defense - Savage will be put in a position to shine as a versatile playmaker. There is little doubt that if Savage can take a similar step forward from a consistency base from his second season to his third, he has all-pro potential. But even if he can maintain his level of play, Berry's scheme should highlight him enough to emerge as a household name.
Few, if any, safeties can match the high-end plays, versatility, and combination of speed, power, and explosion that Savage brings to the table. All eyes will be on the Packers for Rodgers's last hurrah, and Savage is going to steal the show.
Corey Davis, WR, New York Jets
The number five overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft, Davis certainly had the best year of his career last year but despite the pedigree and 2020 production drew only three years and 37.5 million in free agency. While he was shown enough respect to be ranked 91st overall in the league by his peers, the perception of Davis seems to be more of a good second option at wide receiver than a true alpha receiver. That perception changes in 2021.
Davis was brought in as an ideal fit for the Jet's new Shanahan-influenced scheme under offensive coordinator Mike Lafleur. Davis has the prototypical X size at 6'3 210 and is dominant as a stalk blocker, which will be extremely important in the Jets outside zone run game. It's fair to assume Davis will see a massive uptick in snaps from 2020 when he was only on the field 67% of the time. Lafleur's scheme also requires its X to be dominant on dig and slant routes, which are certainly two of Davis's best routes. Something fairly new for Davis will be how he will be schemed into open space by the former 49ers passing game coordinator. This already appears to be a huge x-factor for the former Titan based on preseason looks.
Davis is simply creating massive separation and does not drop the ball. Davis has never seen an average of over seven targets per game, and it's fair to assume he tops that mark in 2021 comfortably. Not only will he open up a new target ceiling, but they will be higher value targets given the lower percentage of contested-catch situations. Davis is poised for a truly dominant season. The talent has always been there, but now he's finally in the ideal situation to showcase it.
Josh Allen, Edge, Jacksonville Jaguars
The 2020 season was disastrous for the Jaguars, and Josh Allen certainly wasn't immune. Coming off of a rookie season that saw Allen rack up 10.5 sacks en route to a pro bowl appearance, Allen landed just two and a half sacks and two TFL in 2020. This was due to a knee injury that cost him half of the season, a massive talent drain around him, and an outdated scheme that failed massively to highlight Allen under then DC Todd Walsh.
Enter Urban Meyer and new DC Joe Cullen. Cullen has been coaching dominant defensive lines without fail since his 2013 stint with the Browns, including the last five years with the Ravens. He is bringing over the Raven's multiple front schemes that have schemed edge rushers into pressure as good as any team in the league. Simply put, Allen is tailor-made for this defense. Coming out, Allen was vaunted for his freakish athletic ability at 6'5 260 with the length and power to dominate at the point of attack, the speed and agility to work in space, and even coverage ability. Using Allen as a 4-3 base edge wasn't the recipe for success. But allowing him to play downhill, in space, and occasionally drop back is going to highlight his freakish natural abilities.
Assuming Allen stays healthy and avoids covid protocol issues, this has a chance to be a really special season for Allen. The talent has always been there - now the reps and the scheme are as well. You'd love to see more talent around him, but Allen is going to put up one hell of a highlight reel in 2021.
Chris Lindstrom, OG, Atlanta Falcons
A foot injury plagued Lindstrom's rookie season after being the 14th overall pick in the 2019 draft and damaged the narrative around Lindstrom, who quietly emerged as a very good interior lineman in 2020 with the Falcons switch back to a zone run scheme. However, last year, Lindstrom was forced into quite a few bad situations with the Falcons sieve of a defense and extremely pass-happy offense. He was drafted for his freakish combination of speed and explosion at 307 pounds - defenses had the upper hand knowing they could pin their ears back and rush the passer on 724 of his snaps.
