I laughed when the New England Patriots gave Malcolm Butler a post-draft tryout.
A cornerback who’s listed at under 5-foot-10, attended Division II West Alabama and didn’t stand out in a single drill at Alabama’s pro day? What exactly were the Patriots going to do with that?
It turns out “win a Super Bowl” was the answer to that question.
My initial doubts weren’t totally unfounded, however. Butler ran a 4.62-second 40-yard dash, 4.27-second 20-yard shuttle and 7.20-second 3-cone drill. He benched just 13 reps of 225 pounds and measured 33.5 inches in the vertical leap and 9-foot-10 in the broad jump. Perhaps a player with those measurables would get an NFL shot after a highly productive SEC career, but prospects coming from D-II schools need standout athleticism, production and usually a Division I pedigree that went off the rails at some point.
Butler immediately stood out in Patriots training camp, however, and it became obvious that those pro day numbers weren’t exactly accurate. This was not a cornerback with 4.62 speed and skills befitting the Gulf South Conference. He had 4.4 speed and would have been a fit in the SEC.
It’s a good thing that Butler had a strong showing at the Medal Of Honor Bowl all-star game and came out of the draft with a strong recommendation from Patriots cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer and “assistant to the coaching staff” Michael Lombardi. Otherwise, Butler almost certainly wouldn’t have received his lone shot in the NFL with the Patriots, and New England wouldn’t have had its Super Bowl XLIX hero.
Butler signed as an undrafted free agent after a strong showing in his rookie minicamp tryout, earned a spot on the Patriots’ 53-man roster while fellow cornerback Brandon Browner served a four-game suspension and maintained his spot on the team throughout the season despite only intermittent playing time.
The Patriots could have given up on Butler at any point. They were carrying 12 defensive backs when Browner came back, and Butler had up-and-down production when he saw the field.
Butler’s regular-season stats weren’t overly impressive, as he allowed receptions on 16 of 28 targets for 272 yards with two touchdowns. He ranked 181st out of 229 NFL cornerbacks in Pro Football Focus’ passer-rating allowed metric, 178th in cover snaps per reception, 211th in yards per cover snap and 201st in cover snaps per target.
However, Butler’s ball skills were his defining strength this season, and that obviously stood out in the Super Bowl, when he was able to get his hand on the football four times in six targets, including Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse’s miracle catch and the rookie cornerback’s game-winning interception. Including playoffs, Butler ranked second overall in pass deflections plus interceptions per target and first in pass deflections plus interceptions per cover snap. Butler has room to grow, but his ability to high point a football and bat it away already ranks among the very best cornerbacks in the NFL.
Butler was targeted heavily whenever he was on the field in 2014. That was at its most obvious in Week 9 against the Denver Broncos, when he played 30 cover snaps and was targeted 10 times by quarterback Peyton Manning, allowing six receptions for 82 yards, including 72 to highly talented wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. Butler also contributed two pass breakups in that game.
The Seahawks also immediately went after Butler when he replaced nickel cornerback Kyle Arrington midway through the third quarter of the Super Bowl. Obviously, quarterback Russell Wilson would live to regret that decision.
Butler’s career could go in any number of directions at this point. He wouldn’t be the first Super Bowl hero to struggle to find prolonged success in the NFL, but there’s reason to believe the Patriots have something in Butler.
Butler’s biggest strength other than his ball skills, ironically, is his speed, which is why the Patriots trusted him against Sanders. Butler struggles to keep up with receivers on quick cuts and comeback routes, but it’s not crazy to think he has starting potential in the NFL as he continues to mature.
Butler obviously wouldn’t be up to the task of replacing Darrelle Revis should the All-Pro leave as a free agent, but he should continue to be a valuable asset in the Patriots’ defensive back rotation with his speed, and he has untapped potential for more.
Thumbnail photo via Brace Hemmelgarn/USA TODAY Sports Images
