Washington Football Team DB Benjamin St-Juste draws high praise

The Washington Football Team has concluded its first week of training camp. Rookie defender Benjamin St- Juste received high praise from his head coach already.

Rookie defensive back Benjamin St-Juste has only been a member of the Washington Football Team since being drafted at the end of April. The former third-round pick from Minnesota has seemingly made a name for himself already.

Per Matthew Paras of the Washington Times, Head Coach Ron Rivera mentioned that St-Juste reminded him a little of former NFL legend Charles “Peanut” Tillman. Tillman, who played for the Bears (2003-2014) and Panthers (2015), had Rivera as defensive coordinator in Chicago and head coach in Carolina.

Known for his patented “Peanut Punch,” Tillman was an outstanding cornerback for a number of highly-ranked defensive units. In his 13-year career, he created 82 total turnovers and scored nine non-offensive touchdowns.

Tillman was named All-Pro once, selected to two Pro Bowls, and was ranked No. 31 on a list of the100 greatest Chicago Bears of all time.

For Benjamin St-Juste, being compared to Peanut Tillman is absolutely high praise. Even so, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound lengthy corner has all the necessary tools to carve out a solid NFL career for himself.

When watching draft coverage, the phrase “checks all the boxes” is spoken frequently. This phrase tends to refer to a prospects’ height, weight, speed, attitude, and game knowledge. Benjamin St-Juste undoubtedly checks all the boxes for the Washington Football Team.

To this point in camp, St-Juste has been able to use his sizable frame to his advantage. Early on, as noted by The Athletic’s Rhiannon Walker, he has also been used as an outside corner opposite William Jackson III, with Kendall Fuller serving in the slot role.

No matter what role the 23-year old is picked for moving forward, his explosive potential is evident. It would be wise to believe that this player will likely have a larger role than originally expected in the coming season if he can keep it up.

In reality, the additions of Jackson and St-Juste should only improve the Washington secondary in 2021 and beyond.

Thankfully for St-Juste, the Washington Football Team has put together a receiving corps that will regularly challenge him and the rest of the defensive backs. Competition can create excellence, and Washington has slowly instituted a culture of competitive growth.

With the first game of preseason on the horizon, we will get our first real look at St-Juste and the rest of the 2021 draft class. Putting on the burgundy and gold for the first time in game action will be a proud moment for these rookies.

If Benjamin St-Juste has half the career that Charles “Peanut” Tillman had, then he will establish his own success story. Filling those shoes will be tough, but his coach looks to believe it’s not an impossible task.

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