Saints: Paulson Adebo put on one of the best rookie performances in Week 1
By Kristen Wong
New Orleans Saints rookie corner Paulson Adebo didn’t get this good overnight.
Maybe we’re hyping him up a bit too much, since he really only has one game in the books, but given the current Saints’ cornerback situation, the hype is necessary.
Marshon Lattimore recently underwent surgery for a thumb injury and could be a gametime decision against the Carolina Panthers. Bradley Roby is cleared for Week 2, but he’s even newer to the Saints’ defensive system than Adebo is and could need some time to get on his feet.
Ken Crawley and Brian Poole are on injured reserve, P-Rob retired….need we go over this one more time?
Well, it’s a great time for Adebo to be showing up in games, then.
In the Saints’ manhandling of the Packers, Adebo was the only rookie who played, and he played the entire game to boot.
The 2021 third-rounder recorded three combined tackles, one pass defended, and crucially, one interception.
That interception couldn’t have come at a more opportune moment.
Paulson Adebo is the future of the New Orleans Saints’ secondary
In the second half, Green Bay were trailing 17-3 and desperately needed a score to get back into the game. Rodgers and the Packers were inching closer and closer to the endzone, and at New Orleans’ nine-yard line, Rodgers tried to flip a pass to Davante Adams for a touchdown.
Yet the pass ended up in the hands of Adebo, who was in the right place at the right time.
Getting your first NFL interception against Aaron Rodgers makes all the statement you need.
Perhaps more impressive, though, was the fact that Adebo (along with Lattimore) was able to keep Adams in his pocket for much of the game.
Adebo showcased his physicality and raw speed to provide excellent coverage in the backfield, and just from watching his performance last Sunday, you wouldn’t think he was just a rookie.
After his eye-opening debut, CBS included Adebo in their Week 2 Rookie Power Rankings, ranked third behind Los Angeles’ Rashawn Slater and Detroit’s Penei Sewell.
The Stanford product opted out of his last year in college, but he took no time at all to shake off the rust and make an immediate impact for his team.
Good, because God knows the Saints will need him.
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Look for the defensive standout to feature again against the Panthers, likely filling in for Lattimore in the slot corner position.
At the rate he’s playing, Adebo will soon be a bonafide starter in the secondary, and New Orleans will already have one dazzling success to show for from the 2021 draft class.