‘Pressure makes diamonds’: New Giant James Bradberry is ready for the spotlight

When James Bradberry was picked by the Panthers in the second round of the 2016 draft, the No. 21 he wore in college was taken by veteran cornerback Teddy Williams. Bradberry’s options were 23, 24, 26 and 31.

“Had 21 been open, I would have chosen 21,” Bradberry said. “But since I was in college, I always thought about wearing 24 so I just went with 24 not thinking about it.”

Many assumed that Bradberry was making a statement by taking the number previously worn by All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman, who had a messy departure from Carolina earlier that offseason when general manager Dave Gettleman rescinded the franchise tag after talks for a long-term deal broke down. But the number selection was far from a calculated decision by the unassuming Bradberry, whose personality is the polar opposite of the brash Norman.

“When I actually started thinking about it, it was too late. I had already chosen the number and I didn’t want to go back,” Bradberry said. “People would probably say I was scared to wear that number and I didn’t want that either, so I just took the challenge.”

Norman signed a five-year, $75 million contract with the Redskins two days after the tag was rescinded, leaving a massive hole in Carolina’s secondary. The first of three cornerbacks drafted by the Panthers a week later, Bradberry was expected to fill that void. Wearing No. 24 only intensified the comparisons to Norman.

It took three seasons for those comparisons to stop. Bradberry is now completely out of Norman’s shadow as he steps into an even brighter spotlight after recently agreeing to a three-year, $43.5 million contract with the Giants that makes him the fourth-highest paid cornerback in the NFL.

Bradberry’s experiences in Carolina have him prepared for the crucible that awaits in New York.

“They say pressure makes diamonds. So it was definitely a lot of pressure to be able to fill that guy’s shoes,” Bradberry said. “It was definitely hard to fill those shoes. I had to hold myself to a certain standard week-in and week-out just because I had that number on and I knew people were looking at me and comparing me to Josh Norman. It kind of helped me in the long run.”

Bradberry’s dream of playing in the NFL was a long shot as a two-star recruit at Pleasant Grove (Ala.) High. Located 10 miles outside of Birmingham, Pleasant Grove wasn’t a recruiting hot spot. When Bradberry sent his junior season highlight tape to colleges, the feedback from the few schools that responded was discouraging.

“I got cards from two separate SEC schools that told me I was too slow – Tennessee, for sure, and I think the other one was Vanderbilt,” Bradberry said. “They said they felt like I had a lot of skill, they just felt like I wasn’t fast enough to play on that level. That sucked. I used it as motivation. I felt like I could play on that level. I just wanted to showcase that talent. That’s why I feel like I had a real good senior year because I had that chip on my shoulder.”

Bradberry recorded nine interceptions and garnered first-team all-state honors as a senior, but the big programs still didn’t show interest, so he went to Arkansas State, an FBS program in the Sun Belt Conference. After being stuck at safety while redshirting as a freshman, Bradberry transferred to Samford, an FCS school located 15 miles from Pleasant Grove.

“He came in and was our top corner from Day 1,” said former Samford cornerbacks coach Sam Shade, who played safety for the Bengals and Redskins from 1995-2002. “The thing about James is it didn’t matter who it was. You could put him on anybody and there was no fear and there was no backing down. I used to call him a quiet assassin. You get out there and he’s going to take you out.”

Bradberry benefited from the presence of safety Jaquiski Tartt, who was a second-round pick by the 49ers in 2015.

“He was one year ahead of me so of course NFL scouts were coming to see him,” Bradberry said. “But I used that as, ‘They’re going to come see him, but they’re also going to see me. And I’m 6-1 and I’m playing corner, so of course I’m going to get some eyes on me.’”

The Panthers took notice. While 30 teams attended Samford’s pro day in 2016, Carolina was the only team to return to campus for a private pre-draft workout with Bradberry. Bills general manager Brandon Beane, who was the Panthers’ assistant GM at the time, and Steve Wilks, who was the team’s secondary coach, met with Bradberry for dinner before a film session and on-field workout the next day. Bradberry left a lasting impression.

“I can recall as if it was yesterday getting back in the car leaving there with my chest so bruised,” said Wilks, who lined up as a receiver during drills and felt the force of Bradberry’s 33-3/8 inch arms in press coverage.

Bradberry’s exceptionally long arms were an important asset since questions about his speed persisted. While measuring an impressive 6-foot-1, 211 pounds at the combine, he ran a pedestrian 4.5-second 40-yard dash.

“He has good play speed,” Wilks said. “He can run vertical with most receivers. He does a tremendous job at the line of scrimmage. That’s pretty much his attribute: His long arms and physicality at the line.”

Bradberry didn’t know when his name would be called on draft night, so his mother enlisted his services for a household repair to cut the tension as he waited.

