Buffalo Bills: Tre’Davious White ranked as third-best CB in the NFL
By Avery Duncan
Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White is starting to earn recognition as one of the best in the NFL.
The selection of Tre’Davious White at pick No. 27 in the 2017 NFL Draft continues to look like a steal for the Buffalo Buffalo. Despite possessing just NFL two seasons under his belt, the LSU product has earned recognition as one of the best cornerbacks around. USA Today Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar broke down his list of the 11 best outside CB’s in the NFL. He ranked White at No. 3, saying;
"Most young cornerbacks find themselves in a vicious learning curve when transitioning from college to the NFL—receivers are better and smarter, route concepts are far more complex, and coverages are more variable. White has proven the exception to the rule. — Whether he’s playing bail or press coverage down the boundary or following a receiver through a crossing route or deciphering his assignment on a route combination, White has an impressive combination of savvy and aggressiveness that belies his relatively short time at the NFL level."
The only cornerbacks that ranked ahead of him are the Bears’ Kyle Fuller and the Patriots’ Stephon Gilmore — two first-team All-Pros in 2018. He outranked notable, star corners, including the Dolphins’ Xavien Howard, the Jaguars’ Jalen Ramsey, the Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson, and the Broncos’ Chris Harris Jr.
Despite being the last cornerback selected in the first in 2017, Farrar ranked White ahead of the Saints’ Marshon Lattimore and the Ravens’ Marlon Humphrey — both were selected before White in their shared draft. White’s high ranking will undoubtedly anger some national critics because that’s how it works with the Bills; yet, if you’ve seen him play the past two years, you’d know it’s just.
In his rookie year, White proved to be the lockdown corner the Bills desperately needed after Gilmore’s departure. He started 16 games and proceeded to tally 69 total tackles, four interceptions, and 18 pass deflections. Whether he played in zone or man coverage, White was simply the Bills’ best cornerback year-one.
For his rookie season, per Pro Football Focus, he allowed a low 72.6 passer rating in zone and an outstanding 58.3 in man coverage. His allowed catch rate of 50.6% was the third lowest by a rookie since PFF started up in 2006. White’s 92.0 overall rookie grade ranked second in the NFL for all cornerbacks.
In his sophomore season, White picked up where he left off. Quarterbacks stopped throwing his way, but he still tallied two interceptions and eight pass deflections. According to Farrar, he allowed just 30 catches for 342 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 75.6 in 16 games started.
In year three, White again hopes to pick up where he left off. But he’s no longer overlooked. Offensive coordinators will have trouble sleeping at night knowing they have to form a gameplan with their best receiver receiving a shadow by an elite cornerback. Though he’s only played in two seasons, Farrar’s high-ranking of him is logical, at least Bills Mafia knows that.
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