Three takeaways from Redskins 2019 rookie minicamp
By Ian Cummings
No. 3 – Montez Sweat’s physical attributes stand out amongst the crowd
He’s 6-foot-6, 260, and ran a 4.41 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. One could have safely assumed that Montez Sweat was going to stand out as a physical specimen at rookie minicamp, but this past week all but confirmed it.
Sweat drew rave reviews from Redskins head coach Jay Gruden, who spoke in awe of Sweat’s potential in a press conference on Saturday afternoon. Gruden, when prompted, spoke about Sweat’s unique combination of burst, length, and strength, a physical tool box that was put on display in workouts this weekend. Here’s what he had to say:
"I have no doubt that [Sweat] is gonna play a lot. Obviously, the skill set that he has is quite evident. You see his length, and then watch him run after practice, and he’s faster than anyone we have right now, honestly. He’s got great length, great speed. Now it’s just a matter of transitioning him into the defense, both base and sub fronts, so we’ll see how he does. Definitely impressed with him and the athletic body of work. Now it’s just a matter of getting him along mentally."
Sweat is a better athlete than Preston Smith was coming out, and he offers a similar blend of length and power at the point of attack, giving him very high heights, in terms of developmental potential. On the end of a defensive front that boasts exciting rushing talents like Matt Ioannidis, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, and Ryan Kerrigan, Sweat could find an avenue to produce sooner rather than later. His traits stand out amongst other rookies, and they could give him an edge early and often.