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Jamal Adams was described by many beat-writers as the best player on the field on multiple occasions during recent workouts. Now, you can never tell a lot from contactless practices, however that doesn't mean you ignore them. Jamal Adams was calling out players, Jamal Adams was making good reads, Jamal Adams was getting the playbook down, who doesn't want to hear all that? I know I do.
However it's also nice to hear what his peers have to say about him, after all they know far more than we do and they know far more than beat writers do. So when new Jets CB Morris Claibourne was asked about rookie Adams, his response was music to our ears:
“He’s been out here playing lights out,” Claiborne said. “Picking up the defense, checking to different things, knowing what he wants to check to. He’s having fun doing it, too. His spirit is awesome. He’s having fun doing what he knows how to do, and that’s football.
“I can’t be more impressed with a young guy coming into the league, and, especially playing on that backend, doing the things he’s done so far.”
I'm reading a book by Bruce Arians at the moment (a review will be coming) and although that's about QB's specfically, I think a lot of it can be transferred to any position. In terms of what makes a good football player, and a lot of is between the ears. When you combine that with rare physical traits, you have something special.
“He’s just a football player,” Bowles told NJ Advance Media. “He made plays. He studies a lot, obviously. You don’t just get that way without studying. But he’s a very instinctive player.”
I really can't wait to see Jamal Adams this year. Could he have as big an impact as any rookie in the league? Well there's only so much a safety can do, but if he comes in and shows the kind of leadership, the kind of performance level he was known for at LSU, we'll know we have a start in the making.