Washington Football Team: Defensive prospects to watch at Senior Bowl
By Ian Cummings
No. 5 – American Team DL Cameron Sample (Tulane)
“Wow Ian, you call yourself a draft expert, leading off with a defensive lineman?”
Chill, bro. I’m well aware of the Washington Football Team’s strength on the defensive line. But just as the draft allows teams to acquire top talent, it also allows them to prepare for the future and stock strong position groups with added depth and rotational ability. For Washington to sustain their dominance up front, that may be especially important.
Yes, Washington’s defensive front is strong. But Matt Ioannidis is coming off a season-ending injury. Jonathan Allen and Tim Settle are both up for new contracts next year. Daron Payne is due within the next two years, depending on his fifth-year option. Ioannidis is due after 2022.
It’s unlikely Washington pays all those guys, so it might be best to invest in a high-upside defensive lineman to groom for a couple years. Cameron Sample projects well into that role, both from a perspective of talent and price.
Defensive line was one of the positions I watched closely during Senior Bowl week. Sample was good throughout that three-day period, but on Thursday, he was dominant. He won almost every single one of his one-on-one reps, using a devastating combination of burst, energy, hand speed, and functional power at the point of attack.
Standing at 6-foot-3, 274 pounds, Sample is currently more of an edge-interior hybrid. But he’s built like a defensive lineman, with a dense frame and an 81-inch wingspan. He could easily pack on 5-10 more pounds, and in Round 4 or Round 5, he’d be an excellent addition for Washington with immense pass rushing upside, and the versatility to play at three-technique and on the edge. The cost is well worth the prospect of maintaining the team’s most important position group.
If you’re curious to know who else might be an affordable defensive line prospect, keep an eye on National Team DL Ta’Quon Graham, originally from Texas. He also flashed throughout the week with elite length and glimpses of burst.