The New York Giants topped the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night, and once again Corey Washington was impressive.
Once considered a long shot to make the final 53-man roster, the un-drafted rookie receiver is continuing to turn heads. Although Washington didn’t replicate the stat sheet he had from the Hall of Fame Game, he caught what would turn out to be the game winning touchdown. The catch was impressive, as the rookie readjusted his body to locate the ball and haul in his second score of the pre-season.
The unheralded rookie is having a breakout pre-season similar to the one Victor Cruz had in 2010. By no means am I saying that Washington will definitely be the next Cruz, mind you. What I am saying is that after two pre-season games, Washington seems to be a lock to make the final roster.
At 6’4″, the rookie out of the miniscule Newberry college is the tallest wide receiver that the Giants have, and he can be a very scary red zone option for Eli Manning. Washington also has 4.5 speed, which is rare for a man of his stature. We saw his ability as a deep threat last week when he caught a 73 yard touchdown from Ryan Nassib. Tonight we saw his ability as a red zone target.
"“I’d love to go against Richard Sherman. I can give him a run for his money. Because I got confidence in my game. I got confidence in myself. I’m not gonna let nobody guard me one-on-one.”"
Washington has also made a very good impression on head coach Tom Coughlin.
Following Saturday’s victory, Coughlin was asked about the rookie’s performance by ESPN.com. Coughlin was asked, “How about Corey Washington?” Coughlin responded by exclaiming, “How about Corey Washington?! Wasn’t that a play by that kid?” Gaining a coaches trust is instrumental in becoming a successful NFL player.
Washington also spoke to ESPN.com following the victory. “A game like this is important for a small-school guy like myself. This is a chance to show the coaches what I have so I can make the 53-man roster.”
Washington has confidence, which was displayed last week when he said he wants to go one-on-one with arguably the league’s best corner, Richard Sherman. Washington told the New York Post he would, “love to go against Sherman.”
Washington also said he could, “give him (Sherman) a run for his money.” When asked why he thinks he can compete with Sherman, Washington responded by saying, “Because I got confidence in my game. I got confidence in myself. I’m not gonna let nobody guard me one-on-one.”
Washington has swagger, as well as big play ability.
The rookie loves to compete, and if he keeps competing at the high level he is now, the Giants offense will get even more lethal.