Enter new head coach and former interior lineman Arthur Smith, new offensive line coach and former NFL center, Dwayne Ledford. This new Falcons team projects to be much more balanced on offense, which takes a tremendous amount of pressure off of the line. Arthur Smith is also a major aficionado of the inside zone run game that Lindstrom was dominant at Boston College. New offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford has had massive success between Louisville and North Carolina State, coaching up Mekhi Becton and Garrett Bradbury into early first-round picks. Now he gets a chance to develop a similarly special athlete in Lindstrom.
Offensive line breakouts tend to happen in years three through five in the NFL, and Lindstrom enters year three, coming off a very good season and entering a much better situation for his success.
The Finally Healthy Breakouts
Marcus Davenport, Edge, New Orleans Saints
After trading two firsts to acquire Davenport, the Saints had higher aspirations for the former UTSA edge than the results of his first three seasons. While Davenport was a raw physical freak coming out of a small school program who needed time to reach his ceiling, it's been injuries that have stunted his growth.
Despite having just 12.0 total sacks across three NFL seasons and just 1.5 last year, Davenport has consistently affected passes via pressure. It's just been a matter of converting those pressures into sacks, which is historically an unpredictable stat. Davenport has been somewhat of a force in the run game all three years, always holding anchor, plugging his gap, and did not miss a single tackle in 2020. Davenport has been rated as the 36th, 17th, and 20th edge by PFF, respectively, in terms of PFF grading.
The main thing (besides injury) that held Davenport back in 2020 was a breakout season from now Bengals edge Trey Hendrickson and the never-ending dominance of Cameron Jordan. Davenport only saw a 36% snap share in 2020, but with Cameron Jordan now 32 years old and rookie Payton Turner needing time to develop, Davenport figures to get a very healthy portion of snaps. On top of that, he looks to have finally figured out how to use his physical traits as a pass rusher this fall, showcasing his ridiculous combination of length, speed, and explosion in his 6'6 265-pound frame. Davenport will make himself a lot of money in a contract year if he can finally stay healthy.
Devin Bush, ILB, Pittsburgh Steelers
One of the best pure athletes to come out at the linebacker position in the last decade, the Steelers opened some eyes when they traded up to 10th overall to select the 5'11 former Wolverine. But the move looked shrewd after a flashy rookie season that showcased the 4.43 40-yard dash time, 40.5" vertical jump, and 6.93 three-cone. However, just five games into the 2020 season, Bush suffered a torn ACL that cost him valuable developmental reps and the rest of the season.
Bush has certainly proven on film that he has the upside to be a true neutralizer in coverage who can run with anybody at 235 pounds, sideline to sideline closing ability and a nose for the football when it's in jeopardy. However, Bush has some maturing to do on and off of the field. Bush tends to bite on play fakes when trying to do too much, miss a few tackles trying to do too much with the tackle, and made some negative noise with his Twitter account this offseason. Even a few of Bush's teammates will admit he can be a bit of a "knucklehead" at times.
Still, the physical traits to do anything needed will be fully on display in 2021. The Steelers have a record of developing star linebackers and certainly ask the ones they have to do a lot, so Bush's abilities will be on full display this year. With "Blitzburgh" taking hold in 2020, Bush saw an increase of blitz attempts from under two per game in 2019 to over five in 2020. If Bush can rebound from a health perspective and mature slightly on the field, he could be in line for a truly monstrous season on a defense that figures to be among the league's best.
Jonah Williams, OT, Cincinnati Bengals
A dominant blindside protector for Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama, Williams missed his entire rookie season with a shoulder injury and then missed six games again in 2020 with a knee injury. Finally healthy, Williams is a technician in pass pro who was already very solid in this area last year despite a complete lack of talent on the line around him.
