Ravens CB Anthony Averett Flashing Pro-Bowl Potential
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens defensive coordinator Don Martindale contends that cornerback Anthony Averett has Pro-Bowl potential.
Averett was thrust into the starting lineup this season when Marcus Peters went down with a season-ending knee injury.
Averett has thrived in that role and has become one of the league's top cornerbacks over the first four weeks of the season.
Opposing quarterbacks have the lowest passer rating throwing against Averett.
"I’m happy for him," Martindale said. "I’m genuinely happy for the guy himself, because it’s one of those things … And we’ve all seen it – when you go somewhere and you somebody special, and they might not know that they’re special yet. He’s reaping all the success of all the hard work he’s done.
"And I’ve said this for three years now about him: He doesn’t care who he’s covering; he just goes and covers them. And that’s what everybody else is seeing now, because he’s playing full-time; it’s not just on third down, like he was [playing] last year for us."
Averett leads the Ravens with two interceptions. He's also fourth with 16 tackles and has defended four passes.
His versatility makes him even more valuable to the Ravens, who like to move around their defenders.
"Whatever situation it’s been in the past, we know he’s our right corner, or left corner, or nickel, or dime," Averett said. "We just don’t know where we’re going to play him at, but he’s going to be covering somebody. We need to get him some sacks, too"
Averett also had to bide his time at Alabama but excelled when he finally got an opportunity to make plays. During his two years as a starter (2016-17), Alabama registered a 27-2 record and won the 2017 National Championship.
He played in 36 games (27 starts), recording 98 tackles (71 solo), seven tackles for a loss, two sacks, 16 passes defended, two forced fumbles and one interception.
Averett was then selected by the Ravens in the fourth round (118th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.
“I’m not sure. I think it was a very similar situation – the way things [had gone] at ‘Bama," said fellow cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. "[He] kind of waited his turn to play, like most guys do at ‘Bama, and [it was] kind of a similar situation here. But I do know ‘Ant’ [Anthony Averett] has always been a great player whenever I’ve been out there with him. Any time I look over, I’ve always trusted [that] he was going to do his job, and he was expecting me to do mine, as well. It’s cool to play with a guy you played with in college – to redo it again at the next level. It kind of seems like that happens a lot with the ‘Bama guys, which is a good thing. I’m doing my recruiting pitch here to the recruits out there.
"But Anthony has been playing great. He’s been playing really good football. I think it’s a surprise to the fan, but it’s to no surprise of the coaches and the players here, because we’ve seen him do it time in and time out in practice.”
