Tennessee Vols CB Gabe Jeudy-Lally makes strong statement about CB Kamal Hadden
Tennessee Vols cornerback Kamal Hadden has received quite a bit of criticism over the last year. And while there are some plays I'm sure he'd love to have back, the criticism hasn't matched what he's done on the field. Hadden hasn't been perfect — no one ever is when they play cornerback — but he's […]
Tennessee Vols cornerback Kamal Hadden has received quite a bit of criticism over the last year.
And while there are some plays I'm sure he'd love to have back, the criticism hasn't matched what he's done on the field.
Hadden hasn't been perfect — no one ever is when they play cornerback — but he's shown over the last couple of weeks why the Vols have continued to trust him as a starter.
The Michigan native is athletic, he has good instincts, and he's usually in the right place. And his teammates believe in him and have his back.
On Saturday night, after Hadden came down with an interception to seal the Vols' win against Texas A&M, Tennessee cornerback Gabe Jeudy-Lally made it clear that Hadden is a hard worker who does his job and "dominates".
(Jeudy-Lally's comments came after Vols defensive lineman Tyler Baron corrected a reporter who said that Hadden "bounced back" from a slow start.)
“I'm not sure what other people have seen, but I’ve seen a guy that puts his head down and goes to work every single day," said Jeudy-Lally. "A guy that has dominated regardless of the situation. It always looks different to other people. But when we’re in the film room, we see a guy that is going out there and doing his job."
"Since I’ve been here that’s all I’ve seen the whole time so I’m proud of him and I’m proud of all of us," added Jeudy-Lally.
Jeudy-Lally's comments are a great reminder that what fans see on TV doesn't always match what coaches and players see in the film room. There are a lot variables that aren't known to fans (and media, because media has participated in some of that criticism, too).
Hadden is developing into a player that shows up in the biggest moments (like his play on third down before Dee Williams' punt return…if Hadden doesn't force an incompletion, Texas A&M doesn't punt from their end zone). He's become a player that makes a play when it's critical that a play gets made.
The narrative about Hadden was never fair. And it's great to see that the narrative is finally catching up with reality. Kamal Hadden is a good player. That's all there is to it.
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