New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis' coverage skills are so incandescent that he's increasingly being compared to Deion Sanders.
Revis
But a pair of authorities I interviewed this week for a lengthy Revis feature saw a different resemblance.
"Darrelle Revis is a lot like Rod Woodson was in his prime and maybe a better cover guy," ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer said.
It's difficult to compare Revis with Sanders because Revis is a proficient tackler. Sanders avoided tackling like it was small pox.
"He's way more physical than Deion," Dilfer said. "Darrelle is a physical guy. I was asked who the best tackling corner was in the NFL, and I put Antoine Winfield first and Darrelle Revis second. He plays run support. He's a sure tackler on the perimeter."
Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. mentioned Woodson when projecting Revis' future. In three NFL seasons, Revis has been selected to the Pro Bowl twice and the All-Pro team once.
Woodson began his Hall of Fame career as a cornerback, but he was enough of a hitter that when he lost a step in is mid-30s, he was able to make a smooth transition to free safety, earning All-Pro honors in his penultimate season.
"He'll thump you in the run game," said Williamson, who recruited Revis to the University of Pittsburgh. "He's really competitive that way. Because of his smarts and his ability to stick you, I could see him six, seven, eight years from now being a free safety if his speed wanes a little bit.
"I could see him being a Rod Woodson to end his career, and you can't say that about many corners, to make the move to safety like that."
Revis
But a pair of authorities I interviewed this week for a lengthy Revis feature saw a different resemblance.
"Darrelle Revis is a lot like Rod Woodson was in his prime and maybe a better cover guy," ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer said.
It's difficult to compare Revis with Sanders because Revis is a proficient tackler. Sanders avoided tackling like it was small pox.
"He's way more physical than Deion," Dilfer said. "Darrelle is a physical guy. I was asked who the best tackling corner was in the NFL, and I put Antoine Winfield first and Darrelle Revis second. He plays run support. He's a sure tackler on the perimeter."
Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. mentioned Woodson when projecting Revis' future. In three NFL seasons, Revis has been selected to the Pro Bowl twice and the All-Pro team once.
Woodson began his Hall of Fame career as a cornerback, but he was enough of a hitter that when he lost a step in is mid-30s, he was able to make a smooth transition to free safety, earning All-Pro honors in his penultimate season.
"He'll thump you in the run game," said Williamson, who recruited Revis to the University of Pittsburgh. "He's really competitive that way. Because of his smarts and his ability to stick you, I could see him six, seven, eight years from now being a free safety if his speed wanes a little bit.
"I could see him being a Rod Woodson to end his career, and you can't say that about many corners, to make the move to safety like that."
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James Walker
Walker joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four seasons covering the NFL and NBA for the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch. He's a Temple graduate and Hyattsville, Md. native who lives in Miami.
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