UCF Spring Practice Countdown: #12, DB Brandon Adams

Brandon Adams was a quick study at cornerback in 2021. What can he become as a sophomore for the UCF Knights?

Brian Smith | Mar 7, 2022

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UCF Knights

ORLANDO - Continuing the countdown that started last week that lists 15 very important players prior to spring practice, this individual might be the most difficult to project to just one position in the secondary.

When a high school player is talented enough to be a stalwart at multiple positions, that’s usually good for his prep team. Moving to college, the challenge is usually finding that player a permanent home. UCF’s Brandon Adams played quarterback, running back, wide receiver and defensive back from Lithonia (Ga.) Arabia Mountain. That’s quite a workload.

During his 2021 freshman season for UCF, Adams transitioned nicely to the collegiate game. He will be battling with talented defensive backs for playing time once again. This year Adams could see his role expand, however.

Note: This list is designed to target numerous points of interest that all lead to UCF being the best “team” it can be, is not in any way a countdown of the 15 best players for the Knights. To the contrary, it’s about experience, talent, position flexibility, coachability, athleticism and being a good teammate among several prime points that go into this list.

Brandon Adams

Size: 6’3”, 180-pounds

Position: Defensive Back

Experience

Despite his youth and overall inexperience at cornerback, Adams started a total of six games at cornerback for the Knights. What can the rising sophomore do for an encore? After 19 tackles, one pass breakup and one tackle for loss, his second year should yield far better statistics. Part of that reason is versatility.

Safety and Cornerback

Adams is that rare athlete with length that’s still capable of playing on the edge of the defense at cornerback. Yet, he’s also a player that could come down and be a nickel defensive back lined up near the box to help against the run and pass. Lastly, perhaps Adams has a chance to play safety as well. He’s certainly big enough at his height. There’s more than natural size needed though.

That responsibility will require knowledge of not only where he needs to be, but quite possibly where other defenders need to be as well. At safety, there’s a common responsibility to help line up other players, call out checks and change coverages. That brings up a couple of questions.

Can Adams handle that type of responsibility in spring? To this point, everything learned about him says that he wants the challenge. Could the 15 practices this spring at least help him be a backup option at safety while still holding down a spot on the depth chart at cornerback?

Continuing, would the UCF coaching staff feel comfortable cross training Adams or will they just want him to concentrate on cornerback?

These are the types of questions that are better to figure out during spring practice as opposed to fall camp. More time to learn and understand strengths and weaknesses, plus provide additional instruction in a timely manner if needed prior to actual games in the fall, if it’s done in March and April. As for personal skill, that’s something that should be expected to increase regardless of where Adams lines up.

High Upside

Adams has a potential NFL career ahead of him if he figures it out on the backend of the defense. One cannot teach his arm length, quickness or speed. Now that it is his second season that’s approaching, there needs to be marked improvement during spring practice to continue him on a projection to possibly one day play in the NFL.

Adams should be challenging for the starting role opposite Davonte Brown and/or challenging for a different defensive back starting position. He will be much stronger, faster, and more knowledgeable about the college game now that he’s heading into his sophomore year and he needs to put up numbers to back all of that up.

With a good spring to bolster Adams, he should be at 40 or more tackles, five or more pass breakups, and record a couple of interceptions. The good news for the UCF coaching staff stems from where and when they utilize Adams.

Matchups, Down and Distance

One of the ways to combine his natural size, athleticism and position flexibility together is to assign him specific tasks, i.e. guarding a bigger target and/or playing Adams within the nickel and dime packages. It could be a tight end that often lines up in the slot or a boundary wide receiver that’s a physical player. Adams matches up with either, and the UCF staff should be able to find ways to place this young man in positions to make plays.

Adams, Brown and Hodges

Brandon Adams

This will be an especially creative way to use him against a team like SMU that can really throw the football. One play in the slot, another sees Adams move out to cornerback or safety. Keep the offense guessing and dictate to them. Again, however, that’s if he’s ready for that challenge as there’s a lot to absorb from a playbook standpoint if he takes on dual roles.

Adams at cornerback and safety is intriguing, however, and the possibilities with Adams are seemingly endless. That’s why he’s one of the 15 most important players to track this spring practice.

Final Thoughts

It’s anyone’s projection as to how Adams will be lined up this spring, as well as this fall. He’s one heck of a talent and it’s probably quite a bit of fun to be on the Knights defensive staff as they attempt to find ways to maximize Adams’ skills.

Spring ball will be important for him as well as the Knights. If he’s comfortable with his role(s) he could be a true difference-maker come September of this year when the Knights take to the field in the Bounce House again.

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