Isaac Yiadom Bio
Isaac Yiadom is an American professional football cornerback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). A graduate of Doherty Memorial High School in Worcester, Massachusetts, he played college football for the Boston College Eagles. The Denver Broncos selected him in the third round (99th overall) of the 2018 NFL draft, and he has also played for the New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, and San Francisco 49ers.
Across seven professional seasons, Yiadom has appeared in games for seven different NFL franchises. He has recorded 230 total tackles, three interceptions, and 32 pass deflections in his NFL career. Yiadom signed a three-year contract worth $9 million with the Saints in March 2025, returning to the franchise for a second stint.
Early Life and Background
Isaac Yiadom was born in Alexandria, Virginia, on February 20, 1996, to Ghanaian immigrant parents. His family relocated to Worcester, Massachusetts, during his childhood, where he attended Doherty Memorial High School. At Doherty Memorial, Yiadom played football as a cornerback and helped lead the team to a Massachusetts 4A state championship as a senior. That title marked the first state championship for the program in more than 30 years.
College scouts noticed Yiadom’s performance at Doherty Memorial, and he earned a scholarship to Boston College as a three-star cornerback recruit. He chose Boston College over offers from Bryant, Holy Cross, UConn, UMass, and Virginia Tech. His high school success and recruiting status set the foundation for a college football career that would eventually lead him to the NFL.
Path to the NFL
Yiadom played college football for Boston College from 2014 through 2017. He appeared in 48 total games with 28 starts across four seasons and finished his college career with 110 tackles, three interceptions, one forced fumble, and 24 passes defended. During his senior year in 2017, he started all 13 games and recorded 53 tackles, two interceptions, and seven passes defended. His strong senior campaign earned him an invitation to the 2018 Senior Bowl, alongside Boston College teammates Harold Landry and Kamrin Moore.
Yiadom accepted his Senior Bowl invitation on December 18, 2017. Before the Senior Bowl, DraftScout.com ranked him as the 47th best cornerback prospect in the 2018 draft class, and his relatively low volume of targets at Boston College meant he flew somewhat under the radar. He impressed scouts and analysts during Senior Bowl practices and significantly improved his draft stock. He played in the 2018 Reese’s Senior Bowl on January 27, 2018, as part of Denver Broncos head coach Vance Joseph’s South team.
Yiadom attended the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and performed the majority of the combine drills, though he skipped the vertical jump and three-cone drill. At Boston College’s pro day on March 21, 2018, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds and completed the three-cone drill in 6.85 seconds, among other drills. NFL draft experts and scouts projected him as a third or fourth-round pick after the pre-draft process, with DraftScout.com ranking him the 12th best cornerback and Scouts Inc. ranking him the 15th best cornerback.
Isaac Yiadom Career
College Career (2014–2017)
Yiadom played in 48 games with 28 starts over four seasons at Boston College. He finished his college career with 110 total tackles, three interceptions, one forced fumble, and 24 passes defended. He started all 13 games as a senior in 2017 and recorded 53 tackles, two interceptions, and seven passes defended that season. His senior-year performance earned him a spot in the 2018 Senior Bowl.
Yiadom graduated from Boston College with a bachelor’s degree in communications. He was invited to the 2018 Senior Bowl alongside Boston College teammates Harold Landry and Kamrin Moore. At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, he was projected as a third or fourth-round pick and ranked among the top 15 cornerback prospects in the 2018 NFL draft by major scouting services.
Denver Broncos Era (2018–2019)
The Denver Broncos selected Yiadom in the third round (99th overall pick) of the 2018 NFL draft. He was the 11th cornerback drafted that year. On May 25, 2018, the Broncos signed Yiadom to a four-year contract worth $3.32 million that included a signing bonus of $761,516. He began his NFL career in Denver and played all 16 games as a rookie in 2018, making five starts and contributing on defense and special teams.
Yiadom appeared in 13 games with five starts for the Broncos in 2019. Across two seasons in Denver, he played in 29 total games and started 10. The Broncos traded Yiadom to the New York Giants on September 3, 2020, in exchange for a 2021 seventh-round draft pick. The trade opened a new chapter in his career and gave him an opportunity to compete for a starting role with a new franchise.
New York Giants Era (2020)
Yiadom started 10 games at cornerback for the New York Giants during the 2020 season. He appeared in all 17 games for the Giants in his only season with the franchise. His experience and starting role in New York gave him a full season of defensive snaps at the NFL level before the Giants moved on following the year.
