Washington Football Team: Five players to watch in Week 2 vs. ARI
By Ian Cummings
No. 5 – S Kamren Curl
The biggest question surrounding Kamren Curl after his selection by the Washington Football Team was whether or not he could play with a faster pace than what he displayed at the University of Arkansas.
Curl’s athletic measurements — a 34.5-inch vertical and a 125-inch broad jump supplementing a 4.60 40-yard dash — told of an athlete who was fairly explosive in open field, but not in the upper echelon when it came to speed.
Curl’s college tape only exacerbated the questions surrounding his speed, as Curl frequently found himself on the losing end of footraces. But on Sunday, he boasted more urgency and timeliness in his role. Perhaps it was how the Washington Football Team used him that helped, but regardless, Curl logged two tackles for loss in his career debut, including a key screen stop in the fourth quarter.
Curl, a seventh-round pick, has carved out a potential role for himself far earlier than expected, and while he shouldn’t take single-high or two-deep looks from Troy Apke just yet, he could have a niche as a big slot defender or a third safety, who can linger around the box and navigate through congestion to make plays.
With one-man weapon Kyler Murray coming around the corner, having an undercover box man like Curl, who’s instinctive and explosive, could wind up being of substantial benefit to the defense.