We are almost at the halfway point in the 2011 NFL season and Pro Football Focus recently showed how the most recent draft class -- specifically the first round -- and shared their overall grades so far. As can be expected, Cam Newton was the highest. Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson, selected fifth in the draft, has not been graded well thus far.
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PFF has given him a -7.3 overall so far. The interesting fact they noted was that when thrown at, almost 70 percent of those passes are completed. They go on to write:
Peterson may go on to be the next shutdown cornerback in the NFL, and if he does it will mean looking back at his first six NFL starts and wonder how he could ever struggle so much. Simply getting beat a little too often, struggling to replicate the success of 2010 rookie's like Devin McCourty and Joe Haden.
He has certainly had his fair share of struggles. However, he really showed up on Sunday against the Steelers. He really neutralized Mike Wallace, who has been a human disruption for defenses all year. Wallace also raved about Peterson after the game, saying that he was going to be one of the great corners.
It has been frustrating to watch him in his growing pains, but he is improving almost every game.
I have been only disappointed in the fact that he hasn't really made any defensive plays. He is most remembered for being the guy Adrian Peterson dragged into the end zone.
How does everyone else feel so far? Do you see someone who will be moved to safety like Antrel Rolle was, or do you see a guy who is progressing as he should?