Cincinnati Bengals rookie Shemar Stewart has been on the receiving end of much praise since his arrival at training camp.
The latest comes from a guy who knows a thing or two about elite edge rusher play: All-Pro defender and reigning NFL sacks leader Trey Hendrickson.
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“A great football player with a tremendous amount of potential,” Hendrickson said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “And I think that potential, when tapped correctly, can be an incredibly productive player.”
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That tapped into correctly part of Hendrickson’s comment is pretty important. The Bengals have had dramatic issues in developing talent in key areas. That includes across the entirety of the defense, especially at the edge, and along the offensive line. Hence, a new defensive coordinator and offensive line coach this offseason, to name a few of the coaching changes.
So far, though? Stewart has looked the part. He hasn’t been perfect in camp or preseason action. But his physical size and athletic traits stand out and so does his ability to kick inside in certain subpackages.
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Given all that, Stewart will see plenty of playing time as a rookie. Like many areas across the roster this year, the Bengals are hoping some new coaching influences produce much better prospect development and immediate on-field results, too.
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This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals rookie Shemar Stewart gets big praise from Trey Hendrickson