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Why it’s fine to be skeptical of Trey Quinn in his first season with the Redskins

By Jacob Camenker

OXFORD, MS - NOVEMBER 21: Trey Quinn #8 of the LSU Tigers is brought down by Mike Hilton #38 of the Mississippi Rebels during the first quarter of a game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 21, 2015 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS - NOVEMBER 21: Trey Quinn #8 of the LSU Tigers is brought down by Mike Hilton #38 of the Mississippi Rebels during the first quarter of a game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 21, 2015 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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Trey Quinn has received a lot of hype after being selected by the Washington Redskins. However, it’s fair to be skeptical of whether or not he will actually live up to the hype.

Since the 2018 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins picks have gotten a lot of hype. As predicted, second-round running back Derrius Guice has emerged as a fan favorite, and many fans have praised the other picks of the Redskins as well. However, since being selected, no player has gotten more hype from the fan base than this year’s Mr. Irrelevant, Trey Quinn.

It’s easy to see why people like Quinn. He’s coming off an excellent season at SMU in which he paced the NCAA in receptions with 114 catches. Along with those catches, he produced 1,236 yards and 13 touchdowns and gave the Mustangs a competent target across from Courtland Sutton.

Quinn was able to use precise route running to separate from opposing defensive backs, and he used his solid athleticism to make a lot of plays. He figures to be a contributor at the NFL level as well. However, he may not exactly live up to all the hype that he’s gotten so far.

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For the past few weeks, Redskins fans have been hyping up Quinn to epic proportions. While the talks of him being the GOAT and being a shoo-in Hall of Famer are obviously facetious, they are rooted in the fact that Quinn is expected to produce right away. And while it’s possible that he will do that, it’s unlikely that he will play a major role during his first season with the team.

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The depth positions are up for grabs in the Redskins receiving corps, and it is possible, if not, likely, that Quinn will make the 53-man roster. Still, he will certainly be behind Paul Richardson, Josh Doctson, and Jamison Crowder and in addition to that trio, he will have to battle for playing time with Brian Quick, Robert Davis, Maurice Harris, and Simmie Cobbs. Not all will make the roster, but those that do will push Quinn for snaps.

At the best, it seems possible that Quinn will end up being the team’s No. 4 receiver. And for a player who ended up being the last pick in the draft, that would be huge. But still, in that role, Quinn figures to play probably 25-40 percent of the offensive snaps depending on the effectiveness of the players in front of him and injuries as well. This projection is based on the snap counts allotted to Ryan Grant, who had served as the de facto No. 4 receiver for the better part of the past four years.

It’s also possible that Quinn may not end up being ready for that big of a role. A veteran like Quick or Davis could serve as the primary backup while giving Quinn time to learn as a developmental backup. That would limit his snap count and productivity, and it’s reasonable to expect that may happen during his rookie season.

I think that our own Matt Valdovinos hit the nail on the head when projecting Quinn’s potential stats as a rookie. Getting 20 catches and 280 yards would be excellent for Quinn, as that would ensure that he had earned the No. 4 receiver role and would become a vital part of the offense.

As it stands, I don’t think that Quinn is quite ready for a huge role in the receiving corps. He could be a starter down the line in 2019 or 2020, but he needs to prove that he can be productive in the NFL. Keep in mind that while he had a huge season at SMU, he’s still just a one-year wonder who needs to prove himself.

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For these reasons, it’s okay to be skeptical of Quinn. He may not turn out to be the excellent player that he’s being hyped as. It’s possible that he might just be a role player. But even if he develops into that, he will be well worth his draft billing. And if he becomes the team’s replacement for Grant, that would be a huge win for Jay Gruden and company.

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