NFL
By: Edwin Duodu
Shaun Wade’s fight through adversity continues after recent news of the Baltimore Ravens trading away their rookie cornerback to the New England Patriots. The Ravens get a seventh-round pick in 2022 and a fifth-round pick in the 2023 draft. Wade goes from one good defensive scheme to the next in a matter of minutes.
Fortunately for him, he has the physical tools to still become a good player in this league after falling so low in the draft. In addition to that, Wade also has arguably the best coach in football history in Bill Belichick, who knows a thing or two about drawing up great defensive game plans. If there’s any organization that Wade can succeed in, it’s in New England. His path there definitely wasn’t the smoothest, however.
The fifth-round draft pick out of Ohio State was widely considered a first-round talent while entering his junior year. His sophomore year, he accumulated 26 tackles, four tackles for a loss, and seven defended passes. This all happened while he made the transition from being a nickel to playing more on the outside.
The learning curve was apparently too fast for him to grasp, as he struggled mightily in his last year with the Buckeyes, questioning his ability to play at an elite level at the outside cornerback position. His poor performances contributed to him falling to the fifth round. Nevertheless, regardless of whether he’s learning under Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters or Stephon Gilmore and J. C. Jackson, Wade will get the necessary development to be a productive player in the NFL.
The road still hasn’t been easy for the rookie, as he was passed on the Raven’s depth chart by Chris Westry. With Wade’s potential, that’s not a good sign for him, even at this stage of his early career. However, the best part about this situation is that the Patriots need cornerback help at the moment. Stephon Gilmore is currently out with a quad injury and may have some thoughts about leaving the team in the near future. It’s evident that Belichick doesn’t feel secure with the cast of defensive backs that he has on his team, thus the reason for the trade.
Belichick gets a player in Shaun Wade who can maximize his potential to get him playing at a consistently high level. The best thing about this is his flexibility. At Ohio State, Wade has played at the slot, the outside, and occasionally at the safety position. He has the advantage to be moved all around the field and to possibly fill in for a player if need be. His strength is playing close to the line of scrimmage, showcasing his physicality as a defender. He’s already showed flashes of having a knack for the ball, intercepting a pass in the first preseason game against the Saints.
The biggest reason that Wade has a legitimate chance to be productive is because of the role the coaching staff played in the development of J. C. Jackson, who was second in the NFL in interceptions this past season. Unprecedented numbers from the third-year cornerback. Also, having veteran cornerbacks to lean on and ask questions will bode well during his developmental process. Wade’s potential fit in the scheme isn’t to say that he’ll reach Jackson’s production level in three years but that he’ll have another chance to prove doubters wrong. With the Ravens trading him away, now is his time to do it.[pickup_prop id=”7224″]
