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Desmond Trufant: The next great corner?

PFF-headlinesAn excerpt from our 2013 PFF Defensive Rookie of the Year article:

 “He snuck up on us, lost a little in a horrible year for Atlanta but shining brightly enough by the end that nobody could miss it.”

Atlanta’s young cornerback Desmond Trufant picked up exactly where he left off last season: impressing. The second-year pro out of the University of Washington closed out the 2013 season strong; notching a +9.9 overall grade in his final six games en route to earning 2013 PFF Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Trufant finished his rookie campaign with the 7th highest PFF overall grade among cornerbacks and led the league with 15 pass break-ups. Through two games this season Trufant has continued to play at a high level, currently tied for fifth in overall PFF grade among cornerbacks. Despite “allowing” a beautifully executed 50-yard reception from Mohamed Sanu to Brandon Tate this Sunday, Trufant has only yielded 4 receptions for 66 yards and 1 reception per 16.8 cover snaps.

It’s possible that because the Atlanta Falcons’ defense continues to struggle that Trufant remains relatively under the radar; but this Thursday’s game against the division rival Tampa Bay Bucs might set the stage for his coming out party. The only NFL game on television will feature the 6-foot-tall cornerback squaring off against Tampa Bay’s pair of 6-foot-5 wide receivers. Trufant had one of his best games (+2.2) and one of his worst games (-1.5) as a rookie versus the Bucs last year and it will be exciting to watch how the sophomore performs in just a few days.

 

 

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