Now fully healthy and charged with keeping Joe Burrow healthy, Williams has drawn praise from new OL coach Frank Pollack for his footwork, hand usage, and balance already this fall. Williams is legendary for his tape study and football IQ. He improved all four years at Alabama, and there is no reason to think he won't continue to improve in Cincy. Williams does need some growth in his run blocking. A switch to a wide zone under Pollack should help highlight Williams' combination of balance and processing and aid him in this area. Williams isn't the longest tackle ever but has done work this offseason to protect against long-armed chop moves that were his one Achilles heel in pass pro last season.
Essentially, Williams is already a quality pass blocker in an offense that will pass as much as anyone. He just has to stay healthy. Any improvements will make him a star.
The Year Two Leaps
Javon Kinlaw, IDL, San Francisco 49ers
A starter almost from the jump, few players were hurt more by the lack of OTA's last year than Javon Kinlaw. The book on the 14th overall pick coming out was that Kinlaw had freaky flashes but was very raw technically. As such, not being able to get that offseason work with NFL coaches was a huge loss for Kinlaw, and he certainly had his share of rookie mistakes early in year one. But the flashes were certainly there as well, and those flashes became more and more consistent as the season wore on.
In year one, the 6'5 325-pound interior lineman managed 1.5 sacks, ten pressures, and four pass deflections and even housed a 27-yard interception return. Kinlaw's freakish combo of power and burst for a man his size was on full display, as were his 34 7/8 "arms. When Kinlaw has it all working, few, if any, interior offensive linemen can deny him. That said, the lack of technical consistency and pad level were on tape as well.
Kinlaw has reportedly continued to make strides with his physique and conditioning this offseason. The former Gamecock has been doing extensive work to emphasize his hand placement, footwork, and ability to follow the football. Teammates are billing Kinlaw as a 2021 all-pro. While that may be more aggressive than I'm willing to go, it certainly won't be physical-ability that stops him. With a healthy Nick Bosa drawing attention, Kinlaw seems set to emerge as the next great force on the 49ers' defensive line and take a massive year two leap.
Kyle Dugger, S, New England Patriots
For a division two athlete coming out of Lenoir-Rhyne University, coming into the Patriots legendarily complex defensive scheme on a year with zero OTAs...Kyle Dugger had one hell of a 2020. The 6'1 220-pounds hybrid safety/linebacker had some rookie-struggles learning to cover NFL tight ends instead of division two wide receivers, but he also won his fair share of battles. In the run game, however, the rare burst and power were on full display.
Dugger flies to the football and uses his nearly 33" arms with dinner plate hands to shed blocks much easier than a traditional safety. While he wasn't fully unleashed in this role last year, Dugger certainly looked capable as a pass rusher and has big upside as a situational blitzer. However, coverage will be the area of Dugger's game that can take him to that superstar level. While Dugger had some lost battles and failed to create a pass deflection or int, he also kept the receiver in front of him, allowing zero touchdowns and just a 92.6 passer rating against. Entering his second year within the Patriots system with full OTA's should be huge for the young defensive back.
There are very few players in the game with Dugger's unique skillset, and there are very few coaches who know to use unique skillsets as chess pieces better than Belichick.
Jordyn Brooks, ILB, Seattle Seahawks
In a senior season in which he played with a lower-body injury, Brooks was the surprise pick of the first round in 2020. He was known to have electric speed and power, but questions about his ability to move laterally in coverage were loud. However, his tape from earlier in his Red Raider career offered more optimism. Brooks seemed to answer those questions, emerging late in the year, looking fully healthy and potentially like the best linebacker in a class that had four first-round picks at the position.
Coached by the same man at Texas Tech that coached Bobby Wagner at Utah State, Brooks was compared similarly by his coach and certainly looked the part. Brooks is a stout 6'0 240-pounds with 4.54 speed, nearly 33" arms, and a chiseled physique. He looks a bit like Wagner out there. While he certainly isn't the same layer yet, you can see the similarities in his game. Brooks has sideline to sideline speed, racks up an absurd amount of tackles with almost no missed tackles. He is a menace behind the line of scrimmage with excellent blitz ability. Coverage was certainly better than he was billed. He had two pass breakups while just allowing 5.6 yards per target despite a hefty 7.9 ADOT when targeted. But there were still some rookie mistakes from a positioning standpoint that he will need to work on with Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay in the conference. Still, the raw ingredients are there for Brooks to become a true monster.
