The Minnesota Vikings star corner recently talked about how Darrelle Revis was the player he modeled his game after while he was in college.
During his three seasons of college football at Florida State from 2010 to 2012, Xavier Rhodes developed into one of the best cornerbacks in the entire nation. His success in college eventually paid off when he was selected in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.
With the Vikings, Rhodes has continued his development and is now regarded as one of the best at his position on the professional level. After his impressive season in 2016, the Minnesota corner earned his first career trip to the Pro Bowl and was voted by his NFL peers as the 66th best player in the entire league.
But before he joined the Vikings and really came into his own as a player, there was one NFL cornerback that Rhodes tried to model his game after. The Minnesota corner’s idol in the defensive backfield was revealed in a recent interview with Bleacher Report’s Tyler Dunne.
"“After reeling off his top five (corners), Rhodes interrupted himself. He cannot disrespect the crown, cannot omit (Darrelle) Revis. This is the legend he emulated forever. Coaches at Florida State used to yell at him, but he didn’t care. Rhodes mimicked Revis because he knew Revis was the gold standard. Everything else was secondary.”"
Athletes always talk about setting out to be the best in their position, but most fail to live up to the lofty expectations they give themselves. Rhodes wants to be as successful as Revis was in his prime and it seems as though that is beginning to take shape.
In 2016, Rhodes showcased his abilities as a true lockdown-corner (like Revis) and shut down a number of talented opposing receivers including Odell Beckham Jr., DeAndre Hopkins, and Allen Robinson.
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If he keeps up his high-level of play for a few more seasons, future corners are going to be talking about Rhodes, not Revis, as the corner they emulated their games after growing up.