Miami practiced for the first time after spring break on Tuesday. While they were only in helmets, pads and shorts, several players stood out with explosive plays. I attended Tuesday’s practice and shared my thoughts on the CanesInSight Daily Podcast:
On Robby Washington getting snaps at CB: If you were listening to the Bank or reading the Bank going back a year ago, I mentioned the Miami coaches felt that this guy could be a premier cornerback. I agree with that assessment. 5’11, strong, very tough, extremely good change of direction, very fast, just a ball player. We need more playmakers, in my opinion, at the corner position. Your Philip Buchanans. Guys that can not only make plays on defense, but turn that play into six. That's what Miami was built on. I'm not saying Robby is gonna be a first round pick like Philip Buchanan or anything like that, but he's that style of athlete.
Today at practice, he was playing with the corners, but also playing with the receivers and returning. He looked good in the one-on-ones at corner. Caught a long touchdown at receiver later in the practice. Looked really natural on returns. He's a guy you sell on being an athlete and an impact player in multiple facets. Hopefully, he takes that opportunity at cornerback to give that room something it doesn't have. There's some great athletes at receiver around his size. There's nobody in the cornerback room that has his kind of natural athletic ability and playmaking. Plus, he's a tough guy.
Miami is at its best when you have some of your best athletes on defense. That's what Jimmy Johnson preached. Get your best athletes on defense. We've had corners that don't play other positions for a long time. When was the last time we've had corners that were dynamic? It's just been a while. Robby Washington, if he embraces this move, could really be that kind of player for us at a needed position.
On Elija Lofton: Sorry if I'm a broken record. Elijah Lofton is an unbelievable football player. Physically, he looks like a fullback or maybe a walk-on defense lineman. He doesn't look the part at all. But when the whistle blows, the guy's unbelievable. You saw that in high school. You've seen that consistently in spring. We've talked about Elijah Lofton constantly.
He made a one-handed catch today over the defender. Great natural hands on top of his ability to run with the ball. Ran for multiple touchdowns against Miami Central, but he also lined up wide. You saw that receiving ability today with the one-handed catch. Plus, he can block.
I'd be shocked if he doesn't play this season. I can see him on special teams as a punt protector, among other roles. I'm told he's one of the strongest guys in the weight room on the entire team as a true freshman. All of those different skills and the intelligence and the toughness and the instincts, that's gonna get him on the field early. He can come in the deep red zone as a fullback and then split out wide if they play three LBs. He's going to find a way to get on the field to create mismatches.
On Chris Johnson: Coach Cristobal said Chris Johnson's had a really great spring. That's what I've seen, as well. He had a nice long run today and showed his speed. The trick with him is keeping him between the tackles as much as possible, not kicking everything outside. Chris Johnson for the Titans – no relation– made a lot of plays inside the tackles. Not running people over, but just finding the crease and going to the house from that crowded area. I don't care how fast you are, you're not going to be outrunning fast defenses to the corner consistently. Chris Johnson's showing the ability to find creases. Once he gets that second level, the 100M/200M state champion speed comes in.
Just looking at his track numbers and his size, plus his production as a senior, he is similar to Chris Johnson from the Titans and Devon Achane from the Miami Dolphins. His track times are on par with those guys. We saw a flash of it in the Bethune-Cookman game. He did stuff stuff like that in practice today.
On Jadais Richard: He is making tremendous strides. He's a good 6'1", 6'2", strong, has speed. But then he also was a very good basketball player in high school. He didn’t play a ton of corner. Didn't get the training at cornerback necessarily until later. But you see the basketball highlights, the guy's an outstanding athlete and has good size.
Against Keon Coleman, who's going to the NFL Draft, against Johnny Wilson, also going to get drafted, Richard held his own just off length and athleticism.
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What you're seeing now is just gradual improvement with more reps. Lance Guidry mentioned his improvement earlier in the spring. Chavis Jackson, who went to the NFL as a taller cornerback, has been working with Richard. There's some common ground there, and you're starting to see that steady improvement to match the physical tools and athleticism that he already has. Richard did a really nice job today.
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