Washington Football Team: Sam Cosmi silences critics in preseason debut
In his first action in the NFL, rookie offensive tackle Sam Cosmi impressed for the Washington Football Team. The second-round pick topped our list of players to watch on Thursday and he did not disappoint.
After a rather rough start to training camp, Cosmi steadily improved as the weeks waned on. In fact, both Chase Young and Montez Sweat spoke about how much they’ve been enjoying competing against the former Texas Longhorn at practice.
Once the pads came on, Cosmi clearly flipped a switch and hit a new gear. And under the bright lights for his preseason debut, he mailed in an admirable performance.
Cosmi’s athleticism is clear and his technique is considerably improved from what he showed in college. The 22-year-old still has room to grow, as any rookie does, but he still showed a solid baseline of play in his first game. And considering he was blocking multiple formidable defenders on an always sound New England defense, that is a good sign.
According to PFF, Cosmi had a really good game as well. They gave him a grade of 81.8, which translates, to a “quality starter.” So yeah, this is a good foot to start out on for Cosmi.
https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1426189339332067333
Sam Cosmi looked the part in his preseason debut for the Football Team.
In pass protection, Cosmi showed a solid anchor. On most of his pass sets, he was left on an island with no running back help, and he held up well. His hands were quick and well placed.
The Texas product’s slide was quick and explosive, as he never was outright beat across the edge, though he did get away with a false start that the refs missed.
When Cosmi was initially beaten on plays, he showed the ability to reset both his feet and hands and re-establish control. Very few rookies so that much composure in Week 1 of preseason.
When asked about how Cosmi played in his press conference on Friday, head coach Ron Rivera says he was impressed with how he communicated. The rookie was in sync with his fellow offensive linemen, which allowed him to be adept at handling stunts.
This also probably explains the clear poise he showed in his first-ever action in the NFL. He was clearly prepared, and he clearly understood his assignments.
Sam Cosmi does an excellent job working outside-in on this stunt. Identifies the outside threat looping inside so he picks up the IDL and completely changed his trajectory. Grown man strength. pic.twitter.com/3rcN6LxryZ
— Matt Valdovinos (@MVScouting) August 14, 2021
At times, Cosmi shows a poor technique flaw where he tries to throw his body into the opposing defender, instead of quickly getting his hands up. On a few plays, his pad level got too high and he was pushed farther back into the pocket.
Cosmi still showed room for improvement in pass protection, but he had multiple very solid reps in that regard. And most importantly, he allowed zero sacks or pressures. Keeping the quarterback clean is the name of the game, and Cosmi did exactly that.
The young tackle was most impressive in the run game. His foot speed was evident, as he got to the second level with ease. And when he locks on with his defender, his play strength was clear as he supplanted multiple defenders into the ground.
According to PFF, Cosmi posted a 92.4 run-blocking grade. On PFF’s grading scale, that’s an elite score. Cosmi was the definition of a road-grading offensive tackle on Thursday Night.
https://twitter.com/PFF_Washington/status/1426181638141222915
Positioned next to Brandon Scherff, one of the best run blockers in the NFL, Cosmi could help form a very potent right side of the line in regards to run blocking.
In his first year in the NFL, run blocking will probably be where Cosmi is most consistent. His elite foot speed and adequate strength are tools that usually lead to a solid run blocker. And his inconsistent technique in pass protection will most likely be exploited at times against very talented pass rushers.
However, Cosmi provided a glimpse into what Washington fans should expect him to be in year one. It is clear the coaching staff has confidence in their 2021 second-round draft pick and he seems well on his way to starting in week one.
And the exciting thing with Cosmi is that his athletic profile points to a player with a high ceiling. Cosmi will only continue to get better and he is someone Washington fans should certainly be excited about.
