New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore will further establish himself as an elite corner in 2019.
In just two seasons with the New England Patriots, veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore has gone from a state of confusion to one of the best players to have worn the No. 24.
Given that one of those players is Hall-of-Fame cornerback Ty Law and the other is Darrelle Revis, the transformation Gilmore has made into a shutdown corner for the Patriots is even more remarkable.
Coming off a second season with the team in which he was one of the only players selected to the All-Pro team, Gilmore is a prime reason why Bill Belichick is entering a season with the deepest cornerback group that he has had since Law manned the secondary in his early seasons as head coach of the New England Patriots.
Given the money the team shelled out for Stephon Gilmore as a free agent, what the shutdown corner has become entering his third season with the team should be expected.
As a player who can shut down an entire side of the field, Gilmore not only allows Belichick to be more creative on the defensive side schematically, his professionalism as a player is setting a good example for the younger players in the secondary like J.C. Jackson and second-round pick JoeJuan Williams.
With another solid season predicted, here are three bold predictions for Stephon Gilmore in 2019.
Gilmore’s Island
Stephon Gilmore isn’t just gaining recognition as one of the best corners in the league throughout the New England region, he is gaining national recognition.
Ranked 22nd overall in the NFL’s Top 100 players list, Gilmore was the highest-ranking cornerbacks in the entire league. He is not flashy or anywhere close to the diva status of a Jalen Ramsey, but Gilmore simply does his talking on the field.
With 45 tackles and two interceptions in 2018, Stephon Gilmore became a reliable force on the field by taking away the opposing team’s best receivers. Again, he allowed Bill Belichick to employ so much more flexibility in his defensive schemes and exotic coverages.
That will show even more in the 2019 season.
In fact, teammate Julian Edelman provided the following image on social media conveniently titled “Gilmore’s Island.”
https://twitter.com/Edelman11/status/1156932960597217286
Coming off an All-Pro season, it is a sure bet that this nickname will quickly stick to Stephon Gilmore. With top NFL receivers like JuJu Smith-Schuster and Odell Beckham Jr. on the schedule, the New England Patriots cornerback will certainly be challenged.
A pick-six in a big game
The one thing Stephon Gilmore hasn’t done yet in a New England Patriots uniform is take an interception back to the house.
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That will come in 2019.
Although many quarterbacks will shy away from Gilmore, the increased pass rush of the Patriots front seven will force some rushed passes and the All-Pro cornerback will be there to cleanup. I predict that will happen in one of the team’s nationally televised games which will solidify “Gilmore’s Island” on the map of elite corners in the NFL.
Along with a pick-six in a big game, the amount of interceptions for Stephon Gilmore will increase in 2019 because of the man he practices against.
That’s right.
Going up against the great Tom Brady in practice is what Gilmore himself attributes to his improved play over his first two seasons with the New England Patriots.
"“It’s helped me out a lot,” Gilmore said, as transcribed by Boston.com. “Just seeing his work ethic coming out here each and every day, making everybody better. I mean, he throws a great ball, so if you’re in the position to make a play on his ball, you can pretty much make a play on anybody’s ball. You know, we’re just trying to compete and get better each and every day just like everybody else.”"
That work ethic is certainly paying off for a player who was just trying to find his way on the team just two seasons ago.
A better season than Jalen Ramsey
Stephon Gilmore is no Jalen Ramsey, he will simply be better than the Jacksonville Jaguars star cornerback in 2019.
The reason why is not based on talent, it is based on the work ethic Gilmore mentioned in the slide above. While Ramsey has been outspoken and making predictions throughout his young NFL career, Gilmore has been the quiet counterpart who simply does his talking on the field.
Though the two exchanged jabs through the media in 2018, expect Stephon Gilmore to continue to take the high road when it comes to this budding player rivalry.
Furthermore, unlike Jalen Ramsey, the New England Patriots cornerback is not feeding off past accomplishments. He knows it’s a new year and time to once again prove himself as a shutdown cornerback. The No. 22 ranking on the NFL’s Top 100 list means nothing if he isn’t as good in 2019.
"“It’s a good accomplishment, but it’s a new year,” Gilmore said. “That’s the type of person I am. I try to prove myself every year. Nobody cares about last year. If you don’t do it this year, if you don’t come out and work this year, you’re not going to be a good player this year.”"
You hear that Jalen Ramsey?