For newest Redskins draft pick Chase Young, the sky is the limit

Chase Young isn’t yet proven at the NFL. But the sky is the limit for the Redskins first-round draft pick.

Sometimes the safe move is the right move. Though some people fell in love with the speed of Isaiah Simmons or the glamor of a Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert, Chase Young was the pick. He was the pick from day one, and though I’m sure the Redskins did their due diligence, he was always going to be the pick.

Young comes into a very good situation. In Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio, he has defensive coaches who will get the best out of him. The switch to a 4-3 front suits him perfectly. Though I have no doubt he could thrive in a 3-4, he is a classic every-down 4-3 end.

Young will line up opposite Jonathan Allen, with a rotation of Daron Payne, Matt Ioannidis, and Tim Settle handling the interior. He can play on the same side as Montez Sweat, but will more often play opposite, with Ryan Kerrigan or one of the young guys behind him. Almost all these parts, with the exception of Payne and Settle, are interchangeable and I’m sure Del Rio is salivating as he devises schemes.

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Because he went second overall, and because he plays the recently christened “edge” position, it would be easy to think of Young as another Lavar Arrington. That would be a mistake. Arrington was a dynamic linebacker from Linebacker U. Young is a classic D end.

Arrington was asked to do things that linebackers have to do, like drop off into coverage while not blitzing, or plug holes against the run while the linemen tie up the front. That was a constant source of frustration for both Arrington and the fans, because he was best when he was moving forward.

That will not be the case with Chase Young. Though I assume Del Rio may occasionally deploy a zone blitz in which Young is asked to drop, he will be attacking almost every down. He will have to learn to not over-pursue on runs, as offensive coordinators always try to take advantage of aggressive young ends, but I don’t imagine it will take Young long to be a very solid edge setter against the run.

Young is bigger than Arrington. He has been compared to a lot of previous greats, and perhaps because of the No. 2 overall position, he will continue to be compared to Julius Peppers. Peppers had height and leverage that few defensive players have ever possessed, and I don’t see the comparison myself. The recent comparison I see is Terrell Suggs. If Young’s career mirrors that of T-Sizzle, this is a good pick.

But I think he ultimately soars higher. Young is bigger than Suggs. And though it is impossible to judge the undefinable “motor” that drove Suggs to his greatness, Young appears to have the drive and desire to dominate. Young’s size will allow him to carry a little more weight which has me thinking of Bruce Smith. (The Buffalo Bruce Smith – not the old stat-happy version we got in DC). Smith was always at his best when he weighed around 275, which seems like an ideal weight for Young as well.

Young has all the upside in the world. He is a more explosive version of Charles Mann. A steadier version of Dexter Manley. Of course, injuries can always derail a career. Anyone who remembers how good Courtney Brown (picked ahead of Lavar in 2000) looked in college should also remember that nothing is a sure thing. But Brown played for Cleveland, so, you know, he was really kind of doomed from the start. We have been struggling here – but we’re not Cleveland!

Barring injury, I see Young’s floor as being a player in the Dwight Freeney range. A more moderate landing spot would be comparable to Suggs or a Neil Smith, who were more complete players than Freeney. These are consistent Pro Bowlers who are borderline Hall of Famers. I don’t think you can ever assume a Hall of Fame career for a man who has never played a snap in the NFL.

But if we’re talking ceiling … well, then go as high as you want. If Simmons turns into the next evolution of Steve Atwater, or Henry Ruggs makes the Raiders forget about Tim Brown, maybe you’ll end saying the ‘Skins could have done better.

Next. Mocking Day 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft. dark

But I’ll ride with Chase. He’s far safer. And sometimes, the safe pick is the right one.

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