Stanford star cornerback Adebo will skip 2020 season, declare for NFL draft

Stanford senior cornerback Paulson Adebo will opt out of the 2020 season to focus on preparations for the 2021 NFL draft.

Stanford senior cornerback Paulson Adebo will opt out of the 2020 season to begin preparing for the 2021 NFL draft, he announced Thursday via social media.

“When I chose to come back last year, I was looking forward to coming back and taking the field for one more year repping the Stanford Cardinal,” Adebo wrote of his decision. “Unfortunately, 2020 has not gone according to plan. I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity that playing football and attending school at Stanford University has given me. I will be opting out of the 2020-2021 football season and declaring for the 2021 NFL draft.”

Over his final two seasons, Adebo played in 22 games with 21 starts. He had a nation-leading 38 passes defended and eight interceptions during that span and was named All-Pac-12 first team in each of those two seasons.

In 2018, Adebo was named FWAA second team All-American after leading the nation, and setting a school record, with 24 passes defended. In 2019, he finished with 33 tackles, 10 pass breakups and four interceptions.

“Paulson has everything NFL scouts are looking for in a corner,” Stanford coach David Shaw said. “He has great speed, long arms, great instincts, and the ball skills of a wide receiver. Most importantly he is mentally and physically tough, extremely competitive and has a high football IQ. He will make a significant impact early in his NFL career.”