The 2022 NFL draft went off without a hitch for the New Orleans Saints, who for once followed the track laid out in a lot of mock drafts by picking wide receiver Chris Olave and left tackle Trevor Penning in the first round. But things went off the rails in round two — as far as fans could see, anyway, in the surprise selection of Tennessee cornerback Alontae Taylor. Corner wasn’t widely seen as a need, and there was pre-draft speculation that Taylor might be converted to safety in the NFL. The pick was a little confusing, from the outside looking in.
Taylor has been rotating in and out of drills with Paulson Adebo, the 2021 third rounder who worked his way into the starting lineup. And the competition between them might be more intense than we’d first expect. A couple of months and many reps in practice later, and Saints head coach Dennis Allen has been surprised by Taylor, too. But Allen is enjoying what he’s seeing out of the first-year pro.
“I really like (Taylor). I think he’s probably a little further ahead than what I anticipated when he got in here,” Allen told Nola.com’s Rod Walker, adding: “I’m excited about seeing what he can do.”
