Pats Pulpit
Previewing the Patriots cornerback heading into his second season in New England.
The New England Patriots’ cornerback group underwent some change this offseason, but a significant portion of the depth chart will look the same as it did in 2024. One part of the group then as now is second-year man D.J. James.
Name: D.J. James
Position: Cornerback
Jersey number: 30 (b)
Opening day age: 24 (3/5/2001)
Measurements: 5’11 5/8”, 184 lbs, 72 3/8” wingspan, 31” arm length, 8 3/8” hand size, 4.42s 40-yard dash, 7.28s 3-cone drill, 4.41s short shuttle, 38” vertical jump, 10’6” broad jump, 5.82 Relative Athletic Score
NFL: Seattle Seahawks (2024), New England Patriots (2024-) | College: Oregon (2019-21), Auburn (2022-23)
Coming out of Spanish For High School in Spanish Fort, AL, James garnered considerable interest as a three-star recruit. He initially committed to Mississippi State over offers from Alabama, Tennessee and Florida, among others, but eventually decided to change course and head to Oregon. He ended up spending three seasons with the Ducks, wearing the No. 0 jersey that later went to future Patriots first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez. That jersey on James’ shoulders saw action in 32 games and was on the receiving end of two interceptions.
During his third year in Eugene, James decided to enter the transfer portal. He later moved to Auburn, where he spent the final two years of his college career and added 24 more games as well as three interceptions — including one pick-six — to his résumé. He also was named second-team All-SEC during his 2022 redshirt junior campaign.
James ended up getting selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Seahawks.
Strengths: James is a fluid mover who accelerates quickly out of his stance and complements his explosiveness with good straight-line speed and change of direction. In man coverage, he is competitive throughout the stem of the route; he patiently keeps his hips square and can match patterns in the open field. He also has shown a feel for undercutting routes or taking advantage of sloppy technique by his opponents. He is a competitive at the catch point and a naturally versatile and physical player; James can be a factor against the pass and the run, and both split out wide and in the slot.
Weaknesses: James has solid speed and a feisty demeanor, but his lack of size, length and play strength is a limiting factor. He has a hard time getting off blocks in the run game, and is hit and miss when it comes to getting into receivers’ chests in press man. His generally aggressive play style also tends to work against him at times, resulting in questionable angles or missed tackles as well as a loss of leverage against subtle fakes from receivers.
Stats: 0 games
Season recap: One of two Auburn cornerbacks drafted by the Seahawks, James entered the NFL as the 192nd overall selection in...
