As the newest crop of Washington Redskins start their first full week in the NFL, many are getting familiar with their teammates and coaches, doing what they can to start their journey in the league and working to get better.
For Chase Young, who the Redskins drafted with the second overall pick, he spent the start of his Monday afternoon by hopping on a video call with local media members, laying out his plans for the upcoming months, and detailing how he can get better with Washington. He also delved into some aspirations he has and talked about what it means to play in front of his home town. Here are our five biggest takeaways from the press conference.
Aspirations and Confidence are High
Young started the interview out with a bang, saying that the NFL player that he compares himself to the most is former Carolina Panthers defensive end, Julius Peppers. This is a bold comparison, as Peppers is one of the best DEs to ever play in the NFL, but it’s not the first time a line between the two has been drawn. Throughout the pre-draft scouting process, many said that Young has Peppers-like tendencies, and his ability to get off the ball and make the first move around the opposing lineman will set him up for success right away.
This also seems like a great time to mention that the coach that helped turn Peppers into the dominant player that he was in Carolina is Jack Del Rio, who just happens to be the new defensive coordinator in Washington. The pieces are almost too perfect to be a coincidence.
Chase Young Not Yet in Final Form
So you’re telling me that Chase Young might not be done growing? That thought alone should instill a bit of fear in 31 other NFL franchises. He already stands at 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, and it’s not crazy to think that he will bulk up and add another 10 pounds over the next year or two. However, if he can add an inch or two to his height? Man, that’s just unfair.
On top of his physical size, Young admitted that there are several things in his game that can be refined and perfected. Whether it’s his hand-placement pre-snap or his first step, Chase seems hungry to get better and continue to grow at the next level.
An Eagerness to Learn is Prevalent
Getting drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft is a huge success that marks the most important achievement in almost any person’s life. Now that it’s over, Chase Young is ready to get back to work.
While he admits that he took one day off after getting drafted, Young says that he went over to fellow teammate Jonathan Allen’s house this weekend to meet the “leader of the defense” and get to know his new brother. He plans to do the same with the rest of his defensive teammates as well.
On top of familiarizing himself with his new locker room, Young has also shown a propensity to dive into game tape and pick apart what others do that make them successful. He’s broke down film of the Bosa brothers, his fellow Ohio State alums, as well as Khalil Mack, who is arguably the best defensive player in the NFL.
Playing in Hometown is Important
As is the case with many players who end up coming to D.C., Young will now get the chance to play in front of his hometown. This seemed really important to him, noting that his family is just a 20-minute drive away from FedEx Field, and he knows that they will be in attendance at every home game. He also noted that it will be nice to celebrate every victory with a family cookout afterward. Nothing beats a ‘W’ like some good old-fashioned home cooking.
Another point made by Young here stood out to me quite a bit — he referenced how crucial it was to set boundaries and keep his circle tight. Coming back to the place where he grew up, Young knows that there are going to be people popping out of the woodworks, asking for financial help now that he is set to become a multi-millionaire in the NFL. It’s never fun to turn people away, but boundaries are important to have, and Chase seems to know that.
Maturity is Not an Issue
This isn’t so much about any one thing that Chase Young said during the interview, but a feeling that was given off as a whole. We’ve only had a couple of chances to talk to him, but Young seems to have an extremely level head, and he’s aware of the challenges and successes that are ahead of him. While he is a dominant player on the field, the Redskins can feel comfortable that he is very self-aware off of it, and they likely won’t need to worry about him getting his nose into anything that’s going to hurt his career. All in all, this addition of Chase Young to the team is going to do wonders for the franchise as a whole.
