COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Wide consensus expects Washington to draft Ohio State football defensive end Chase Young with the second pick in April’s NFL Draft.
The latest testimonial encouraging the franchise to make that move came from its own roster. Former Buckeye wide receiver Terry McLaurin said Young may be better than two of his former OSU teammates — both of whom made immediate NFL impacts as edge rushers.
Joey Bosa was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 after recording 10.5 sacks for the San Diego Chargers (now in Los Angeles). His brother, Nick Bosa, received multiple Rookie of the Year accolades after piling up nine sacks and 16 tackles for loss this past season with the San Francisco 49ers.
Both quickly affirmed themselves among the best defensive players in the NFL. Could Young surpass their standard?
“First and foremost, I think he’s going to be just technically sound,” McLaurin said in a radio interview for the team website ahead of Super Bowl LIV. "I had the unique opportunity to play alongside both the Bosa brothers and Chase. I’ve seen them all.
“In college, I felt like Chase was the most productive of the three, and he has a chance to possibly be the best. That doesn’t take anything away from (the Bosas). That just tells you how good he can be."
• Watch the full interview with Terry McLaurin
Young led the nation with an Ohio State-record 16.5 sacks while forcing six fumbles and averaging 1.75 tackles for loss per game. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist and won the Nagurski and Bednarki Awards as the nation’s top defensive player.
Watching from a distance, McLaurin saw Young become more than an unanimous All-America talent. He saw him grow up.
“He’s a guy who’s matured a lot,” McLaurin said. "He became a captain last year, which, as a freshman, I didn’t know if that was going to happen or not. That’s a testament to his hard work and what his teammates and his coaches thought of him.
“He’s a guy who’s looking to dominate every play. He doesn’t take any plays off. He has a high motor. He can wreck a game. You saw that over the course of a college season.”
Washington drafted another former Buckeye, quarterback Dwayne Haskins, in the first round last season.
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