Redskins: Five pleasant surprises halfway through the 2019 season
By Ian Cummings
No. 4 – Cole Holcomb producing early as a starter
In truth, it’s been an up and down season for Cole Holcomb as one of the Redskins two starting inside linebackers. He’s had good moments and bad, but any time a fifth-round rookie starts seven of his first eight career NFL games, there’s something to be excited about.
When Holcomb was drafted by the Redskins in Round 5 of the 2019 NFL Draft, he was a relative unknown. In college, he’d played for a North Carolina team that bottomed out in his final season, and despite his substantial game experience and production, he was not invited to the NFL Combine.
That said, Holcomb’s pro day numbers spoke of a good to great athlete, who could develop into a key player in the NFL if he landed in the right spot. Time will tell if the Redskins coaches can unlock Holcomb’s full potential, but he’s off to a very good start on his own.
As of now, Holcomb is third on the team in tackles with 55 total takedowns in eight games. He has three tackles for loss to go with that, as well as two forced fumbles, both of which were recovered by the defense.
It’s not as if Holcomb has simply been taking empty reps. The rookie is forcing turnovers and completing tackles, and he’s doing particularly well against the run. Per Pro Football Focus, he has the fifth-best run stop percentage among NFL linebackers at 11.8 percent. Against the pass, Holcomb has been less instinctive, and his flaws have been more apparent. But he clearly has the tools to be successful, and in time, he can continue to mold his game.