Daylen Everette using being 'picked on' to gain confidence

ATHENS, Ga. — Daylen Everette‘s been in a difficult spot this season. Playing opposite of one of the country’s top cornerbacks, the sophomore has been the target of teams in his first year as a starter. We’ve all heard how hard it is to play cornerback in the SEC from a head coach in Kirby Smart who’s coached several talented ones. This year, like many before, we’re seeing it play out as Everette gets tested time and time again.

“I try to grow week-by-week. Try to get better week-by-week,” Everette said on Tuesday during his first podium appearance in front of Georgia reporters. “Getting picked on, if that is the case, I really like that because it will help you more.”

Need proof that he’s been picked on? Take the Auburn game for example. According to Pro Football Focus, Everette was targeted twice as many times as Kamari Lassiter. He gave up one reception and was called for a pass interference penalty, but bounced back with a pair of pass break ups, both of which came at or inside the UGA 20.

“I was definitely excited, but I appreciated the d-line forcing the ball out quickly,” Everette said about his important third-down punch-out against Auburn with Georgia down 17-10 in the third quarter at the time. “The quarterback, he couldn’t really get a perfect throw in, so that helped me out a lot. So, they put me in a better position to make a play. I really appreciate them for that.”

The pass breakup was a sign of exactly why it is Everette’s on the field. For as much as he may get picked on at times and maybe even gives up a couple of plays, he’s more than capable of making a big one too. Everette was the nation’s No. 33 overall player and No. 5 cornerback coming out of IMG Academy in the Class of 2022, and was identified as a potential impact player early in his time on campus by teammates.

“Last year, personally, I kind of pushed Daylen a little bit because I saw the greatness that he had when he came in,” defensive lineman Zion Logue said. “He’s fast, pretty long for a corner. He’s technique savvy. He’s a guy who wants to compete every rep, and I just told him ever since I seen him the first couple days of fall camp last year, ‘Just keep going. Keep working. Your time’s going to come.’ And it’s here now, and he’s gone out and showed it. He’s a hell of a player.”

Everette had to win a competition to make that time come. In the offseason after Kelee Ringo‘s departure to the NFL, Everette won out for the starting job over the likes of Nyland Green and Julian Humphrey. Both also were viewed highly in recruiting rankings, and in the case of Green, he had been on campus a year longer than Everette. According to Kirby Smart, it’s a competition that continues even into the season, meaning that not only must Everette perform well on Saturdays when everybody’s watching, but he’s got to be on his A-game every day at practice to keep his job.

“It was pretty tough,” Everette said about the offseason competition. “We got a good cornerback room and every body is competing. It’s just a tough room.”

Everette continues to grow, and his development is showing more with each and every opportunity there is to step on the field. Credit that to his continually improving confidence.

“If you don’t have confidence, you will never be a corner in this league. You better have some confidence. Whether you play well or not, you better have it because they’re going to keep coming at you, they’re going to challenge you,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said of Everette. “There’s great catchers and throwers. Throwers and catches in this league are elite so you’re going to have some plays that you won’t win, but you’ve got to believe that you’re going to win them all. I think he has a very quiet confidence about him. He’s a very intelligent young man and he works really hard.”

“I feel like it’s grown a lot and really because of the people I have around me that help me build my confidence,” Everette added. “If something goes wrong, they’re there to help me up – all the older guys. Definitely, Kamari [Lassiter], Tykee [Smith], Javon Bullard, like they all try to point me to the right direction. I really appreciate them for that because I try to take stuff that they take out of their game, I try to put into mine. That’s what helps me build my confidence.”

Also important for a cornerback is the next play mentality. As Smart said, there are going to be plays that you don’t win, but it’s important to believe that you’re going to win every one of them, regardless of what happened on the one before.

“Honestly, it’s just next play mentality. You can’t focus on a play that’s happened, good or bad,” Everette said. “You just got to worry about the next play because that will probably throw you off … Say something happens and if you keep dwelling on that, it could lead to worse plays. So I try to have that next play mentality.”

Everette will put that mentality and confidence to the test this Saturday against a Vanderbilt passing attack that features one of the SEC’s best. Will Sheppard is second in the league in touchdowns and top-10 in receiving yards with 35 catches, 550 yards and eight trips to the end zone. Jayden McGowan is another one that’s capable of making plays for the Commodores.

“I feel like we’re at a pretty good spot overall, but there’s always room for improvement,” Everette said about Georgia’s secondary at the halfway point of the regular season. “We try to get better week-by-week. Try to get more detailed in stuff we do.”

“They have a really good receiver corps,” he added, after his head coach had previously pointed out the speed of the group as something that stood out to him. “I’m really just excited for the challenge they’re bringing for us.”

Kickoff time in Nashville is set for 12:00 p.m. ET, 11:00 a.m. locally, on CBS. The Bulldogs are considered to be 31.5-point favorites according to VegasInsider and the several sportsbooks it aggregates.