Redskins OLB Montez Sweat a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate

The Redskins have a rookie defensive end who could be in the mix for a national award come January.

When the Washington Redskins traded back into the first round at pick No. 26 of the 2019 NFL Draft, many Redskins fans took a sigh of relief after the Redskins took Dwayne Haskins earlier in the round at No. 15 overall. After the loss of edge rusher Preston Smith in free agency to the Green Bay Packers for a reported four-year $52 million deal, the team needed a presence coming off the edge opposite of last year’s sack leader and defensive stalwart Ryan Kerrigan.

The player they selected to take on that role at pick No. 26 was none other than prized pass rusher Montez Sweat, who ended up falling in the draft due to a possible heart condition that was later determined by Redskins team doctors to be a non-issue. Coaches were reportedly clamoring for this pick, as the Redskins defense struggled again in getting consistent pressure from their edge rushers in the 2018 season.

Montez Sweat was projected to go much higher in the draft, due to his size, speed, and uncanny athletic ability. Sweat is a freak of nature athletically, as his 40-yard dash at the combine was a 4.41, and to top that, he had a 36.0 inch vertical. He has unprecedented speed and explosion with his massive frame at 6-foot-6, 260.

JP Finlay, Redskins insider for NBCS Washington, noted that Sweat has the sixth best odds for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

While Sweat will face a tough set of competitors in his quest for this award, he should be more than formidable against this high level of competition. Some of the favorites for the award include second overall pick Nick Bosa from Ohio State, edge rusher Josh Allen from Kentucky (not the Bills’ young athletic quarterback of the same name), and linebacker Devin White from LSU.  One thing for certain is that Sweat will receive the reps on the field to attain the stats needed to acquire this award.

While the Redskins have tried to piece together an effective pass rush, behind Kerrigan and Sweat are members of the team with a lot to prove. These players include linebacker and goal line fullback Ryan Anderson, who has failed to live up to his second-round draft status in 2017, rookie Jordan Brailford, who was drafted this past year along with Sweat, and Cassanova McKinzy, who showed favorably when the Redskins faced off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before being injured and put on injured reserve during the season.

Being the sixth favorite for the DROY award may be daunting, but Montez Sweat has already proved the doubters wrong, and the upcoming training camp will be his time to show he’s up for the challenge.