When the Indianapolis Colts selected cornerback Rock Ya-Sin in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, they believed he had the skill set and makeup to have an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball.
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While he certainly had his share of ups and downs—as all rookies do—Ya-Sin’s mental makeup allowed him to push through the tough times in order to enjoy some high points. On a conference call with the media Wednesday, he detailed some of the things he learned during Year 1.
“Just to trust myself, trust my coaching, trust my teammates – guys are going to be where they are supposed to be – coaches are going to put us in the best position and just go out and make plays,” Ya-Sin said. “Have confidence throughout the game – ups, downs, guys catch balls. Guys are going to make plays, this is the NFL. This is the best of the best so you have to keep your head and just continue to play.”
The Temple product carved out a starting role pretty quickly after the season got underway and by halfway through the campaign he had etched his name into the starting lineup without question.
But halfway through the season—exactly halfway—came the game against the Denver Broncos. It was easily his worst game of the year. He struggled against one of the better young wide receivers in the game in Courtland Sutton but also committed five penalties throughout.
That game has stuck with Ya-Sin as a teaching moment in the NFL.
“I wouldn’t say it was hard for me to stay sure of myself but I did have hard days. I mean like everybody knows the Denver game – five penalties. That’s hard on any player because you feel like you are hurting the team. You’re not helping the team win, you are actually hurting the team,” Ya-Sin said. “Thankfully, thank God we were able to win that game, but I knew that I hurt the team that game. But as far as me staying sure of myself, I know myself, I know my preparation and I know the kind of player that I am. So I’ve always kept great confidence because I have confidence in number one I’ve demonstrated ability, then two in my work ethic.”
Now, Ya-Sin returns in Year 2 looking to help the defense even more than he did during the second half of his rookie campaign. The Colts have their starters in the secondary set as he will be lining up opposite the veteran Xavier Rhodes and next to Kenny Moore, who will be in the slot.
Year 2 is a big one for Ya-Sin and while he still has plenty to learn in order to continue the progression of his game, his rookie campaign gives him a foundation to lean on when developing.
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