“You’re seeing guys getting picked ahead of you and it makes you feel a certain type of way,” Bradberry said. “I guess my mom could sense that so she sent me to go fix the toilet. The seat was loose, so it wasn’t really the toilet. I was looking for a screwdriver and I ended up getting the call.”

Gettleman, who is now the Giants general manager, was convinced that Bradberry could make the leap from Samford to the NFL. But Bradberry admits he had some concerns about the transition.

“I’m never 100 percent sure with anything,” said Bradberry, who was inserted into the starting lineup in his first practice and never left.

In the fourth game of Bradberry’s rookie season, he was supposed to shadow Falcons superstar Julio Jones. But he suffered a turf toe injury on the first series and was limited to 17 snaps. Jones exploded for 12 catches, 300 yards and one touchdown in a 48-33 Falcons win.

“I just felt helpless on the sideline because my toe was hurt and I knew I couldn’t go out there and play,” Bradberry said.

It was an eye-opening experience for Bradberry, as veteran corner Bene Benwikere, who took over as the primary defender on Jones, was cut after the game.

“That was the moment I realized this is definitely a business and any of us could be gone the next day,” Bradberry said.

When Bradberry returned from a three-game absence, he was the Panthers’ unquestioned No. 1 corner. That meant matching up with Jones, Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans and New Orleans’ Michael Thomas twice per season in the NFC South.

“When you have to go against elite guys day-in and day-out, it makes your job more stressful,” Bradberry said. “But that’s why I’m in this business because I’m a competitor. I’ve been competing my whole life, so without competition I wouldn’t feel like I have a sense of purpose. That’s my purpose right now: To go out there and compete against the best.”

Excluding the 300-yard outburst, Jones averaged 5 catches for 72.4 yards with one touchdown in seven matchups with Bradberry. Evans averaged 4.9 catches for 64.7 yards with one touchdown in seven career games against Bradberry, and Thomas averaged 6.1 catches for 63 yards with three touchdowns in seven matchups.

Those numbers may not look particularly impressive without the context that Jones has averaged 6.4 catches for 97.6 yards in every other game of his career. Evans (5.1 catches for 82.0 yards) and Thomas (7.6 catches for 90.6 yards) similarly saw their otherwise incredible production limited in matchups with Bradberry.

“He’s a guy who has been competing with those guys and locking those guys down,” said veteran corner Captain Munnerlyn, who played alongside Bradberry in 2017 and 2018. “Don’t get me wrong, they made their plays, but James definitely made his share of plays, too. He was a guy who had to guard them all game. Wherever they went on the field, he went. So he was a guy that could definitely be viewed as a No. 1 corner.”

And yet, Bradberry’s name isn’t typically mentioned in the discussion of top corners. He didn’t make a Pro Bowl or earn an All-Pro selection in four seasons in Carolina.

“Because he doesn’t talk. He’s not a guy who boasts and who brags about what he’s done,” Munnerlyn said. “We actually used to get on him a little bit, like, ‘It’s OK to show a little bit of emotion. You’re playing against Julio Jones, Mike Evans and Michael Thomas in our division and you’re doing a pretty good job on those guys. Let them know.’ But that’s not his game. We call him the quiet assassin. He’s going to go out there, he’s going to work, he’s going to make his plays and he’s just going to go about his business. He doesn’t want the attention.”

Bradberry knows it’ll be harder to fly under the radar in New York. He’s looking forward to experiencing the city’s restaurants and attending a basketball game at Madison Square Garden. But the self-described introvert is content to stay home and binge The Andy Griffith Show.

“That’s one of the shows my grandma put me on,” Bradberry said. “They need to put more old TV shows on Netflix. All they have is The Andy Griffith Show right now. They need to put Good Times and all of those shows on there.”

Asked what he plans to do with the earnings from his new contract, which includes $31.9 million guaranteed, Bradberry responded, “save.” His birthday present to his mother, who turned 53 a week after he agreed to that contract, was to fund her retirement. But Rosie Wilson-Bradberry, who often worked six days a week while raising James and his younger sister Takia, plans to keep her job with the Social Security Administration.

“I told her, ‘You can be done if you want to,’” Bradberry said. “She sacrificed a lot for me and my sister growing up. I want to be able to repay her.”

Bradberry typically moves back into his mother’s house – where the toilet seat is still loose – in the offseason. But he remained in Charlotte this offseason because his first child, daughter Xena Reign, was born on Valentine’s Day. As Bradberry deals with the sleepless nights of new fatherhood and the uncertainty of when he’ll be able to report to his new team due to the travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, he’s had time to reflect on his unlikely path to this point.

“There’s no telling what the outcome could have been if the situation would have happened differently,” Bradberry said. “I’m here right now and it’s been nothing but success. Of course there were some failures along the way, but in the end, I got what I wanted. I’m happy with my journey.”

As Bradberry starts the next phase with the Giants, he’ll wear No. 24. That’s his number now.

(Top photo: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)