Stephon Gilmore’s commitment to his craft isn’t lost on Kurt Warner.
Warner, a Super Bowl champion and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, recently was tasked with identifying a cornerback he played against who most reminds him of Gilmore, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Citing their similar approaches to the game, the former star quarterback opted for one of the best to ever play the position.
“He reminds me of Deion Sanders the way he studies his craft and is a student of the game,” Warner told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “That’s what Deion was so good at — the technique, the little things, and the ability to understand the game. Obviously, Deion was ridiculously talented. But he understood the game in such a way, especially playing man coverages, strengths and weaknesses, reading body language and doing all that stuff. That reminds me a lot of Stephon, the way he plays the game.
“Maybe not the top-end athleticism that Deion had. Maybe not the speed that Deion had. But the same kind of craft he plays with, so he would probably be the guy. Deion was a guy who would get up in your face a lot.”
Now that’s high praise.
After losing a handful of defensive stalwarts this offseason, the Patriots will need Gilmore to be at the top of his game throughout the upcoming campaign. Given the three-time Pro Bowler’s track record in New England, there’s no reason to believe he’s incapable of living up to those high expectations.
