Despite mid-round status, Montae Nicholson is no roster lock

By Ian Cummings | May 17, 2017

Nov 19, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans safety Montae Nicholson (9) reacts to a play during the first half of a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

Fringe players aren’t normally associated with the 4th-round of the NFL draft. But Montae Nicholson, one of the Redskins’ 2017 4th-rounders, is no guarantee to make the final roster.

There’s no denying the fact that Montae Nicholson has NFL traits. He stands at 6-foot-2, possessing very good length for the safety position. Couple this with his athleticism, and you have a likely contributor at the professional level.

But the most important part of scouting is, by far, watching the tape. The tape shows not only if the player was successful in college, but also how they were successful. And it allows scouts to assess whether that player’s skills and strengths translate to the next level. Nicholson’s tape was rather unspectacular. By his tape alone, there’s no guarantee he would have been drafted.

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But Nicholson is a traits prospect, and at safety, his pick was of value to the Redskins, who need some natural talent at the position. He certainly has the size to succeed, and his athleticism will only help him. But one trait Nicholson lacked in his collegiate career was consistency. And at the NFL level, consistency is the name of the game.

Nicholson came into rookie minicamp with a lingering injury. While he could be back on the field by training camp, being on the sidelines thus far doesn’t help his cause. He’s already off to a slow start. If he can’t catch on quick and apply his physical traits to make an impact, his destination come September could be the practice squad.

It also hurts his case that his career has been flush with injuries and inconsistency. So, these issues are nothing new. In a muddled secondary, he’ll have to work harder than he ever has to distinguish himself.

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The depth chart at safety is very unclear. D.J. Swearinger and Su’a Cravens are sure starters, but behind them, anything goes. Come preseason, Nicholson, the Redskins’ fourth-round pick, could be the odd man out. He’s an intriguing traits prospect. But injuries and inconsistency are two traits the Redskins can’t afford to have.

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