‘People’s Corner’ stands tall
Undersized 7th-rounder comes up big in debut
CLEVELAND — The tiny blur darted around the field, making play after play: a would-be touchdown pass knocked away in the end zone, a fumble forced on fourth down at the goal line moments later and another turnover when a wide receiver en route to a score was stripped of the ball at the 6-yard line.
Those were three likely touchdowns that Washington Redskins rookie Jimmy Moreland personally took away Thursday.
“Once I’m getting it going, once I get in a groove, I just feel energized,” Moreland said after his team’s 30-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns. “I feel up. I’m ready to go now… . It was very exciting for me.”
Among Redskins fans, Moreland’s cult following surfaced shortly after he was drafted in April. A vocal contingent from James Madison University sung his praises on social media and insisted he would soon be a favorite. They wouldn’t stop talking about “the People’s Corner.”
The bandwagon began to swell during organized team activities and minicamp: The rookie had a nose for the ball and kept making plays. The hype snowballed after a three-interception day in which coach Jay Gruden playfully challenged the undersized newcomer. Defensive coordinator Greg Manusky said he had never seen someone snare three picks in one practice.
All of this from a seventh-round draft pick measuring 5-foot-11 and 182 pounds.
“He’s been active since [he got here],” Gruden said Thursday. “Glad the game wasn’t too fast for him. Played nickel, played outside. Made some plays. So, yeah, it was pretty impressive.”
Among Redskins defensive players, Moreland unquestionably made the greatest impact on their preseason opener. He tied for the game high in tackles (six) to go with game highs in passes defensed (three) and fumbles forced (two). There’s little doubt that he’ll make the 53-man roster, so the better question is this: How high will he be in the rotation?
Third-year player Fabian Moreau and Moreland are the leading competitors for the slot cornerback job behind outside corners Josh Norman and Quinton Dunbar. Greg Stroman is in his second year after playing 15 games in 2018, but Moreland has made more plays in training camp. Fellow second-year cornerbacks Danny Johnson and Adonis Alexander have been limited; Johnson hasn’t practiced as he continues to rehab a knee injury, and Alexander is out with a quad issue.
Moreland has taken advantage of the absences and extra opportunities, and he made a statement against the Browns.
The leading criticism of the babyfaced 23-year old is the physical aspect of his game. The speed is there. The attitude is there. The cover skills are apparent, as is a ball-hawking tendency. But is Moreland a willing tackler? It seemed that way Thursday.
“I feel like my physicality is there,” Moreland said, pointing to another undersized defensive back, Kansas City’s Tyrann Mathieu. “Lot of guys who are smaller and can make tackles… . It’s a mental game with being physical. You have to be willing to hit someone and also take the hit.”