Green Bay Packers Era (2021)
The New York Giants traded Yiadom to the Green Bay Packers for cornerback Josh Jackson on August 17, 2021. Yiadom started at cornerback for the Packers in Week 6 against the Chicago Bears following injuries to starting cornerbacks Kevin King and Jaire Alexander. He committed a pass interference penalty on the opening drive of that game, which set up a Bears touchdown. Yiadom was subsequently benched for backup cornerback Rasul Douglas, who performed more consistently and won the starting cornerback job. Yiadom was relegated to a backup and special teams role for the remainder of his time with the Packers.
On November 3, 2021, Yiadom was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. He was activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list on November 13, 2021. On January 21, 2022, the Packers released Yiadom along with Jack Heflin to open roster spaces for the returns of Za’Darius Smith and Whitney Mercilus from injured reserve ahead of the divisional playoff game. His tenure in Green Bay lasted just over five months.
Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints First Stint (2022–2023)
Yiadom signed with the Houston Texans on March 24, 2022. He was released during final roster cuts on August 30, 2022, and was waived on November 15, 2022, without appearing in a regular-season game for the Texans. On November 17, 2022, Yiadom signed to the practice squad of the New Orleans Saints. He was promoted to the active roster on December 5, 2022. Yiadom re-signed with the Saints on March 23, 2023.
San Francisco 49ers Era (2024)
On March 18, 2024, Yiadom signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers. He appeared in all 17 games for San Francisco in 2024, including five starts. He recorded one interception, six pass deflections, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and 46 combined tackles in his lone season with the 49ers. After the season concluded, Yiadom entered free agency and remained unsigned until March 2025.
New Orleans Saints Era (2025–Present)
Yiadom signed a three-year, $9 million contract with the New Orleans Saints on March 13, 2025, marking his return to the franchise. His first stint with the Saints lasted from November 2022 through the end of the 2023 season, and this second stint begins a new chapter in his NFL career. Yiadom will compete for cornerback playing time during the 2025 season and brings eight years of NFL experience across seven different franchises to the Saints secondary.
Playing Style and Strengths
Yiadom plays cornerback at 185 centimeters and 85 kilograms. He has demonstrated the ability to play both boundary and slot cornerback positions throughout his career. His experience across multiple defensive schemes and his consistent special teams contributions make him a versatile depth option for the Saints. Yiadom finished his 2024 season with San Francisco with 46 combined tackles, one interception, six pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.
Notable Events and Milestones
Yiadom recorded a career-high 46 combined tackles during the 2024 season with the San Francisco 49ers. He participated in the 2018 Reese’s Senior Bowl and was selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft, where he was the 11th cornerback chosen. Yiadom helped lead Doherty Memorial High School to its first Massachusetts 4A state championship in over 30 years during his senior year of high school.
Isaac Yiadom Career Statistics
Yiadom has recorded 230 total tackles, three interceptions, and 32 pass deflections across his NFL career. He has appeared in games for seven different franchises since being drafted in 2018. His most productive single season came in 2024 with the San Francisco 49ers, when he recorded 46 combined tackles, one interception, and six pass deflections over 17 games.
NFL Career Highlights
Yiadom has recorded 230 total tackles, 0.5 sacks, 32 pass deflections, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries across his NFL career through the 2024 season. He appeared in 17 games for the San Francisco 49ers in 2024 with five starts, registering 46 combined tackles, one interception, six pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. Yiadom also appeared in the playoffs with both the Green Bay Packers in 2021 and the San Francisco 49ers in 2024.
Other Performances
At Boston College, Yiadom finished his college career with 110 tackles, three interceptions, and 24 passes defended in 48 games. He has made seven NFL regular-season roster appearances across stints with seven different franchises from 2018 through 2024, and he contributed on special teams units throughout his early career with the Denver Broncos and New York Giants.
Isaac Yiadom Family
Family Background
Yiadom is the son of Ghanaian immigrants and has used the NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats initiative to support Pencils of Promise, a nonprofit organization that provides resources to improve educational opportunities in Ghana. He has a younger brother named Paul, who played linebacker for Central Connecticut. His family’s Ghanaian heritage has been an important part of his personal identity and his approach to giving back.
Personal Life
Yiadom graduated from Boston College with a bachelor’s degree in communications. He is engaged to Savannah Montano. Yiadom has kept most details of his personal life private while focusing on his professional football career across multiple NFL franchises.
2025 Season Outlook
Yiadom entered the 2025 NFL season on a three-year contract with the New Orleans Saints worth $9 million. The deal runs through the 2028 season and carries a salary of $9 million for the 2025 campaign. Yiadom will compete for a cornerback role with the Saints secondary during training camp and the regular season. His eight years of NFL experience across seven franchises, combined with his special teams versatility, positions him as a valuable depth option for the Saints defense in 2025.