As college football winds down and the NFL playoff picture gets clearer, it’s easy to look ahead to this offseason and how things will shake up in both sports. For the NFL, this includes a strong class of free agents that could sign with new teams to disrupt the league.
If your favorite NFL team is looking to upgrade at cornerback, a former Tennessee football star, Alontae Taylor, may be at the top of the list. According to ESPN, he is the No. 11-ranked free agent this cycle and the top cornerback.
“Taylor’s versatility and urgent play style shows on tape,” ESPN’s Matt Bowen wrote. “He has the speed to cover on the perimeter, but he can also play a disruptive role in the slot. In four seasons with the Saints, Taylor has 3 interceptions, 37 pass breakups and 6 sacks.”
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN also went into further detail about the inner workings of him becoming a free agent and teams that could be interested.
“Taylor gets the edge as the top corner based on teams consulted for this exercise,” Fowler wrote. “He has good size (6 feet, 199 pounds) with the flexibility to play inside and out. The Saints and Taylor once discussed an extension, but a deal never happened, which made him a trade candidate at last week’s deadline. The Bears and Colts showed interest. As a reference point, the top 2025 free agent corners earned about $18 million per year on new deals.”
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The Saints are on a bye week this week, meaning Taylor does not have a game. So far this season, he has logged 50 tackles, a sack and an interception. However, New Orleans has been one of the worst teams in the NFL, amassing a 2-8 record through 10 games.
Taylor was picked with the 49th overall selection in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He has played all four seasons with the Saints.
He joined Tennessee in 2018 for the first year under Jeremy Pruitt. As a freshman, he managed 40 tackles, two passes defended and forced two fumbles. The following season as a sophomore, he produced 33 tackles, three passes defended, half a sack and his first interception.
In the Covid-shortened 2020 season, Taylor was a bright spot in a dim season that proved to be the final one for Pruitt. He notched 29 tackles, four passes defended and an interception.
From Winchester and Manchester, Tennessee, he decided to stay for the coaching change to Josh Heupel for one final season. That year, he recorded 60 tackles, six passes defended, a forced fumble and pair of picks, including one returned for a touchdown.
