Washington Redskins sign defensive back Kenny Ladler to futures deal

The Washington Redskins are loading up on young players with potential this offseason.

Over the course of the past few weeks, the Redskins have stocked up on training camp prospects, signing over a dozen total players to futures deals. Today, they added another name to the list: Defensive back Kenny Ladler.

Ladler, 6-foot-1, played college ball with the Vanderbilt Commodores. He made a consistent impact as a safety, earning All-SEC honors in his final season, logging 91 tackles, 9 pass deflections, and 5 interceptions.

Ladler’s outstanding production gained the attention of scouts in 2014, but his pedestrian athletic traits turned them away. Ladler ran a 4.70 40-yard dash, an effective death sentence for any collegiate safety’s hopes at getting drafted early. His strength, leadership, and production were his calling cards, but when it came down to draft day, Ladler wouldn’t be picked.

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He was, however, highly sought after following the draft, and the Buffalo Bills brought him aboard for training camp in 2014. He would start the season on the practice squad before being elevated in October, only to be placed on injured reserve that same month. He was released after the following preseason.

In recent years, Ladler has been making a name for himself as a linebacker in the CFL, playing for the Edmonton Eskimos. After his most recent season, he decided to try out his NFL prospects once more, and the Washington Redskins subsequently inked him to a deal.

Ladler brings a solid mentality to the Redskins’ locker room, and he also played high school football with Preston Smith. Furthermore, Ladler played linebacker in the CFL, and so there is a chance he could be valuable to the Washington Redskins as a hybrid player if they decide he has what it takes to stick around.

Next: Why Jarvis Landry shouldn't be on the 'Skins list

Ladler, 25, faces a steep climb upward from this point on, but two things he prides himself on are hard work and perseverance. His career arc thus far is a testament to exactly that. For now, Ladler will join a crowded defensive back room, with the hopes of latching on and carving out a role for himself on the biggest stage. Will he be up to the challenge? He has a chance. After all, they call it a ‘futures deal’ for a reason.