Marshon Lattimore is an American athlete, a football cornerback, playing for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL).
Considered among the best cornerbacks by the pro personnel director for the AFC team, Lattimore started out from high school to college, and now, he joins the league of professional football players as the Saints 11th overall pick during the 2017 NFL Draft.
Born on May 20, 1996, in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, Marshon Demond Lattimore graduated from his birthplace’s Glenville High school where he played the position of wide receiver and cornerback in the school’s football team.
In his senior year, Lattimore was selected as one of the six finalists for the U.S. Army Player of the Year Award and was rated a four-star recruit. He committed to college football at Ohio State University.
Career Life Of Marshon Lattimore
Starting out at Ohio State in 2014, Marshon Lattimore was redshirted due to hamstring injuries. He further played in seven games in 2015, completely recovered after one year and later on November 29, 2016, he was named First Team All-Big by the coaches.
Despite having a history of hamstring injuries and being limited to a single year of the college game, several sports analysts including NFLDraftScout, ESPN, Pro Football Focus, amongst others, ranked him as the top (fifth-best) cornerback prospect in the NFL’s draft.
Marshon Lattimore signed a fully guaranteed four-year $15.35 million contract, including a signing bonus of $9.31 million, with the New Orleans Saints on June 3, 2017. The team selected him, 11th overall, in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
As the first of five cornerbacks selected in the first round of the draft, he experienced two losses with the team, two weeks in a row. In his first game with the Saint’s season-opener on Monday Night Football, against the Minnesota Vikings, Lattimore recorded four solo tackles in the 29–19 loss. He attained a season-high two pass defence, seven combined tackles and a forced fumble in a 36-20 loss against the New England Patriots. He got off the game in the first quarter and was placed in concussion protocol after a head collision with a teammate. Lattimore was positioned as the starting cornerback prior to Week 4, in replacement to a teammate Williams, who was demoted in relation to a disciplinary issue.
In all of 2017 season, he played in a total of 13 games and 13 starts, recording 52 combined tackles (43 solo), 85 pass deflections, one forced fumble and a touchdown. Lattimore also saw four victories with the team. First was a 52–38 victory over the Lions, of which he recorded his first interception and touchdown. He earned NFC Defensive Rookie of the Month on November 2, 2017, and sustained an ankle sprain while savouring a second taste of the Saints’ Week 11 victory over the Washington Redskins. The following month, December 24, he contributed his quarters in the (third) Saint’s 23–13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons and was later named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
To begin his first career playoff game on January 7, 2018, Lattimore recorded a total of 6 solo tackles and two pass deflections in a 31–26 NFC Wild Card round victory over the Carolina Panthers and 29–24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Divisional round.
Body Stats, Height, Weight
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 193LBS (88kg)
Hands: 8 7/8″
Arm Length: 31 1/4″
- Strengths
Marshon Lattimore is an Uber-athlete, according to NFL, with instincts to make plays from any coverage. He plays with so much explosive hip flip that propels him into accelerated mode whenever he’s forced to turn and run. His flat-footed closing burst is described as electric, enabling him to shadow a nine route from release to completion. Always a forceful open-field tackler to contend with, as well as a wrap-up hitter.
- Weaknesses
Sports analysts believe he has major durability concerns. Besides hamstring injury and tight hip flexor that limited his testing at the combine, it becomes tougher for him to consistently block receivers from oppositions. Thus, he could learn to play some off coverage to upgrade his skills in the field. Nevertheless, he has the competitive nature and confidence to help him overcome physical hurdles and live up to his position as a Pro Bowl cornerback.
Family, Brother
Lattimore comes from a football family; quite the crown jewel of his athletic bloodline. His father Marland Lattimore played as a quarterback at Lincoln West High School; he was the school’s last signal-caller to win against Glenville. Marshon Lattimore got to fulfil his father’s dream as the older man never got to play college football due to the knee injury he sustained in high school.
Also, Lattimore’s mother Felicia Killebrew has brothers who played the gridiron game.
