Raising Hail with the Rookies – Syndication Server

Rookie DT Johnny Newton: To be with Commanders is like a dream come true

The rookie defensive tackle has long admired new teammates Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne.

Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton is living his dream.

Bryan Colbert Jr. hosted another episode of “Raising Hail with the Rookies,” and Newton was his guest.

Newton was chosen No. 36 overall by the Commanders in April’s NFL draft. The former Illinois defensive tackle had been expected by nearly every analyst to be chosen in the first round. However, he fell to the Commanders at the fourth selection of round two.

“Kids dream about this. I still feel like a kid, you know,” began Newton. Arriving for his rookie minicamp and seeing guys with their uniforms, Newton said to himself, “It’s actually real. I’ve been playing football since I was five. So to be here is actually like a dream come true.”

How about on draft night, when Commanders GM Adam Peters called Newton? “I was trying to keep my composure…I was projected for Day One, so I was waiting for that call. I didn’t get upset about it, but it gave me that chip on my shoulder.”

Newton says that when he hung up with Peters, he told his family that he was going to be chosen by the Commanders, hugged his mom, and instantly broke down crying.

The rookie defensive tackle credits both his parents for being supportive of him in his football and basketball growing up. He talked of how he has no hard feelings about not being drafted in the first round, and he understands it is a business. “But I know there wasn’t 32 people better than me. But there is a plan for everything; it was already written. Now I just got to execute it and play to my God-given ability.”

When he was in middle school and began playing defensive line, he remembers Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, both at Alabama. He also recalls Dante Fowler playing for the Florida Gators. Now, Johnny has become their teammate.

Commanders Ben Sinnott ‘super excited’ to play for Kingsbury, Quinn

Ben Sinnott is excited about the opportunity to play in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.

Commanders rookie Ben Sinnott says he was just showing up and had no idea what number they were going to give him.

I wanted the player to make the number, so it didn’t matter what they were going to give me, “said Sinnott to Bryan Colbert Jr.

The former Kansas State tight end, drafted 53 overall by Washington, was a guest with Colbert Jr. on another episode of “Raising Hail with the Rookies.”

Here are Ben Sinnott’s Kansas State highlights:

The Commanders issued No. 82 to Sinnott. Many will recall TE Logan Thomas wore No. 82 for his four seasons in Washington (2020-23). Logan Paulsen, another Washington tight end, also wore 82 (2010-14).

GM Adam Peters called Sinnott to inform him the Commanders were selecting him and immediately compared him to 49ers TE George Kittle. Sinnott, born and raised in Iowa, says he has watched and admired Kittle for years, who played at Iowa.

Sinnott actually started ice skating and playing hockey as young as three. Sinnott said the hockey “definitely brought that toughness, attitude, physicality.”

The rookie said in the early workouts he has noticed the coaches and players already “revolving around Dan Quinn. He’s such a natural leader, bringing the guys together and bringing the energy. He challenges us to compete in everything.”

How about his new OC, Kliff Kingsbury? “I’m pumped; I mean, look at all the guys he has developed, getting tight end touches. I’m super-excited to fine-tune my craft and see what he has planned for me.”

Rookie OT Brandon Coleman glad to be with the Commanders

Rookie OT Brandon Coleman thankful it was the Commanders who drafted him.

“It’s been great feeling. It’s exciting to see the other guys and coaches. Really able to feel what this place is ahout,” said new Commanders offensive tackle Brandon Coleman.

Coleman sat down last week with Bryan Colbert Jr. for an episode of Raising Hail with the Rookies. Early on, Coleman conveyed his excitement to get here (Ashburn) and to get to work.

When receiving Adam Peters’s draft night phone call, Coleman said he was walking around, not knowing what to do. When the call ended, he suddenly became emotional. “I was really happy that a team believes in me like they do. I’m at a place where I am wanted, and I’m able to compete.”

Coleman was not surprised when the Commanders made the call, citing he had been chosen to be one of the 30 the Commanders invited to come for a visit, and he thought it had gone well. The former TCU lineman insists he has been asked several times, and he really believes his best visit was here with the Commanders.

It is definitely worth noting that Coleman was not asked by Colbert about the facilities and that it was Coleman who volunteered, that he didn’t need to go to the place with the best facilities as long as he had a place where you could compete and a place where you can grow in.”

Translation: During his visit here, Coleman was not impressed with the Ashburn facilities. He did, however, like how his meetings with Peters and Quinn developed.

Watch here for the entire Brandon Coleman interview.

Sainristil sees Commanders as a great opportunity

Mike Sainristil views the Commanders as the perfect opportunity for him.

Alabama legend football coach Nick Saban said this kid might be the best player in the draft pound pound-for-pound.

Saban was referring to Mike Sainristil, a nickel corner out of Michigan, whom the Commanders selected with the 50th overall pick in April’s NFL draft.

Sainristil sat down with Bryan Colbert Jr. for another episode of “Raising Hail with the Rookies.”

“It’s a blessing to be here,” began Sainristil. “God works his ways, he put me in this building and I felt very blessed, very appreciative of this opportunity to be here.”

He talked of how his parents moved the family from Haiti, sacrificed, overcame struggles, and constantly worked when things didn’t go right sometimes, teaching him, “There’s nothing I’m going through that I can’t keep pushing through. One thing I learned young, in order to grow, you’ve got to go through something.”

Sainristil said he was raised in a strict home, but now, as he is older, he appreciates it and feels it has made him who he is.

Receiving a draft night call from the Commanders surprised the former Wolverine, saying he had never even talked to his agent about the possibility of being selected by the Commanders. When he was officially selected moments later, he said it was great how excited he was and everyone in the room with him.

He joked that if he could sit down with Saban, he would ask him, “Why couldn’t you say that about me before the draft?” This would have raised his stock to have been selected earlier…

“The one thing I know I am going to bring to this team is I am going to be a great teammate, respectable, able to be held accountable, and going to hold my teammates accountable. I’m going to be a leader.”

Having begun as a receiver at Michigan and then being asked by Jim Harbaugh to switch to defensive back, Sainristil believes that regarding “techniques and fundamentals, I am still far off from where I can be, and that is what excites me the most. Being in this opportunity with these coaches is the best opportunity possible.”