It's obvious that Alontae Taylor is a quick study, because it didn't take long for the New Orleans Saints' second-round pick to find the right teammate to work with before and after practice.
The rookie cornerback simply looked on the field and found that Paulson Adebo – the Saints' third-round pick from last season and a starter at cornerback as a rookie – was a kindred spirit. And so, post-OTAs practice, the two of them can be found on an end of the practice field in the end zone, working on techniques.
"I saw (Adebo) one day, we had workouts and then afterward, he was out there on the field," Taylor said. "I've always been that kid who always does extra work and I saw him doing it and I was like, OK, that's somebody that does the same thing that I do.
"I went up to him and I just asked him, 'Do you mind if I join in?' He was like, 'Of course.' So we work on small detail stuff; we work on press-man (coverage) all the time. We do it every day after practice, we do it before practice as well. A guy who's going into his second year, but he's taken me under his wing. I kind of look at him as a big brother right now."
But the big brother sees the benefit flowing both ways.
"He's teaching me some stuff, too," Adebo said. "He's a great athlete, smart, instinctive, good ball skills. Some things I teach him, some things he teaches me as well.
"I was out, he came in and was like, 'Hey, let me jump in.' And I'm the same way. Sometimes I see him, and I'm like, 'Hey, let me jump in.' He's definitely wired that way, and he's going to be great."
If not immediate greatness, the Saints definitely are banking on contribution and production from the No. 49 overall pick. Though Taylor is capable of playing multiple positions in the secondary, he currently has been given one position assignment, while being told to be aware of the responsibilities of others.
"I'm just playing corner right now," he said. "Coach is kind of reminding me to understand nickel, and see if I can understand the safety position as well. So I'm taking notes on all positions and going back to the hotel room and breaking those positions down."
The mental reps at other positions, rather than physical reps, have taken some getting used to.
"It's totally different, for sure," Taylor said. "So I just kind of watch the other guys. When (veteran safety) Tyrann (Mathieu) is here, I talk to him. He sits in front of me during meetings, so I ask him questions on what he's doing and why he's doing it that way. Good, veteran guys to help me out as a young guy."
The help is appreciated by a young teammate who's eager to learn.
"It's really just understanding the playbook, understanding technique, details," Taylor said. "The biggest thing I've been doing is just kind of going in there, watching my technique every day. Coaches have been talking to me about that. It's new, but easy for me to understand and learn."
New Orleans Saints players participated in the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Jarvis Landry speaks to offensive assistant D.J. Williams during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Maye high-fives a coach at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz looks on at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz smiles during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints offensive players huddle during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints players participated in the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Andy Dalton calls the play at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints quarterbacks Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston talk during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael talks to his quarterbacks at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston prepares to receive a snap at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston drops back for a pass during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints players celebrate during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston calls for the snap at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints players participated in the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Chris Olave runs after a catch at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton drop back for passes as receiver Tre'Quan Smith runs a route during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Jarvis Landry prepares to catch a pass from quarterback Jameis Winston at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints running back Abram Smith completes a run at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints defensive back DaMarcus Fields practices defensive schemes at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Jarvis Landry catches a ball at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints defensive backs Paulson Adebo and DaMarcus Fields wait for a defensive drill at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Jarvis Landry catches a ball at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Jarvis Landry prepares to make the catch at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Chris Olave practices shaking off the defender at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints players participated in the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Jarvis Landry talks to a teammate at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Kirk Merritt prepares to catch a pass during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints running back Devine Ozigbo runs during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston prepares to run a drill at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Marquez Callaway takes direction from receivers Tre'Quan Smith and Jarvis Landry on a route at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints safety Alontae Taylor holds a bag during a defensive drill at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Jarvis Landry practices evading a defender at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Chris Olave gears up to catch a pass during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Jarvis Landry stretches and smiles during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints running back Dwayne Washington runs around a coach during a drill at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Chris Olave gets a running start for a pass at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Jarvis Landry runs toward a pass during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Jarvis Landry runs toward a pass at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Jarvis Landry catches a ball during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receivers Kevin White and Dai'Jean Dixon catch passes at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receivers Kawaan Baker and Easop Winston Jr. run a drill during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints offensive players huddle up at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receivers Chris Olave and Marquez Callaway run a drill at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receivers huddle at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receivers talk during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis WInston prepares to receive a snap from center Erik McCoy at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston talks to a coach during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints linemen Erik McCoy, Andrus Peat, and Trevor Penning line up at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston and receiver Marquez Callaway celebrate during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints receiver Jarvis Landry greets a coach during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen motivates the team during stretches at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston stretches out during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints linebackers Pete Werner and Eric Wilson get ready for a drill during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan participated in the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints players huddle at the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen motivates his players during the team's 2022 OTA practices on June 2, 2022 at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center.
