00:00So, training camp gets started officially tonight.
00:03There's a press conference, Peters, Quinn going to speak.
00:06That's the kickoff, if you will.
00:08But the first practice, the thing you guys care about,
00:12the Triscuit crackers that we'll put into our stomachs,
00:15that's tomorrow morning.
00:16We'll be all over it here on GND.
00:18We'll get some interviews for you.
00:19We'll be out there with a full report from practice
00:21come 2 o'clock tomorrow, or I guess whenever the Nats end,
00:24because they're playing a day game against the Blue Jays,
00:26and we're on shortly thereafter.
00:27But I figured we could kick off camp officially here on GND Toby
00:33with one of our vintage spotlights.
00:36We normally do these going into game weekends throughout the fall,
00:39but we will put the spotlight on various players
00:44who are in the news or are notable or interesting for some reason.
00:48And you can go with the whole roster at this point.
00:50But here we go. Spotlight.
00:51I'll go Antonio Williams, the third-round pick out of Clemson,
00:54getting ready to make his camp and commander's debut
00:57in front of thousands of fans in the days ahead.
01:00What will he be as a rookie?
01:02And will he get a true opportunity to make a significant impact this year?
01:07This was a guy that the commanders felt like,
01:09from what I've heard internally from them,
01:12was a top-five player in the class going into last season.
01:14Then he had a down final year collegiately.
01:16But go back to his third year's penultimate college campaign,
01:2075 catches, 11 touchdowns.
01:22They think he can play in the slot.
01:23They think he can play outside.
01:24If you sign Diggs or Iyuk or a veteran to be named later,
01:28maybe the expectations for him go down.
01:30But he was the 71st pick in the draft.
01:32They think he should have been going well before then.
01:35Do not be surprised if Antonio Williams emerges
01:38as the number two receiver behind Terry McLaurin in this offense.
01:42Spotlight, Adafi Owe.
01:44You went out and spent a big-time contract on him this offseason.
01:47Four years, up to $100 million.
01:50And you don't sign someone to play the edge rusher position
01:53if you don't think that they're going to be effective against the passer.
01:55Last season, played all 17 games, finished with 7.5 sacks.
01:59But which version of Adafi Owe are you going to get?
02:02In five games with Baltimore, no sacks.
02:04In 12 games with the Chargers, 7.5.
02:06You're hoping you get more of what you saw there.
02:08In 2024, he had 10 sacks.
02:10So you're hoping to see this guy really emerge.
02:12And seeing him out at OTAs, he was very, very impressive
02:17just in terms of seeing the physique in person.
02:19And I'm curious to see if he's going to be able to take that
02:22and apply that as a pass rusher.
02:24I think he'll immediately be a good run stuffer.
02:26I think he's got the length to be similar to what Dietrich Wise was supposed to be,
02:30but obviously an upgraded version here as a pass rusher as well,
02:33getting the $100 million contract.
02:34But is he going to be able to be that game wrecker?
02:36I think this defensive scheme is going to put their guys up front
02:39in one-on-one opportunities.
02:41Can he win those one-on-one opportunities
02:42and be the guy that the Commanders paid big-time money for this offseason?
02:46Spotlight Brandon Coleman, the offensive lineman
02:50who was once drafted in the third round.
02:52Coleman out of Texas Christian was chosen with the 67th pick.
02:57He was barely out of the second round when he was taken.
03:00Very, very start of the third round.
03:02He's not a starter as we enter the third year of his career.
03:05That feels problematic for where he was drafted,
03:08except that when he played tackle, he actually played really well.
03:11He was a pretty solid left tackle.
03:12They got to the NFC title game.
03:14They understandably supplanted him with one of the best tackles in the sport,
03:17Laramie Tunsil.
03:18So he moved over to the right side, and then they drafted a right tackle
03:20in Josh Connerly.
03:21So then he had to move to guard, and he wasn't as good at guard.
03:24So then they supplanted him with Chris Paul, and now you're kind of wondering,
03:27well, is he a starter?
03:28Is he just your swing tackle?
03:30Is he a swing guard?
03:31Is he the first guy up at three or four positions?
03:33There's enough value in that in today's NFL that that makes some sense,
03:37but it's certainly not why you draft a guy just outside of the second round.