While it's unlikely Brooks ever reaches Bobby Wagner's level of excellence, he was good enough to jettison a long-term Seahawks stalwart coming off of a career year in KJ Wright. Brooks was only on the field for 32% of the snaps during 2020 and figures to rarely, if ever, leave the field in 2021. We could be in for a monster second season from the second-year pro.
Laviska Shenault, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
So Laviska Shenault may not have the typical receiver build at 6'1 225-pounds. He may never be the dominant sideline alpha who runs the crispest comeback, out and corner routes with back shoulder dominance. But you know what he is? A weapon with the ball in his hands. Urban Meyer likes weapons.
Meyer doesn't need Laviska to be a tactician on the boundaries. He needs someone he can scheme into easy touches in a bit of space who can do damage after the catch. That's Shenault's bag. Shenault is dominant in the flat, screen, and slant game. He can take the ball out of the backfield on sweeps and even as a true running back. He can line up in the slot or outside. He even emerged as a dominator on post and dig routes in 2020, so defenders can't jump his underneath stuff.
Injuries have always been the thing that hurt Shenault. But if he can stay healthy, it's hard to envision a better compliment to what Meyer wants to do than Viska. He should be in line for a huge workload, and he has the talent to make the most of it.
Adam Trautman, TE, New Orleans Saints
Few players from the 2020 draft class surprised me with how NFL-ready they were than Trautman. The Saints traded up to 105 to select the Dayton alumni, so you know they were very high on him, but expectations are always very low for rookie tight ends. This is particularly true when they are coming from a division two school with no OTAs. Tight end is arguably the most nuanced position in the NFL, so you tend to see a lot of lost rookies taking limited snaps.
Trautman admittedly took limited snaps but did make six starts, and he made the most of them. With Cook as the pass-catching tight end, Trautman was relegated to mainly run blocking duties, and he emerged immediately as one of the best in the league. No easy task for a small school rookie. On top of this, he made his 16 targets count, with 15 catches for 171 yards and 7.8 yards average after the catch.
Trautman is a prototypical in-line tight end at 6'5 255-pounds, but he stands out for his soft hands and truly exceptional change of direction skills. This man has the hips of a corner at his weight, which allows him to run crisp routes and be a menace at the second level as a run blocker. With Cook out of the picture, Trautman is in line for heavy usage on an incredibly bereft team of playmakers and loves to use the tight end. Trautman will miss the first week or two with an ankle injury sustained in a preseason game, but he could emerge as a top-five or six tight end this year if he stays healthy.
Darnell Mooney, WR, Chicago Bears
The Bears are certainly glad that Mooney was hidden at Tulane because there's no other way the speedster would make it to them at pick 173. The 5'10 175-pound receiver may not be the strongest receiver ever, but he has elite straight-line speed (4.38 40) and packs some lower half explosiveness as well. The young man knows how to create separation and looks like the steal of the 2020 draft right now.
While you would certainly call 61 receptions for 631 yards a breakout for a fifth-round rookie, Mooney still has some room to reach his ceiling. Mooney was held back in 2020 by erratic quarterback play and wasn't fully utilized correctly in the routes he was asked to run. Mooney was primarily used on slants, curls, and go's in 2020, and while he does those three things well, he was criminally underutilized on dig and out routes, where he has been dominant. Mooney has large hands for his body and only had one drop on 98 targets in 2020. With an accurate quarterback, an experienced quarterback in Dalton, and a more dynamic, timing-based passer in Fields, the quarterback play projects to improve this year for Mooney. He should see an increase in targets with an established role, and Anthony Miller traded to Houston.
