There has been a ton of hype for Washington Redskins’ first-round draft pick Chase Young, and the rookie hasn’t even put on a pair of team-sanctioned pads yet.
However, that hype is justified, seeing as Young was the undisputed most intriguing player coming out of the 2020 draft class, and many believe that he can start what will be a Hall of Fame season this year in Washington.
But how much success should we expect right off the bat? For Jim Nagy, who is the executive director of the Senior Bowl, he told The Athletic that it’s not too optimistic to think he can have a significant impact right away.
“You’ve got Jonathan Allen, (Daron Payne and Matt Ioannidis) inside with Montez Sweat, who should make a big jump going into Year 2. … Chase Young is going to get freed up. It’s going to be so liberating for him. … He’s going to face tons of single blocks. To think he could get double-digit sacks as a rookie I think is realistic.
For reference, Jevon Kearse holds the NFL record for most sacks by a rookie at 14, which he did in 1999. Last year, Nick Bosa finished his rookie campaign with 9 total. Is it realistic to think that Young could surpass both of them? It’s not totally out of the question…
“That’s where some pass rushers struggle making the (college-to-pro) transition. They need to get stronger to play at the next level. To me, that was the first thing that jumped off the tape with Chase, just how powerful he is, and it shows up in all phases,” Nagy said. “I think that’s what gives him a chance to come in and play right away. He’s got an NFL body already — NFL strength, power, and explosion — which makes him really difficult to block and why I think he’ll transition pretty quickly.”
