Safety Derwin James was a big reason for the Chargers’ success in the 2018 season, helping guide the team to a 12-4 record and a trip to the playoffs since 2013.
What made James so special in his first season as a pro was his ability to do it all across the field and serve as a movable chess piece, something we saw during his time at Florida State and something that we are starting to see other NFL defenses do.
James lined up as a free safety, a box safety, an outside linebacker, an inside linebacker, outside cornerback and as a slot corner. Along with that, he had no trouble rushing the passer, stopping the run or covering outside receivers, slot wideouts and running backs.
His 105 tackles (75 solo), six quarterback hits, four tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks hardly show how phenomenal he was.
To relive James’ rookie season, NFL Media’s Brian Baldinger — one of the best in the business — spent nearly five minutes breaking down film to show exactly what made James so special and display what is yet to come.
