LSU’s Jamal Adams has an elite skills set but needs to clean up a few areas of his game to be a top-10 prospect in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Jamal Adams is a top-flight athlete who has excellent size and long arms. He uses his size to his advantage by batting balls at the line of scrimmage, high-pointing contested passes and making tackles away from his frame.
This is a safety prospect who isn’t afraid to play near the line of scrimmage and support the run. He does a good job taking on blockers as well as using his suddenness to avoid the block. Adams is a reliable tackler who does well in space while also being able to deliver a pop.
As a tackler, Adams needs to show more effort and tenacity. There are too many situations where he doesn’t hustle to the ball carrier. If the play is away from his side of the field he appears content to jog and slowly pursue.
He also needs to work on his use of angles as he tends to take poor routes to the ball carrier. These two issues are easily corrected and something most coaches will be able to ignore when they see Adams’ potential.
Some of the effort issues could be due to the fact that he’s use to playing with elite talent. LSU’s defense routinely has several NFL-caliber players in the starting lineup.
Adams is a naturally instinctive defender who quickly indentifies developing plays. He features an elite short-area burst. In coverage, Adams plays with balance and is capable of keeping in-phase with most receivers.
His size helps him match up against bigger targets and tight ends. He’s aware enough to track the football and get himself in good position. However, Adams has had more than a few interceptions slip through his fingers.
This is a potential top-10 pick based on natural talent and at the very worst a 1st round pick. However, he needs to work on using better angles and playing with more tenacity.
Current Draft Status: Top-15