Drew Sample, by far the Cincinnati Bengals’ most polarizing draft pick this year, continues to change the narrative by doing one simple thing: playing well on the field.
Sample earned some rave reviews coming out of rookie minicamp and to start OTAs, he might have done something even better: catch the eye of A.J. Green.
Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com noted Sample is one of many young guys benefitting from Zac Taylor’s approach, which Green was quick to point out:
Not only did Williams run with the ones, but second-rounder Drew Sample got enough snaps for wide receiver A.J. Green himself to observe, “The young tight end looked real good today.”
Sample was always going to get plenty of run with Tyler Eifert and Mason Schreck still working their way back from injury.
Whether Sample would capitalize on the chance was a different conversation. But Taylor and his staff liked the Washington product enough to make him a second-round pick after trading down, which earned them a hefty dose of criticism because Sample was mostly viewed as a blocking-first candidate.
From the sounds of it, Sample is already making everyone pay attention by living up to some of the belief Taylor had in him. All of the comments coming out of OTAs so far refer to Sample’s impressive catches in drills.
And when A.J. Green speaks on pretty much anything, it would be wise to listen.