Mooney is the perfect lightning to complement the thunder that is Allen Robinson in the Chicago attack. With a full route tree and a spicy Matt Nagy fighting for his job, Mooney is in line to truly become a household name in 2021.
Robert Hunt, OG, Miami Dolphins
It was a bit of a surprise pick at 39 overall in the 2020 draft - it was even more surprising to see Hunt play right tackle last year when most viewed him as a natural guard. Still, Hunt, coming from a smaller school in Louisiana, handled the transition well. Hunt was a menace in the run blocking game, simply put. But he handled pass protection pretty well for a rookie, despite giving up three sacks and eight flags. He certainly outplayed fellow rookie Dolphin and first-round pick Austin Jackson.
However, the Dolphins will be moving Hunt to his more natural interior position, where his massive punch power will be emphasized, and he will be less exposed to outside speed. This should help Hunt take the next step in pass pro and give him a chance to open up huge gaps for Myles Gaskin and co.
With a 6'5 325-pound frame, 33 ¾" arms, and nearly 11" hands, Hunt has the prototype frame for interior play. He could see a pro bowl by the end of the year if he can take the next step forward with his pass protection and ability to get a full offseason.
Justin Madubuike, IDL, Baltimore Ravens
Defensive tackle isn't exactly the position that makes you think "speed," but that's what Madubuike brings to the table. With a 4.83 40 and 7.37 three-cone at 6'2 295-pounds, Madubuike could pass for a tight end athletically. But make no mistake, the young man has defensive tackle power in those hands as well.
It's come in bursts and flashes on limited snaps thus far for Madubuike, but the Texas A&M product certainly put many flashes on tape for someone who only saw a 24% snap share in 2020. Madubuike came on strong to end the year and figures to have a much larger snap share in 2020. He has rare penetration and pursuit skills for his position with more arm length than you'd expect on his 6'2 frame. The Ravens seem to churn out these kinds of guys, and a big part of that is scheming them into situations where they have the upper hand. Madubuike certainly looks like the next in line for the never-ending Ravens machine.
Logan Wilson, ILB, Cincinnati Bengals
The 2020 Bengals weren't exactly filled with bright spots, but the 65th overall picks was one of them. Their 2021 fall has similarly been limited on bright spots, but the play of Wilson has again been one of them. Wilson has good speed and size at 6'2 240-pounds with a 4.63 40-yard dash and is an above-average athlete all around. He's excelled in coverage and was easily the best rookie linebacker in coverage last year. Admittedly on just 14 targets, he managed to hold offenses to just a 66.4 passer rating against with two int and three pass breakups.
He figures to be solid in coverage but has had the game slow down in the run game this offseason. Wilson wears the green dot for the Bengals and has been flying to gaps in his preseason starts, clearly processing much quicker than he did as a rookie out of Wyoming. Wilson is a sure tackler who should rack up monster totals in 2021. Pass rush doesn't figure to be his game, but a speedy backer who can hold his own in coverage and process well in the run game is extremely rare and valuable in today's game. Wilson looks to be a foundational piece of the rebuild in Cincinnati.
The Sleepers
Tyus Bowser, OLB, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens' second-round pick in 2017, Bowser, was seen as a raw, high upside rush linebacker who would need time to develop. Accordingly, Bowser saw sub 20% snap shares his first two seasons. Before that, the number shot up to 40% and 51% in the last two seasons. Set to start in 2021, Bowser has a very good chance to emerge as a star in the league.
Bowser has a 6'2 ½ 245-pound frame with vinelike 33 ⅛ and over 10" hands. He has excellent short-area agility and an explosive lower half. Bowser has been recorded at 21 MPH in pads, ran a 6.75 three-cone, has a 127" broad jump and 37 ½" vertical at 245. That will play in the NFL. It's a profile that lends itself to pass-rushing juice, and Bowser did have 12 QB knockdowns on just 266 pass-rush snaps, tied with JJ Watt for 17th in the NFL and ahead of the likes of Brian Burns and Za'Darius Smith. He also managed 22 pressures. The sacks are coming.
