As the Saints get deeper into their offseason programs, second-round pick Alontae Taylor will get to show his skillset against the top of the Saints WR depth chart.
But even after just the rookie minicamp, new WRs coach Kodi Burns already had an idea of what the former Tennessee Volunteer would be in this group: "Public enemy No. 1, in one-on-ones."
The reason Burns can speak so soon? As a Vols assistant last season, he's already spent a season sending his WR group against Taylor in that setting. So he knows what they're getting into.
"I love Alontae," Burns said. "He’s phenomenal. Tremendous leader for us at the University of Tennessee. Which, that’ll trickle over hopefully over here."
And it's not difficult to see why Taylor could shine in those drills, which will typically skew as an advantage to the receiver. He already possesses an optimal NFL frame at 6-foot, 200 pounds and with long arms. We'll get our first chance to see Taylor in drills against the full squad this week as OTAs kick off.
But even more important is the confidence, which Taylor addressed himself after rookie minicamp. He didn't necessarily have it in droves during his first three seasons at Tennessee, during which he converted from WR to defensive back. But that changed in his senior season, and helped him drive up the draft board to where he ultimately landed with the Saints at No. 48 overall.
“Once you’re confident, you just go out there and play," Taylor said. "When you make a mistake, you make it full-speed. … I feel like I can compete with anybody here.”
Taylor concedes that this Saints defensive backs group is deep, and he's happy to fit in wherever he can. Marshon Lattimore is locked into a starting role on the outside, with second-year CB Paulson Adebo and veteran Bradley Roby likely having the inside track at starting opposite.
CJ Gardner-Johnson has nickel corner locked down. But nothing is guaranteed, and Taylor knows he's perfectly capable of winning a starting job in camp. If he doesn't, his plan will be to continue to work and get better.
“I’m like a sponge. I like to pick the brains of guys," Taylor said. "We have a deep, deep DB room and I’m looking forward to that. But my confidence is that I can compete for the starting job, I don’t think anybody can tell me that I can’t. ... At some point in time my opportunity will come. And when that opportunity comes I’m going to seize that moment."
So where can Taylor improve? He appears built to thrive in man coverage, a staple of the Saints 2-deep schemes. And that's where he says he's the most comfortable. He'll need to continue working on his off-man skills, but one thing that allowed him to be more successful this past season is trusting his speed. There won't be many players in the NFL that can run by him, and he even surprised himself with a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash in the NFL combine. His recovery speed is elite, so trusting it and making correct reads will be the next step.
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One way or another, he knows he'll fit right in with the Saints' secondary as constructed: "we play nasty, we play physical, and that’s my kind of game."
Even if he doesn't win a starting job out of camp, the 2021 season isn't far enough in the rear-view mirror to forget how injuries can change everything in a hurry. Having depth at outside corner from week-to-week -- and even series to series -- can often be the difference between wins and losses.
If he doesn't start in Year 1, that's why Taylor's elite special teams abilities were attractive to the Saints in the second round. Even if he's not on the starting line right away, he can make his impact felt. It's uncommon to see a star college player enter the NFL with a refined special teams skillset, but that's what Taylor has after his former coach encouraged him to develop that part of his game before a teased switch back to WR that never really came.
And as head coach Dennis Allen put it after Taylor's selection, one of the most important traits you'll find in a special teams ace: Willingness.
“I’ve had fun with it, and coming into the league that’s sometimes what you’ve got to do to get into the team," Taylor said. "Whatever it takes to play. Whatever it takes to get on the field, that’s what I’m willing do. So if it’s special teams or if that’s starting on the outside … I’m willing to do that.”
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