LSU Football: Why Jamal Adams Will Be Tigers' Next Big Star

LSU safety Jamal Adams is an animal.

Adams was a game-changer as a true freshman last season for the Tigers. He was all over the field on defense and special teams, either delivering bone-crushing hits or breaking up passes in open space.

The LSU defense became better once former defensive coordinator John Chavis inserted Adams into the lineup more often.

Chavis had no choice but to play Adams more, as Dwayne Thomas suffered a season-ending injury and Rashard Robinson was out of the lineup due to suspension. But Adams' talent would have eventually forced "The Chief" to put him on the football field on every play anyway.

Adams began the year mainly as a special teams player. The 6'0", 206-pounder did play some in Chavis' 3-2-6 "Mustang" package as a safety and a nickelback.

It was not until LSU's 41-3 domination of Kentucky that Adams became a mainstay in the defense. He, alongside linebacker Kendell Beckwith, added the athleticism on the field that the Tigers desperately needed. The duo combined for 17 tackles against the Wildcats.

But what stood out the most was a play Adams made on special teams. His vicious blindside block sprung Tre'Davious White for his only punt return touchdown of the season:

Adams continued to make breathtaking plays for the remainder of the season. The then-true freshman would eventually earn his only two starts of the season against Arkansas and Texas A&M and finish with 66 tackles, which was good for sixth on the team.

Adams' signature play of the season came against the Aggies and could not have come at a more crucial time.

Open-Field Dominance

Usually, plays early in the second quarter of a game are not as consequential as those in the fourth quarter. However, an open-field tackle of 6'5" receiver Ricky Seals-Jones changed the entire game.

It was 3rd-and-2 on Texas A&M's opening drive of the second quarter with the Aggies leading 7-0. Quarterback Kyle Allen hit Seals-Jones in stride on a quick out route that looked to be a sure first down.

Adams had different thoughts, as he brought down Seals-Jones short of the first-down marker. The Aggies were forced to punt.

On LSU's ensuing possession, this happened:

"

ICYMI> Don't miss it. Leonard Fournette ran OVER Howard Matthews https://t.co/nvokKa80o7

— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) November 28, 2014"

It is highly unlikely that running back Leonard Fournette's legendary trucking of Howard Matthews would have happened without Adams making that play. The Aggies' three-and-out on offense put a tired defense on the field quickly. The Tigers had a 14-play drive that lasted eight minutes and 31 seconds in their previous offensive series.

Fournette's run set the tone for the rest of the game. LSU would go on to score 20 unanswered points and narrowly hold on at the end to prevail 23-17.

Special plays like that are why Adams is the next bright star at "Defensive Back University."

Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

Outlook for 2015

It is unclear how Adams will be utilized next season, but defensive coordinator Kevin Steele will have him on the field in some capacity.

The talent the Tigers have in the secondary is plentiful. Starting safety Jalen Mills will return, as will lockdown corner Tre'Davious White.

How the rest of the secondary lines up remains to be seen.

Common sense would say Adams will start with Mills at safety. A wide range of players could line up at cornerback opposite White, but expect Dwayne Thomas and Ed Paris to be the leading candidates.

With that said, Steele is likely to run plenty of "Nickel" and "Dime" packages, which require five and six defensive backs, respectively, on the field at once. Adams, Mills and Thomas are all proven productive players when moved inside to play either nickelback or dimeback.

Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

The Tigers also return safety Rickey Jefferson, who played in all of LSU's 13 games last season. He can fill in for Mills or Adams if they are to play inside.

LSU's depth in the secondary stretches even further. Devin Voorhies and John Battle from the 2014 recruiting class will look to scratch the surface. Members of the Tigers' 2015 class—Kevin Toliver II, Xavier Lewis, Donte Jackson and Jeremy Cutrer—all have the talent to play right away.

Steele and defensive backs coach Corey Raymond will use the depth to put Adams in different spots to make plays. They just need to find the best method of doing so.

Can He Live Up to the Hype?

The hype machine for Adams really began to churn once former LSU Heisman Trophy finalist Tyrann Mathieu knighted him as the next great safety in college football, per College Football 24/7:

Nobody expected Adams to have the impact he did in 2014. How he handles higher expectations will determine how he fares going forward.

Adams does have some holes in his game. His over-aggression sometimes puts him at bad angles to make tackles in the open field. He has also yet to snag an interception in his short career.

Adams must also quit flopping. Not once, but twice last season, he embellished an opponent's nudge in an effort to draw a personal foul penalty against the other team. Being labeled as a "flopper" will hurt his reputation.

Nevertheless, there have been few defensive backs as complete as Adams to ever play at LSU. He has the talent to have his name placed alongside All-Americans Mathieu, Patrick Peterson and Eric Reid once his career is over.

"DBU" is back in session at LSU, and a lot of that is due to the animal that is Jamal Adams.

Stats, rankings and additional information provided by cfbstats.com, ESPN.com and LSUsports.net. Recruiting information provided by 247Sports.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow me on Twitter at @CarterthePower.