However, it isn't the pass-rushing game where Bowser has been at his best. Bowser has very quietly made a case for being THE best cover linebacker on the outside in the NFL. Over his career, Bowser has limited opposing QB to 13/22 for just 94 yards and zero touchdowns with a sub 50 passer rating against him. In those targets, he has four interceptions and (including pass rush tipped passes) has ten passes defended. Last year alone, he had five passes defended, three interceptions for 53 yards, and allowed a league (15 targets min) passer rating against of 42.2.
Bowser quietly has been a stalwart in the run game as well. In 2020, he was top 20 at the position in PFF run-defense grade, despite a very uncharacteristic 24.2% missed tackled rate. He missed 11 of 45 tackle attempts in 2020, after missing just one of his first 35 in his career prior. That number should come back down to earth.
With a new contract and full-time starting gig, on a defense that sets the standard for scheming its outside backers into favorable situations, Bowser has a chance to emerge as a complete player. He has a chance to finally be recognized as a top cover linebacker who is stout against the run and, with even little sack luck, should have plenty of pass rush production. Star.
Michael Davis, CB, Las Angeles Chargers
An undrafted free agent out of BYU, Davis had some maturing to do in college, more track star than lockdown corner. Over the last four years, he has worked himself from the practice squad to special teams, now a starter in 2019, and finally to the top corner on the Chargers to open up in 2021. While Davis was a UDFA, he has the athletic profile of an early-round pick. The former track star stands at 6'2 195-pounds with a reported 4.34 40-yard dash and rare physicality for the position.
While that size/speed combo plays under any defensive coordinator, new coach Brandon Staley has done fairly well with big, physical cornerbacks that can run. While he can't match Ramsey's length, he is an ideal fit for what Staley likes outside and has repeatedly earned the coaches praise this offseason. Davis has shown he can live as an alpha as well, holding Tyreek Hill to just five catches on 11 targets in 2020 while breaking up two passes and running stride for stride. Davis's 21.68 MPH reached in-game was the ninth fastest of any player in the NFL last year and faster than the infamous DK Metcalf chase-down play.
"Vato," as he's been dubbed by Staley this offseason, is coming off of a year in which he picked off three passes (including Pat Mahomes) for an NFL sixth-best 104 yards, with just a 79.8 passer rating against, 14 passes defended and only a 60.6% completion percentage allowed. He has just seven yards allowed per target, despite a 12.0 DADOT and over 10% of his targets coming against Tyreek Hill. He has a chance to truly explode in a Staley system that is going to highlight his strengths.
Terrell Edmunds, S, Pittsburgh Steelers
The butt of many jokes, through no fault of his own, after being selected 28th overall in what was seen as a massive reach at the time; Edmunds had a very mediocre first two NFL seasons. However, he quietly took an enormous leap forward last year, but it was glossed over with Minkah Fitzpatrick getting all the attention. A phenomenal athlete capable of playing both safety spots, Edmunds is the prototype for what the NFL is trending towards.
Edmunds was a freakish athlete coming out of Virginia Tech in 2018. At just over 6'0 and 217-pounds, Edmunds had an absurd pro day with a 4.47 40, 134" broad jump (9.95 RAS), 41 ½" vert, and 9.86 RAS overall. Still, he was a raw player coming out with more of a ceiling than floor. Functionally, he was Kyle Dugger but wasn't given the same time to develop since he wasn't from a small school. It appears now that time was all he needed. With the speed to play single high and size to play in the box, Edmunds very clearly started processing the game better in 2020, particularly in coverage.
