There has not been this much hype regarding a Washington Football Team rookie since Robert Griffin III in 2012. Drafted second overall out of the Ohio State, Chase Young drew gaudy comparisons to players such as Julius Peppers and Von Miller. While the headline may seem far fetched, Young has the talent and the production levels to do just that, following the footsteps of Darius Leonard and Quenton Nelson in 2018. In just two games, Young has 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble (and another one that was recovered by the offense), and eight tackles. He also had two more impact plays that were called back due to penalty against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Washington has not had a first-team All-Pro player since 1996, when punter, Matt Turk was selected to be on the team. While there have been a few quality players in Washington who were in consideration, such as Trent Williams, Young could be the most talented Washington player dating back to Sean Taylor. Here is a look at the All-Pro case for Chase Young.
Chase Young’s All-Pro Case in his Rookie Season
Productivity and Talent
The first and most important reason why Young can be an All-Pro player is his excellent production thus far, and his freakishly athletic playstyle. For his athleticism, it is hard to find another player with his explosion at the snap, strength, and straight-line speed. He has already flashed many of these skills early with a couple of excellent chase-down tackles in the passing game and quick spin moves against the Eagles.
Young has put up an absurd stat-line through two games and has missed out on a few plays that were called back due to the penalty. Through two games, he has 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a few excellent tackles in the short passing game. Young is tied for first in the NFL in sacks with T.J. Watt, and is top ten in tackles for loss and forced fumbles. Of course, this is just a two game sample size, but the moral is that Young has been producing at a level that not many people have in the first two weeks.
Young’s production has not come against bottom-tier tackles as well. He was lined up against the 38-year old, future Hall-of-Famer, Jason Peters, in Week 1 and D.J. Humphries in Week 2, who played well against the San Francisco 49ers. As Young improves with his technique, he should be an even bigger force in the pass rush with his already incredible athleticism.
Lack of Double Teams
While some could argue that this could lower his statistical output, the talented defensive line for Washington is so deep that it will be tough for the offensive line to focus on Young. With excellent pass rushers such as Ryan Kerrigan and Matt Ioannidis, and all-around players such as Montez Sweat, Jonathan Allen, and DaRon Payne, it will be a hard choice for many offenses to key in on Chase Young. Young was often left on an island with the left tackle through the first two weeks. This could be due to the interior rush that has put up consistent pressure, or the reliable edge rush opposite of Young, or to his unproven record in the NFL, with proven players such as Ryan Kerrigan on the opposite side.
He is Just a Rookie in a League with Plenty of Stars
With the three points above, Young’s talent, production, and assistance from the rest of the Washington defensive line, it could lead to a strong argument to an All-Pro team. However, it must be noted that he is just a rookie at the position that is full of talent throughout the NFL. Last season, Chandler Jones and T.J. Watt took home the first-team All-Pro awards as Jones had 19 sacks, and Watt had a league-leading eight forced fumbles. In addition to these two, the league has major talent at the edge position as Khalil Mack and Cameron Jordan are always in the running. There are many young superstars such as Myles Garrett and surprises such as Shaquil Barrett.
Last Word on Young
Percent Chance: 10%
Despite his exceptional start and talent, it seems unlikely that Young could sneak onto an All-Pro first team due to the overall depth at the edge position. If he keeps up his current play, he could definitely be in the conversation, but it will be a challenging task for Young as teams adjust to him, with the potential to add a tight end chip or running back help. However, even if Young does not make one this season, it is clear, in just two games, that an All-Pro may be a question of when, not if for Chase Young.
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