What CB Paulson Adebo brings to the New York Giants

Nick Falato goes to the film room

The New York Giants splashed early on the first day of free agency by signing 25-year-old cornerback Paulson Adebo, formally of the New Orleans Saints. Adebo was selected in the third round out of Stanford during the 2021 NFL Draft.

Joe Schoen and the Giants gave the 6-foot-1, 192-pound corner a three-year contract worth $54 million, with $36 million guaranteed ($18 million average annual value). This contract makes Adebo the 13th-highest paid cornerback behind Chicago’s Jaylon Johnson and just in front of San Francisco’s Deommodore Lenior.

Adebo played 3,049 defensive snaps over four seasons in New Orleans. He’s allowed a sub-60% completion rate in each of the last two seasons, almost exclusively playing as the left outside cornerback. Here are Adebo’s testing numbers from the 2021 NFL Scouting Combine:

His elite three-cone drill is unsurprising; Adebo is light on his feet and has controlled and fluid movement skills. He possesses excellent short-area quickness, agility, and overall explosiveness that allows him to leap through the catch point — Adebo is a nuisance in contested catch situations.

He is a man-coverage cornerback with press skills and a sticky nature. Adebo finds himself in phase often, typically living in the hip pockets of receivers. Even when beaten, his acceleration and athletic traits allow him to recover quickly. Adebo also has excellent ball skills; according to Pro Football Focus, he’s intercepted ten passes and defended 29 passes.

The Giants need man coverage skills on the outside. Shane Bowen’s system is quarters based from off-leverage, but most of the plays transpire to man coverage once the routes are declared. There are impressive plays from Adebo, where he displays superb eye discipline and route-awareness in country spot-drop zone.

He’s a good player who upgrades the defense, but his discipline isn’t perfect or technically sound, as you’ll see in the video below. He must also be more secure in run support, ensuring he keeps contain as the force defender.

Overall, the Giants signed a promising young football player at a premium position to a market-value deal for a free agent. New York needed a cornerback to alleviate the burden on their first-round pick from two drafts ago, which isn’t ideal. Still, the Giants found one with upside and whose best football is still ahead of him. I break down his highlights and some of his issues in the video below. Please like, comment, and subscribe to the channel.