Assessing Redskins first-round options: Ohio State EDGE Chase Young
By Ian Cummings
How Chase Young fits the Redskins
As mentioned in the previous slide, Chase Young is a very good fit for the Redskins, especially now that they’re switching to a 4-3 base defense under Jack Del Rio. He would’ve been good in a 3-4 scheme anyway, but the more snaps he puts his hand in the dirt as a pass rusher, the better.
The 4-3 scheme is more reliant on the talent of the defensive front to generate organic pressure in passing situations. That’s the name of the game for Chase Young. He has an unbreakable habit of pressuring the quarterback and disturbing the pocket cushion on his own, and he still has growth potential, through which he can become even more productive and self-sufficient.
On a Redskins defense with a good amount of pass rushing talent on the line, teams will have to pick and choose who to focus on. Young drew a lot of double teams and chips in college, but in the NFL, double-teaming Young might mean letting Matt Ioannidis or Daron Payne have a 1-on-1 opportunity. It might mean allowing Montez Sweat with an interior lane, due to the line’s imbalance.
If Young joins the Redskins, there’s potentially too much talent for offenses to deal with, provided that Rivera’s staff can coach up the players currently on the roster. Nothing’s a sure thing, but the presence of Young would insulate the pass rush unit with outrageous potential, and it would play right into what Ron Rivera is trying to do on defense as the Redskins new head coach.
With Ryan Kerrigan set to be 32 years old, the Redskins are in prime position to select his replacement. But is this mix of need and talent enough to seal the deal?