Former Tennessee Vols standout labeled by ESPN as one of the NFL’s most overrated free agents this offseason
The former Tennessee Vols standout is expected to land a nice contract in free agency.
Former Tennessee Vols defensive back Alontae Taylor is expected to have a new home in 2026.
Taylor, who played at Tennessee from 2018 to 2021, said goodbye to the New Orleans Saints this week in a social media post.
The Saints selected Taylor in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
ESPN says Alontae Taylor is one of this offseason’s most overrated free agents
Taylor is expected to receive significant interest when free agency gets underway next week.
That’s in large part because the former Vol is coming off a career season (according to advanced metrics) in 2025.
ESPN’s Seth Walder, however, thinks Taylor is one of the most “overrated” NFL free agents because of his strong 2025 season.
“I expect Taylor to get paid after coming off a legitimately nice season and at a time when nickel corners are increasingly valuable,” wrote Walder. “But he has the profile of a player who scares me. Corners are notoriously volatile year to year, so I’m always a little wary of buying in after a big season.
“That’s particularly true in Taylor’s case. Taylor allowed 1.6 yards per coverage snap in 2023 primarily playing slot corner, per NFL Next Gen Stats, which is much worse than the 1.1 average. In 2024, this time playing primarily outside, Taylor again surrendered 1.6 yards per coverage snap. Taylor had his breakout last season after moving back to the nickel, with 1.0 yards per coverage snap and minus-1.4 EPA allowed after positive numbers (which indicate worse performance) the two prior seasons. Which level of performance is most likely to be the outlier? I think there’s an awfully good chance it’s 2025.”
I think it’s fair to question if Taylor can replicate his 2025 season, but I don’t know about labeling him as “overrated”. The former Vol performed at a high level in 2025 — he deserves to be praised for what he accomplished on the field. Whether or not that translates to similar seasons in the future for Taylor is anyone’s guess — no one knows how the rest of his career will play out.
Taylor, though, thinks he’s the best free agent cornerback this offseason.
“I’m one of the best free agent players coming out,” said Taylor to SiriusXM NFL Radio recently. “I definitely feel like I’m the best free agent corner coming out. Just that versatility. Being able to play inside, play outside, and be able to help any team at whatever they need. Feeling like I could possibly be that CB1 for a team. And if I ever have to go into the slot to guard your best receiver who you move into the slot, I’ve shown that I can go in there and play comfortably. I feel like I bring a lot of attributes to the table. Like I said before, I do feel like I’m one of those best guys available. And I feel like a lot of teams out there feel the same way.”
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