Washington Football Team: Cole Luke has stolen the spotlight at training camp

Cornerback Cole Luke has impressed early in training camp. Who is he and what are his chances of making the final Washington Football Team roster?

Every single year, there always seems to be a player in training camp that catches everyone off guard. For the Washington Football Team, a player who has done well for himself in the first week plus of practices is cornerback Cole Luke.

Since being signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent following the 2017 NFL Draft, Cole Luke has struggled to earn a consistent roster spot in his brief professional career.

Now on his second stop since leaving Carolina, the former Notre Dame standout signed a two-year deal with Washington late in the 2020 season after being promoted from the practice squad due to injuries in the secondary.

Even though Luke is technically entering year five of his career, he has only played in 13 games and tallied four combined tackles. While not ideal in terms of sticking around, the Chandler, Arizona native does have functional traits that could be of use for the Washington Football Team moving forward.

Some players are naturally gifted with freakish size, speed, and strength. Standing at 5-foot-11 and weighing 200 pounds, Cole Luke is not physically imposing. Prior to the 2017 draft, Luke ran an underwhelming 4.64 40-yard dash at his pro day, and posted only 11 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.

Needless to say, he hasn’t gotten to where he is now with elite physical tools. However, he does offer solid on field awareness, positional versatility, and an undeniable mental and physical toughness.

The rugged defender has obviously had to excel in other areas to make it to year five. One trait Cole Luke has added to his game thus far in training camp is “playmaker.”

How about another!?

As seen from the perspective of both NBCS WFT Insider JP Finlay and Washington Post reporter Nicki Jhabvala, Luke is trying to force his way into the final roster. What are his chances of doing so?

Approximately seven weeks ago, I wrote a Washington Football Team post-minicamp 53-man roster prediction. Within this prediction, Cole Luke was not included on the final roster. In reality, immediate locks at the cornerback  position include Kendall Fuller, William Jackson III, Jimmy Moreland, and Benjamin St-Juste.

In this moment, it doesn’t seem that Luke will be chosen for the roster over other corners like Danny Johnson or Darryl Roberts. Injuries and potential special teams contributions will factor in, but the 26-year-old Luke also has to maximize his opportunities by continuing to make plays in preseason game action.

With the second week of training camp transitioning back to team headquarters in Ashburn, Va, the club will keep things moving to evaluate proper player fits, and to figure out who will be on the team for the Week 1 season opener. Luke, and other camp hopefuls, will continue their steep climb to find a permanent home with the burgundy and gold.

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