Detroit Lions 2017 NFL Draft Watchlist: LSU vs. Florida
By Erik Schlitt
Jamal Adams
Junior
#33
Strong Safety
6’0″, 211
Early Draft Projection = Round 1
A five-star high school recruit, Jamal Adams found a role in nickel defensive sets as a freshman. He moved into a starting role as a sophomore and immediately got scouts attention. Entering this season, Adams was considered one of the top players in college football and he’s backed it up on the field.
Adams is an immediate starter at the next level and could hear his name called in the top 15 picks. CBS sports Rob Rang compares Adams to Tyrann Mathieu. NFL network’s Daniel Jeremiah compares him to Eric Berry. And Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller thinks he’s a cross between Mathieu and Berry. Jamal Adams is for real.
Biggest Strengths:
- Elite field awareness
- Range
- Physicality
Biggest Weaknesses:
- Over aggressive at times
- Doesn’t disguise intentions
Jamal Adams is a very clean player and it’s difficult to find errors in his game. Those weaknesses listed above are really just minor issues compared to his overall game. Even with his over-aggressiveness he still maintains his composure and plays under control. Off the field, he is a high character person, as evidenced by his appearance on the Lott IMPACT trophy watchlist, which puts a strong emphasis on a player’s character.
In Detroit, the strong safety position has been a problem spot that Adams would quickly correct. Adams style would fit in any defense and he would perfectly compliment Glover Quin in the secondary. While Miles Killebrew was selected in the fourth round of last year’s draft, I am convinced that his future is in a Money Linebacker or nickel safety role and not at the traditional strong safety position. If Detroit is picking in the top fifteen in the 2017 draft, Adams will be high on their list of targets.