Expectations weren’t that high for rookie offensive tackle Trey Pipkins going into Year 1. After being announced as the third-round selection in this year’s draft, general manager Tom Telesco said that Pipkins is a project, but there’s plenty of upside.
Through the first few practices, Pipkins has certainly been showing that upside early on. Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt said that the former Sioux Falls product has been stout in one-on-one pass rush drills.
“He’s a rookie, so you don’t know that yet. But certainly as we progress, get him in games and see him go against other guys and other teams, I think we’re going to be really happy with what we’ve got”
Coming out of college, Pipkins showed the athletic movement skills and length to shut down edge rushers. The only knock on him was that there was plenty of room for him to get stronger.
It’s only practices, but it’s promising to hear the player that had many scratching their heads when the pick was announced, is adapting to the professional level after only facing strictly small-school talent, coming from a Division 2 school.
Should Pipkins earn a starting job at some point this season remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t come as a surprise.
There’s a big question mark hovering over the offensive tackle position at the moment. With Russell Okung’s medical status, there’s a chance that his absence can roll into the regular season, leaving Sam Tevi and Trent Scott as the probable starters.
Thus far, Scott has struggled with the first-team and it’s uncertain if Tevi will be able to bounce back from his poor sophomore season. This leaves them in a position where if one struggles then they need to consider Pipkins with the 1’s.
It might be rushing their development with Pipkins, but he’d be their only other option to boast a formidable line.
