FOXBORO — The Patriots are anticipated to have one of the top cornerback duos within the NFL this season, but it surely’s not Christian Gonzalez or Carlton Davis III who lead the crew in go breakups.
As an alternative, it’s unheralded cornerback DJ James, who appears to interrupt up a go almost day by day in apply. That’s not a shock to James, himself.
“DJ James all the time will get across the ball,” James stated Wednesday, talking within the third particular person. “He’s all the time across the ball.”
James, a 2024 sixth-round choose by the Seahawks out of Auburn, was additionally the primary Patriots defender to register an interception, choosing off backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs on the primary day of camp.
“I manifested it. They are saying, ‘make performs on the ball.’ And I advised myself, ‘make play on the ball.’ After which simply got here to me,” James stated.
James has been rewarded with a transfer up the depth chart. With Gonzalez and Davis both held out of practice Wednesday, James lined up as a beginning cornerback reverse Alex Austin with Marcus Jones within the slot. It was a promotion for James, who labored on the second-team unit Tuesday with Austin and Jones as the highest outdoors cornerbacks and Marcellas Dial within the slot.
A crew supply known as James one of many crew’s high coaching camp standouts by way of the primary week.
Head coach Mike Vrabel echoed these sentiments on Wednesday morning.
“I’d say that the group of gamers that I talked about when Karen (Guregian) requested me what I used to be – I don’t know, proud of – I’m undecided if I’m ever joyful, Karen, however DJ is a type of gamers that’s improved from the top of the spring till now, and he’s taken benefit of some gamers that aren’t there, so then he strikes up a gaggle or no matter that could be, and due to this fact he’s making the most of his alternatives, and he’ll proceed to earn extra alternatives,” Vrabel stated. “However DJ is an improved participant by way of the quick time that we’ve been right here.”
James, 24, was launched by the Seahawks final August and was added to the Patriots’ apply squad in September, the place he spent your entire season. He was one of many few apply squad gamers from final season that has been stored round by Vrabel and his new employees.
“It was a rising ache for me,” James stated of his rookie season. “Simply I sat again and realized from some nice guys, Jonathan Jones, Christian Gonzalez, Gonzo, these guys, I simply sat again, watched them, realized from them. Took rather a lot in from these guys.”
James was requested find out how to describe his sport, and he gave two phrases: “Instinctive and sticky.”
The 6-foot, 184-pound nook continues to be combating for a roster spot, however he appears to have the higher hand on different younger cornerbacks like Isaiah Bolden, Miles Battle, Kobee Minor, Jordan Polk and Brandon Crossley.
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