03:41So can he push Chris Paul?
03:43Can he close in on a starting job?
03:46Will he get a chance to compete again for a guard spot?
03:49Remember, last year when he lost that job, he was not that healthy.
03:52He was missing practice time.
03:53He wasn't on the field a ton.
03:55That's something to monitor.
03:56I think Coleman's book is not written yet.
03:58I really like the player.
03:59Spotlight Mikey Sanrestill.
04:01This is a do-or-die type of season for a third-year guy picked in the second round.
04:05We've seen flashes of really good play from Mikey Sanrestill,
04:09but are you going to get some of that consistency?
04:11He's played inside and outside, been much better as an outside corner.
04:15They signed Amik Robertson, who you would think is going to fill in right away
04:18as their nickel cornerback, which would leave Mikey Sanrestill outside with Trey Amos.
04:22Can he prove in year three that he is that guy,
04:25that the Commanders should be banking on to be one of their starting outside corners
04:28or just one of their starting corners, period?
04:30I think this is a big year for him.
04:32I think this scheme, like I talked about with Adafi Owe,
04:34I think they're going to be able to get some pressure on the passer.
04:37I think that should help out the back end.
04:39And I think a defense that is going to disguise things,
04:42force guys to move all over the place,
04:44I think it relies on guys having a high football IQ.
04:47And I think that's where you see Mikey really stand out.
04:49When it's something that relies on his football IQ,
04:52I think he does a really good job of that.
04:54Maybe sometimes he can get beat with some of the physical concerns,
04:57but I think his football IQ is still really high.
05:00So if they can utilize that, tap into that a little bit,
05:02I think you could see him have a good season in year three.
05:05Spotlight Bill.
05:07Jacory Kroski-Meritt, the seventh round pick last year
05:11at 245 overall out of Arizona.
05:14Remember, he had missed college time and only played in a game the previous season.
05:18Well, as a seventh round pick, he was the talk of camp a year ago,
05:21stole the starting job, ended up having a success rate of almost 54% running the football,
05:28one of the highest levels in the National Football League,
05:31800-plus yards and eight touchdowns for him as a rookie, 4.6 yards per carry.
05:36That's Alfred Morris-esque.
05:38And that's about where he was over 4.5 per pop.
05:41That's an area Brian Robinson couldn't get to.
05:43A lot of guys here haven't done that.
05:44He's got home run ability.
05:45We saw him hit a 72-yard long ball for a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys
05:50that ended up in the bleachers in batting practice.
05:52He's got the ability to hit for extra base hits and homers.
05:56Is he the first and second down back?
05:58What roles are carved out in the backfield?
06:01Rashad White averages 50 catches a year over four seasons in Tampa.
06:05I like him on two-minute, four-minute in the passing game.
06:09I like him out of the backfield on third down.
06:11Catron Allen's a thumper.
06:13He's got some Chris Rodriguez to him.
06:14They drafted him in the sixth round.
06:16Does he end up taking some first and second down work away from Bill?
06:19Can Bill stay healthy?
06:20He was on and off the field all of camp last year.
06:23Ja'Cory Krosky-Meritt, huge, huge training camp loading here.
06:27Spotlight Josh Connerly.
06:28You need him to be good at right tackle.
06:30And last season there were ups and downs.
06:32And I think that's to be expected.
06:33When you draft a kid, Josh Connerly, that late in the first round,
06:37at pick number 29, generally if you're going to get an offensive tackle there,
06:40there's going to be some concerns.
06:41And for him, you're not sure that he's quite ready to play at the NFL level yet.
06:45He could have returned to Oregon for another year, opted to come out in the draft.
06:48I would say that if he would have stayed in college and come out,
06:51he would have been right in the running with Spencer Fano,
06:53who went number nine overall this year's draft.
06:55Francis Maui Noah went number 10 to the Giants.
06:57I think he would have been right in the running there for a top 10 pick.
07:00So I think that talent is there.
07:02How does he progress in year two for this team?
07:04You've got to remember he's only 22 years old.
07:07Seeing him out at OTA's minicamp, he slimmed down a little bit.
07:11He started to kind of get into what his professional body is going to be.
07:15And I think they're going to like some of the versatility he gives this offense.