Edmunds allowed just a 70.8 passer rating against, on 45 targets with two int and eight passes deflected. Not bad for a strong safety. He has a rare ability to match with tight ends but the speed to stick with receivers. While not a true dynamo in the run game, Edmunds has nearly 33" arms and lineman size 10.5 hands that let him get off of blocks and wrap up well. He tackles more like a true linebacker than a safety. If he can play the run as he did in 2019, with his 2020 pass coverage, he has pro bowl upside.
Edmunds is as versatile as safeties come, able to play linebacker, box safety, single high, cover both tight ends and wide receivers, and even has some blitz upside. In an era where versatile safeties are the trend, Edmunds and Fitzpatrick have a very real chance to be seen as one of the top safety duos in the NFL. 2020 was when he justified his pick. 2021 is when Edmunds will start to look like a steal.
Donte Jackson, CB, Carolina Panthers
A multi-year starter at LSU, the Panthers took Jackson 55th overall in 2018 and made him a starter from day one. Jackson hit the ground running with four interceptions in his rookie year, followed by three interceptions in an injury-riddled second season. While the turnovers were nice, they came with many misses, and Jackson was prone to giving up the big play. In 2020, Jackson set career highs in comp% against (56.9%), yards allowed (443 on 65 targets), touchdowns allowed (four), passes defended (11), interception return yards (110), and passer rating against (79.2). A career year in the Rhule/Snow system saw him graded as PFF's 25th best cornerback.
Still, there is room to improve for the young cornerback. Jackson was 5'10 ½ 178-pounds at his pro day with 29 1/2 "arms, has a slot-build yet plays almost exclusively as an outside cornerback and was the Panthers CB1 last year. Jackson makes up for his size by having truly blazing speed (4.32 40) and jaw-dropping high point ability. Jackson's worst games came when he was matched up against physical alpha's like Nuk Hopkins, Julio Jones, and Mike Evans, who simply had too much size for Jackson. With Jaycee Horn now drawing those matchups, Jackson will be free to lock down the speed threats he is more suited to cover.
While we can put three or more int in ink for Jackson this year, it's worth noting that Jackson quietly emerged as a solid run defender as well in 2020. While the 178-pound, sub 30" arm cornerback will never be a form tackling machine, he flies to the ball as few can, and he was processing much, much better in the new scheme.
Just the ability to focus on more favorable matchups alone should help bump Jackson up into star territory, along with the flashy highlight reel takeaways. But another step forward processing in year two in the Rhule/Snow system could catapult the diminutive corner into the upper echelon of cornerback grading. Jackson could end up as one of the top-graded corners next year while being one of the smallest outside corners in the game.
Dre'Mont Jones, 3-4 DE, Denver Broncos
A third-year player from Ohio State, Jones is the definition of a "disruptor" on the defensive line. Jones can play all along the defensive line at 6'3 281-pounds, with a low center of gravity and more length than you'd expect. A basketball player first in high school, who only played football his junior and senior seasons, Jones was slightly raw coming out, but the basketball background is quickly apparent in his footwork for a lineman. Jones is explosive off of the snap and light on his feet. He has a good natural bend and shoots gaps as well as anyone.
Jones is a natural pass rusher, with boxers hands and a cobra-like first strike ability off of the snap, but both in college and his rookie season, the processing ability in the run game was lacking. This is where Jones made his biggest strides in 2020, earning massive amounts of praise from coach Vic Fangio and new General Manager George Patton. The Broncos put their money where their mouth is as well, letting Jones's competition for reps leave the building. Jones should see another massive increase in snap count in 2021.
With Von Miller returning to steal the line's attention on his side and Shelby Harris demanding attention on the interior, Jones should see himself in favorable matchups most of the season. With arguably the NFL's strongest secondary behind him, he should have time to get home as well. Double-digit sacks are very much within the realm of possibility for Jones, who racked up four and a half sacks over the final four games of 2020.
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Check out the latest and greatest, most up-to-date, fantasy football rankings. No one has the most comprehensive and accurate rankings when it comes to fantasy football than the NFL Draft Bible.
