The Washington Football Team boasts one of the best defensive fronts in the league and while they’re equipped to wreak havoc, they know it won’t be an easy task to get in the face of quarterback Justin Herbert with a newly revamped offensive line that features tackle Rashawn Slater.
Slater will line up across from a familiar face that defined him as a college prospect and solidified him as a first rounder, with that being edge defender Chase Young, the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year.
When Northwestern played Ohio State back in 2019, it was Slater who got the better of Young. Young remembers their battle and knows what the rookie brings to the table.
“He has real good feet, strong hands, you know their whole O-line is looking pretty good. So, you know as a D-line we are excited to get after them,” Young said about Slater and the rest of the line.
Washington did their homework on Slater, as the team was in need of a tackle heading into the draft, and head coach Ron Rivera liked what he saw on film.
“We thought he was very athletic. We really did. I believe he took the year off last year, but he’s a very athletic football player. He’s got good strength, good quickness. His foot work is exceptional. He’s got long arms. I think he’s a guy that if he gets his hands on you, he can control you,” Rivera said.
The matchup between the two will be one of the biggest storylines and even though it was the Slater who stymied Young then, the 22-year old believes that they have grown as players in the past two years, which is why the battle on Sunday will be more telling.