07:19Getting him out in space if they want to run some screens and do some stuff of that nature,
07:23I think he's going to excel there.
07:24But really, you need him to step up in year two and protect Jaden Daniels.
07:28He was good at times as the season wore on.
07:31You need more of that consistency because you're in the NFL.
07:34You can't just say, well, he's just facing Micah Parsons and Brian Burns.
07:37You're going to have to face those guys.
07:39I need you to step up.
07:39So in year two, hoping to see him take a big step.
07:41He's super important because if he is a stalwart, standout, stellar, legit, stud right tackle,
07:50then you're set on both edges.
07:52If he is a year this year like last year, you might not even be set at the position.
07:57Maybe Coleman has a shot again at tackle.
07:59Now, I happen to believe in the upside.
08:01I think the athleticism, the footwork, the size, he's got everything, checks every box.
08:06Him going in the first round, to me having seen him, makes all the sense in the world.
08:10But the results were not necessarily there, and so he's got some work to do.
08:14I think that's a good one.
08:15Last one for me, I'm going to go paint with a broader brush here.
08:18Not one guy, but a group.
08:21Spotlight linebackers.
08:24They're probably only going to have two on the field for the most part at any given moment,
08:27and that could change some.
08:29As Durante Jones digs into his bag of tricks.
08:33But who are the two?
08:34I would hope that within a few weeks into the season, Sonny Stiles is up to speed and knows
08:39everything well enough.
08:40He does not come off the field as an all-world athlete, seventh overall pick, guy that can
08:45play multiple positions.
08:46You could use him at edge and safety and wherever else you want to.
08:50Leo Chanel is one of the most athletic linebackers in league history in terms of RAS score.
08:53Frankie Louvre is a really good pass rusher.
08:55Which two are used most often and in what ways and in what roles?
09:00What does that look like?
09:01Do they use Chanel more on running downs and then Louvoo coming downhill as an A-gap plugger
09:07and blitzer and crossfire guy on passing downs?
09:11Chanel, I think, can run and turn and actually cover a little bit.
09:15So, how do they go about operating at linebacker where they've gone from the least athletic
09:20room in the league to maybe the most athletic room?
09:22I am absolutely fascinated by that.
09:25Yeah, I'll spotlight a position group as well.
09:27How about the tight end position?
09:29Chigakonkwo, we kind of have an idea of what he's going to be able to do for this team this
09:32season.
09:33I think if he's at his best, he's maybe going to be their second receiving option and
09:37people are really excited to see what he can do.
09:39But it's the other guys.
09:40John Bates, Ben Sinnott, Colson Yankoff.
09:43They're going to run a lot of two tight end, maybe even three tight end stuff.
09:46If you want to compare them to the Chicago Bears offense with Ben Johnson, last year
09:50Colston Loveland led them in receiving.
09:52But Cole Comet had 350 yards receiving as well.
09:55Their second tight end.
09:57Who steps up as that number two tight end?
09:59Is it simply John Bates?
10:00Because you know he's a great blocker.
10:01I think you can obviously depend on him as the blocker.
10:04Can you depend on him as a pass catcher?
10:06Ben Sinnott, this is a make or break season for him.
10:08Going into year three, similar to what I mentioned with Mikey Sanders still.
10:11I think there's still more to be tapped into there in the passing game.
10:15He's a solid blocker.
10:16But can he show something as a run after the catch guy similar to what Chig can give you?
10:20And Colson Yankoff, is this a chance for him?
10:23And after what he did last season to really wow some fans in the preseason, does he get
10:28more of an opportunity if Ben Sinnott doesn't step up?
10:30So who's the number two tight end after Chig Okonkwo?
10:33I think that's a big question to be answered here in training camp.
10:35That is your spotlight ahead of training camp on Grant and Danny.
10:39So now it's your opportunity.
10:41We want to know at 800-636-1067.
10:44That's 800-636-1067.
10:47Who are you most excited to see at camp?
10:49If you're going out to practice or if you're not, like most of our listeners, because there
10:52are only a handful of open practices again.
10:55Who's the guy who you're going to be seeking out content of and checking in on and searching
10:59the name of to try to figure out what is being said about them?
11:03Who's that player for you going into camp in 2026?
11:06800-636-1067.
11:08GND on the fan.
11:09GND
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