Levi Wallace was recently named the breakout player for the Buffalo Bills in the upcoming season by Pro Football Focus.
The Buffalo Bills entering training camp with a defense pretty well set with the only questions at defensive tackle, which Ed Oliver won the starting job, and at cornerback opposite Tre’Davious White. It was clear as training camp and preseason went on, it was almost silly to question as Levi Wallace showed his rookie season was no fluke.
The undrafted cornerback entered the starting lineup Week 10 and went on to be one of the better rookie cornerbacks in the league. He even graded as the best rookie corner by Pro Football Focus.
It shouldn’t be a surprise based on Wallace has been able to accomplish in a short period of time that PFF would name him the breakout candidate for the Bills this upcoming season.
"Buffalo Bills: Levi Wallace, cornerbackWallace didn’t see the field until Week 10 last year, but he shined when he was finally given a chance. Among the 66 NFL cornerbacks who played at least 200 coverage snaps from Weeks 10-to-17, Wallace ranked first in yards allowed per coverage snap (0.45), and he finished second to only Stephon Gilmore in coverage grade (85.3). He backed up that late-season ascendence with a strong 2019 preseason, too. He allowed just three receptions from eight targets this August, breaking up two passes and allowing a passer rating of just 47.9 into his coverage."
After a successful collegiate career at Alabama, where he won a National Championship in 2017, Wallace continues to show he can play in the NFL, and play at a high level. While it is fair to say that Wallace is the weakest player in the Bills’ secondary, this is not a slight against him.
The fact that this team has Tre’Davious White, Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer means opposing teams are going to likely target Wallace heavily this season. This is one of the reasons why he could be in line for a breakout year. The more times quarterbacks target him, means more opportunities for him to show what he is capable of on the field.
If Levi Wallace does breakout this year, opposing quarterbacks are going to have a tough day trying to throw on the Buffalo Bills.