Even More Reason for Brian Asamoah Hype
K. Joudry
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Brian Asamoah is, in a word, impressive.
The ultra-athletic linebacker is still only 23 but demonstrates some great maturity. His recent press conference simply reaffirmed that reality.
After the departure of Eric Kendricks, Minnesota did very little to reinforce the LB room. True, they added Troy Reeder, a super athletic linebacker who may be a diamond in the rough. Nevertheless, Asamoah is the frontrunner to snag a starting spot beside veteran Jordan Hicks. The defense could certainly use the young fella’s speed.
In the aforementioned presser, Asamoah demonstrated his understanding of the game. One great moment was when he broke down how to diagnose a play before the ball is snapped. Take a peak:
Sprinkled into his response are developing “a feel for the game,” reading tells to make an educated guess about what might arrive, developing a “sense” for what could occur, taking accountability for the defense as a whole, and developing an understanding of “the nature of the game.” His answer betrays both a down-to-earth practicality as well as a more lofty philosophical understanding of how the sport works.
Fans should be encouraged.
Far too often, it’s easy to overlook that linebacker is a position that rewards the studious, those who put effort into thinking and preparing.
Eric Kendricks made the position look so effortless because he evidently put a ton of effort into his craft. Doing the prep work beforehand allowed him to process insanely fast on the field, giving him a form of clairvoyance that led to all kinds of TFLs and tackles at the line of scrimmage.
Asamoah is taking his cue from the departed veteran, seeking to marry his great physical gifts with robust preparation off the field.
Very few would debate that the sophomore LB is a sensational athlete. Coming into the draft, Asamoah snagged a 8.90 RAS score. Part of what makes that final score even more impressive is that his size – he’s 6’1″, 228 pounds – ranks very low compared to the past and present at his position. Indeed, some may think he’s closer to a large safety than an NFL linebacker, but we shouldn’t forget that the game is changing. Small speediness at LB makes a lot of sense in the passing NFL.
Marrying the physical ability with brains and a commitment to preparation can make a massive difference, folks. Asamoah, in short, could live up to the expectations largely because he is putting in work off the field.
The NFL Draft begins on Thursday night. Seeing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah opt for a LB in RD1 would be shocking, but bringing in more depth on Day 2 would make a lot of sense. Keep an eye on Jack Campbell, Drew Sanders, Trenton Simpson, and Henry To’oTo’o.
Asamoah finished his rookie season with 16 games played but 0 starts on defense. He played 119 defensive snaps and 285 special teams snaps. He’s carrying a $1,247,010 cap hit into the year.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
