Countdown to Kickoff: Profile on Washington Redskins No. 94 Preston Smith
By Andrew Long
We’re counting down the days until the NFL season kicks off, and with 94 days remaining, we’re looking at 2015 breakout rookie Preston Smith of the Washington Redskins.
The Washington Redskins possess one of the strongest and deepest pass-rushing units in the league, with the group being led by two extremely talented outside linebackers in Ryan Kerrigan and Junior Galette. Kerrigan and Galette are currently the team’s two top options in terms of pass-rushers, however, last year’s second-round draft choice Preston Smith is a player on the rise.
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In addition to locating and accounting for Kerrigan and Galette, opposing teams will also have to factor Preston Smith’s abilities into their offensive game plans. Smith, while still incredibly young and raw, has the skill set to become an absolute nightmare for quarterbacks on Sunday. The outside linebacker showed flashes of brilliance last season, something that should leave coaches and fans eager.
Smith had some growing pains during his rookie year, which is to be expected when a young player enters the league. In fact, the 23-year-old pass-rusher only managed to reach the quarterback twice in the first nine weeks of the 2015 NFL season. During the second half of the season, though, Smith provided the team with much greater play; both statistically and in the way he prepares for the game.
Washington Redskins defensive coordinator Joe Barry likely played a big role in the strong second-half showing from Preston Smith, as he sat him down and had a serious talk about his ability and the way he was utilizing it.
Stephen Czarda of Redskins.com recorded the following statement from Barry, “You never know what you’re going to get when you get a rookie and Preston was – he’s a phenomenal kid – but he was young and immature and had no clue what it took to be an NFL football player and you’ve got to tell guys.”
According to the account of Czarda, Barry then went on to say, “I sat him down and said, ‘If you want to play in this league, the way you’re preparing and the way you’re practicing, you’re not a bad kid, but you won’t last three years in this league if you continue to prepare and to act the way you’re acting.'”
Apparently the conversation between the two didn’t go unheard by the rookie pass-rusher, as Preston Smith’s numbers skyrocketed in the final month of the season, recording five sacks in the team’s final three games. All in all, Smith secured 20 tackles and eight sacks on the year, leading all rookies in quarterback takedowns.
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Preston Smith enjoyed a strong rookie campaign, there’s no denying that, however, if he continues to improve his preparation and practice techniques, there’s no telling how much better he can get.
At 6’5″ and 270 pounds, there’s no question that he possesses the size and ability to succeed in the NFL. If Preston Smith can manage to put all of the pieces together – ability, size, skill, and mindset – I truly believe that he will become a perennial Pro Bowler for the Washington Redskins.