Dwayne Haskins aced his first impressions; more from Rookie Minicamp

The crowd was out in full force for the Redskins minicamp practice open to the media. Of course, football is back in session, so you typically get a good crowd for the first practice available to the press. However, this one was different, unlike years past  when there was no first-round rookie quarterback here in Washington to observe and report on. There has been no story like Dwayne Haskins Jr. here in Washington D.C., like, ever. Haskins is familiar with the surrounding area and has family here in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area. So it is safe to say that there has not been a crowd this large since the 2012 off-season, when Robert Griffin III was the star rookie.

Haskins aced his first impressions in front of the media with an imposing practice. Everything was not perfect, and he made some risky throws outside of the hash marks which should have been intercepted. However, very few were off the mark, throwing to players he primarily never played with before. Outside of wide receivers Terry Mclaurin and Kelvin Harmon, two players he has known for some years now, Haskins was throwing to backs and receivers he has only known on the field for two days. Haskins stated after practice that he feels he will be even more comfortable once he can grasp the playbook and know what he is looking at, as it will help improve his timing and get him an understanding of where the football needs to go.

Haskins is not shy of the competition he will face as the year moves along. He knows a quarterback competition is looming with veteran Case Keenum and Colt McCoy. When facing the question about being ready for week one, Haskins responded by saying he will be prepared at any point in time. That “time” being week one, middle of the season, or next year if need be. However, he is always preparing as the starter through the weight room, meetings, and every opportunity for him is a chance to show that he is indeed the guy for the job.

Kelvin Harmon and Terry Mclaurin had a good day. Harmon has some swagger to him.

Rookie receivers Kelvin Harmon and Terry Mclaurin were impressive in their own right. Both showed good feet and quickness in their route running. Both were rarely challenged in coverage during their one on one sessions. While those drills are typically slanted for the offensive player to come out on top, they did exactly what they needed to do, winning the match-ups and pulling in every catchable pass thrown their way.

Kelvin Harmon believes in the “big dog swagger” attached to his playing style. He said after practice it comes from his competitive nature and always trying to “bully” the guy in front of him. That “bully” is stemming from winning the route against him, blocking, or even being a decoy. Just always trying to win. He has an alpha mentality.

Vinny Papale deserves an extended stay in Ashburn – He has earned it

Vinny Papale has a Hollywood-type lineage going in his favor for the game of football. His father was a famous Philadelphia Eagles player, Vince Papale, who tried out for his favorite team in 1976. He made the team and became one of the better sports stories in U.S. history. But his son Vinny is looking to write his own success story and has come a long way to get to Washington from his Delaware University playing days. Vinny Papale broke his fibula his freshman year and his ACL/MCL his sophomore year, followed by a change in the coaching staff. which immediately brought doubt in his playing career with the Blue Hens. However, that did not stop him – support from his family and knowing what his father went through contributed to his determination to get back to full health and end up where he is now. Papale had an excellent practice and showed off his skills primarily in the red zone. His subtleness and quickness at the line of scrimmage made for some easy separation and a touchdown grab. He was impressive enough to earn further consideration throughout the summer and training camp.

Seventh-Round Pick Jordan Brailford has some moves 

Jordan Brailford out of Oklahoma State has not been not talked about much; however, he displayed some pass rush abilities in the drills against the offensive lineman. They may need some fine-tuning because although he got off good counters and spin moves, he was a little off-balanced in my eye. Nonetheless, it got him free from the offensive lineman and a clear shot to the quarterback. He has the talent to work with from a coaches point of view.

Jimmy got moves, man 

James Madison cornerback Jimmy Moreland showed some fluidity and natural hands for a cornerback this weekend. The things that are just not taught by coaches, but only comes with a player. He will get tested along the way in coverage this summer, but overall he showed his athletic profile this weekend and can continue developing as a cornerback.

For full Hogsty coverage of the 2019 Rookie Minicamp, including videos and interviews, check out our video from yesterday’s practice here: