The New England Patriots used the third-to-last choose within the 2019 NFL Draft to pick a participant who, on the halfway level of his faculty profession, seemed like an rising defensive star.
Then, Sept. 5, 2016 occurred.
During Ole Miss’ season opener in opposition to Florida State, cornerback Ken Webster landed awkwardly after leaping to power an incompletion, together with his left knee bending outward at a gruesomely unnatural angle.
Webster, who’d began all 12 video games in 2015, intercepting one move and breaking apart 11, tore all three ligaments in his knee, an damage that may sideline him for the rest of his junior season. He obtained a medical redshirt and returned to play two extra seasons for the Rebels however by no means absolutely regained his beginning spot, coming off the bench in 12 of his ultimate 20 collegiate video games.
The 22-year-old continued to flash potential throughout his restricted taking part in time, nevertheless, and his ability set makes him an intriguing addition to the Patriots’ secondary.
If you decide based mostly on SPARQ rating — a composite metric that distills all of a participant’s pre-draft testing numbers right into a single worth — Webster was essentially the most athletic cornerback on this yr’s draft class, inserting within the 99th percentile of NFL corners. He’s stout and aggressive in run protection, and his 4.43 velocity helps masks a few of his flaws in protection.
An ideal instance of the latter got here throughout a recreation in opposition to Auburn — and fellow 2019 Patriots draft choose Jarrett Stidham — final season. Wide receiver Darius Slayton appeared to have overwhelmed Webster deep on a vertical route, however as Stidham’s move approached its goal, Webster closed the hole, caught as much as Slayton on the objective line and caught his hand in to power an incompletion.
Webster’s physicality on the catch level is one among his biggest strengths. This additionally was evident on this move breakup in opposition to Vanderbilt:
And this interception in opposition to Texas A&M, throughout which he held on to the ball whereas smashing right into a teammate at full velocity:
In 160 protection snaps final season, Webster allowed a passer score in opposition to of 58.1, surrendering 15 catches on 27 targets for 186 yards and one landing, in response to Pro Football Focus. He completed the yr with two interceptions and 6 move breakups.
There’s a motive Webster was restricted to part-time responsibility over the past two years, although. Scouting reviews indicated he hasn’t been the identical in protection since his damage, and we discovered just a few examples of that on movie, just like the one beneath from final yr’s LSU recreation.
A return route by a Tigers wideout close to the objective line put Webster in a blender and certain would have resulted in a straightforward landing had quarterback Joe Burrow not thrown to — and related with — one other open receiver.
Against the run is the place Webster actually stood out within the video games we studied for this movie evaluation. He’s not excellent in that space, both — his aggressiveness led to a missed sort out or two — however his bodily energy may be very spectacular for a participant at his place.
Not many cornerbacks can sq. up a fullback within the gap and stand their floor, as Webster did right here in opposition to Texas A&M’s Cullen Gillaspia:
Webster, whose 18 bench press reps have been tied for second-most amongst corners on the NFL Scouting Combine, closes on ball-carriers with authority. Watch him breeze previous one other fullback, Auburn’s Chandler Cox, to explode a run out of the Wildcat:
This nostril for the ball was obvious on display screen passes, too. On the play earlier than his aforementioned protection slip-up, Webster navigated by way of a pack of our bodies to drop an LSU receiver for no achieve.
It’s too early to inform what Webster’s function in New England is likely to be, and roster spots can be exhausting to return by within the Patriots’ jam-packed cornerback room. His velocity and tackling skill ought to not less than make him an asset on particular groups, although, which is how Keion Crossen — one other extremely athletic seventh-round nook — earned a spot on the crew as a rookie final…