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Philadelphia Eagles sign Alabama cornerback Josh Jobe

Physical corner and great run support, with some notable coverage deficits.

NCAA Football: SEC Championship-Alabama at Florida Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

After the tackling-averse catastrophe of the 2018 Alabama secondary, Josh Jobe’s arrival was a welcome change in Tuscaloosa. For the better part of two seasons, No. 28 served as the enforcer in the Alabama defensive backfield. Teams looking for someone who can set the edge on the outside, and who want an overall aggressor in the secondary, can do far worse than Jobe. Because no one has ever accused Josh of not being able to lay the lumber.

Despite just being 5’11”, 182-pounds, Jobe uses his aggression well, and possesses some solid outside skills to run his man out of bounds. He is particularly at his best when he can put his hands on a receiver, and outwork them using his body. He is a lot stronger, and plays a lot bigger, than his frame would indicate. That is borne out by both his strong tackling skills and very aggressive on-ball coverage.

He does have limitations, however, including his size, off-ball coverage skills, and experience.

In the NFL, he will almost always be smaller than his man, and putting on some extra weight without sacrificing speed will be necessary: Jobe likely won’t be able to win as many of those hand battles that he thrived on in college. He’s not especially physically gifted either, having relatively average speed, verticals, and quickness for the position. Those shortcomings in turn are reflected in his coverage weaknesses — and, in one case, a positional inexperience.

Because Jobe is not all-world athlete, his hips can be a little stiff, and thus he does get turned around sometimes. When you combine that with the lack of elite makeup speed and not having Jordan-esque hops, that means that if he is beat off the route, then it is almost certainly resulting in a completion. Finally, tying together his style of play, aggression, and coverage limitations, he is unsuitable to play the slot — and he never did so in college.

For Jobe to find his place in the NFL, it will have to be on the outside, in running packages, and perhaps as a nickel- or dime corner, where he is not asked to cover WR1 and WR2 consistently. Jobe is nevertheless a solid player who has a lot of utility in the right scheme, but it is likely not as an every-down starter. Getting him in the right system, and using him properly, will be the key.

The best NFL comparison to Jobe in terms of size, general ability, and aggression is Levi Wallace of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Best of luck to No. 28
Roll Tide, Josh