If any team could use a breakout year from a young cornerback, it’s the New Orleans Saints. The good news is they seem to be producing several candidates early in training camp.
Undrafted rookies Ken Crawley and De'Vante Harris have been consistent playmakers -- with Crawley intercepting Drew Brees twice in full-team drills and once in 7-on-7 drills. And “redshirt” sophomore P.J. Williams has looked strong all summer after spending his rookie year on injured reserve with a torn hamstring.
Williams also snagged a pick from Brees in full-team drills on Friday.
“Oh man, P.J. is someone that’s gonna come and shock the league this year,” said cornerback Delvin Breaux, who had a breakout season of his own for the Saints last season. “He had his redshirt year last year, and he’s come back strong and healthy. Right now it’s just more mental for him, because he has all the physical tools.”
Williams (6 feet, 196 pounds) is a physical corner much like Breaux, which is why he has basically attached himself to Breaux at the hip this year, trying to follow the same rapid rise.
“He had a great year last year, and a lot of things he does, I do,” Williams said. “He does a great job, especially with man press coverage and stuff like that. So I’m in his ear pretty much any chance I get. I like to be close to him, and he teaches me a lot ... and we teach each other for the most part.”
Williams reluctantly came to realize that his "redshirt" year was probably good for him.
He was off to a decent but inconsistent start last summer before he got injured. He got passed up in the pecking order by fellow rookie Damian Swann early in training camp.
Williams had also come into the NFL with questions about his maturity after two off-the-field incidents in college (a DUI charge that was dropped and another incident where he reportedly left the scene temporarily after an accident). That’s probably the only reason why Williams fell to Round 3 after a strong college career that included being named the Seminoles’ defensive MVP of the BCS national championship game after the 2013 season.
“(Last year) was definitely tough for me. That’s the longest I ever didn’t play since I started playing football. So I had to find something in me to be able to lock in and still be able to focus on some things and just understand that it was a good thing for me and just next year I gotta come on strong,” Williams said. “I think it benefited me a whole lot, because a lot of rookies play a little bit, go through growing pains. I got to do it off the field, learn the NFL, learn the defense.
“Just being able to come in this year, I’m much more prepared, feel much better, and I’m just ready.”
If everyone is healthy, the Saints’ starting cornerbacks should be Breaux and veteran Keenan Lewis, with Williams and Swann competing for the top nickel back job. But health is a huge “if” since Lewis missed most of last season with a hip injury and has practiced only one time so far in training camp. Swann has also been nursing an unspecified injury for the past few days after suffering three concussions as a rookie.
Those depth concerns could also open the door for Crawley and Harris -- especially if they impress on special teams during the preseason games.
Harris (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) had four career interceptions at Texas A&M, including one that he returned for a touchdown last season, and 24 career pass defenses.
Crawley (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) had just three interceptions at Colorado, but he ranks third in school history with 36 pass defenses in 47 career games.
Crawley robbed Brees twice on Saturday -- once in full-team drills and once in 7-on-7. And this time, he knew it, since he was playing with the first-string defense while Lewis, Breaux and Swann all sat out.
But the first time Crawley picked Brees earlier in the week, he didn’t even realize it until after practice.
“I wasn't looking back. I didn't know what quarterback was in because we were subbing so much,” Crawley said, according to the New Orleans Advocate. “I was going with the threes at that time and Drew still happened to be in. I knew what route I was getting because they always go deep to (Brandin) Cooks. I just turned around the ball was right there."