It’s not normal for an NFL team to rely heavily on a rookie player to have a big impact during their first year in the league, but that’s exactly what the Washington Football Team will be hoping for from rookie WR Antonio Gandy-Golden.
With the unfortunate loss of Kelvin Harmon earlier this offseason, the expectations for AGG got significantly higher, and the team will likely need to ask a lot more of him than they originally would have had the receiving corps been at full strength.
Luckily for Washington, there have been some good signs coming out of training camp about the rookie’s progress, topped off by the comments made by second-year WR Terry McLaurin on Thursday morning.
McLaurin said AGG is very athletically gifted and can "jump out of the gym." He also plays faster than what his recorded speed would suggest. He advised AGG to be ready to compete because he doesn't have to sit on the sideline as a rookie.
— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) August 13, 2020
AGG’s ability to go up and get the ball was highly noted during the scouting process ahead of the draft, but his 4.6 40-yard-dash time at the combine left a bit to be desired. However, McLaurin notes that he seems much faster than the watch says, and he should provide a solid deep threat for the Washington offense.
It may be a bit much to ask AGG to produce something along the lines of what we saw from McLaurin during the 2019 season, but any production that Washington can get from their new rookie receiver will be much-needed. Gandy-Golden won’t be forced to sit on the bench and acclimate to the league during his rookie season; he’ll have a chance to go out and prove what he can do right from the jump.
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