Ryan Kerrigan

Don Wassall

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This article confirms what we already know about what happens to most White high school football stars, without connecting any dots of course.

Purdue’s Kerrigan could make an impact for Redskins in first year

Muncie Central High School football coach John Hochstetler always thought Ryan Kerrigan was under recruited coming out of high school, with only a few offers coming from Midwest schools.
After a career at Purdue University that culminated in consensus All-American honors last season, Kerrigan is continuing to prove college football recruiting is anything but an exact science.

Kerrigan is embarking on an NFL career and the first-round draft pick of the Washington Redskins is slated to start at linebacker.

Not bad for a high school player that ranked 46th at his position by Rivals.com.
“His lower body strength has always been exceptional and his football IQ is so unbelievably strong,†Hochstetler said. “His instincts were always good.â€

Kerrigan is calling on those instincts immensely with the Redskins, making the transition from defensive end to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. The transition to linebacker is as much, if not more, a mental challenge. The NFL Combine and individual workouts convinced the Redskins he’s physically capable of playing linebacker.

Now, it’s just a matter of learning the position. It’s not a simple task since Kerrigan has been coming out of a 3-point stance for nearly as long as he’s been playing football.

“That’s always been first nature for me,†Kerrigan said. “It’s what I’ve been doing for the past 15 years. You have to see the whole field now and it’s just a matter of seeing the game from a different perspective.â€

At Purdue, Kerrigan’s job was to get into the backfield as often as possible — which he did — accumulating 12.5 sacks and 26 tackles for a loss as a senior.

In the NFL, he will still be called upon to rush the passer but he will also have to drop into pass coverage. One of the challenges is making the correct read, which fluctuates with each play.

Kerrigan earned his first NFL sack in Washington’s second preseason game at Indianapolis, bringing down former teammate Curtis Painter. On the previous play, though, he was in the flat covering Colts’ Pro Bowl tight end Dallas Clark. In another series, Kerrigan covered running back Donald Brown coming out of the backfield.

“It’s been challenging that’s for sure,†Kerrigan said. “It’s a different world at the linebacker position compared to defensive end. I’m making strides and with each practice and every game I’m getting better at it.â€

He had an even better third game against Baltimore last week, recording another sack among his five solo tackles.

While the lockout prevented organized team events over the summer, Kerrigan said he knew the switch to linebacker was coming once the labor dispute was solved.

Outside of a few player-organized workouts, Kerrigan routinely practiced the necessary drops needed for any linebacker.

“It was good to have those (player-organized events) and let me get my feet wet,†Kerrigan said.

LaVar Arrington, a former NFL linebacker and standout at Penn State, writes a regular blog for the Washington Post. He spoke highly of Kerrigan in a recent entry.

“The most important observation for me was that Kerrigan showed the ability to play in space,†Arrington wrote in the blog. “This was a big concern for me coming into the season as I thought he might be too big and stiff to play in a stand-up linebacker stance in the NFL. But he showed that he not only can play standing up but, if he continues to improve, that he might actually have a large impact on the Redskins defense.â€

Kerrigan started the Redskins’ first preseason game, as well. Barring unforeseen circumstances, it appears he will start when the season opens against the visiting New York Giants on Sept. 11.

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/sports...-impact-for-redskins-in-first-year.html#start
 

celticdb15

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“The most important observation for me was that Kerrigan showed the ability to play in space,â€￾ Arrington wrote in the blog. “This was a big concern for me coming into the season as I thought he might be too big and stiff to play in a stand-up linebacker stance in the NFL. But he showed that he not only can play standing up but, if he continues to improve, that he might actually have a large impact on the Redskins defense.â€￾

Wow that's refreshing to see when talking about a white player. But of course Lavar had his doubts about whether A stiff white boy from Muncie, Indiana could play in space.
 

DixieDestroyer

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“The most important observation for me was that Kerrigan showed the ability to play in space,â€￾ Arrington wrote in the blog. “This was a big concern for me coming into the season as I thought he might be too big and stiff to play in a stand-up linebacker stance in the NFL. But he showed that he not only can play standing up but, if he continues to improve, that he might actually have a large impact on the Redskins defense.â€￾

Wow that's refreshing to see when talking about a white player. But of course Lavar had his doubts about whether A stiff white boy from Muncie, Indiana could play in space.

IMO, Kerrigan was the best or 2nd best DE coming out of the draft. He was my #1 pick on the CF LL FF draft.
 

Deadlift

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I hope he shines on MNF against the Cowboys. This should be one of the better Monday games of the season.
 

backrow

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Kerrigan is already proving the doubters wrong>


Redskins rookie OLB Ryan Kerrigan registered a sack, a tackle for a loss, a quarterback hurry and two passes defensed against the Cardinals in Week 2.

This is on top of one pass defensed and a pick-six against the Giants in Week 1. Kerrigan is still making a few rookie mistakes, but he's more than compensated with his playmaking ability. The early results are highly promising on the switch from college defensive end to NFL outside linebacker.


 

Don Wassall

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:high5:

Ryan Kerrigan wins NFC Defensive Rookie of the Month

Using the 16th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft on Purdue defender Ryan Kerrigan is starting to look pretty good. He just won NFC Defensive Rookie of the Month:

In his debut against the New York Giants, he tipped an Eli Manning pass, made the interception, and returned it nine yards for a touchdown. He recorded his first NFL sack the following week against the Cardinals and he tallied another Monday night against Dallas. In the Arizona game he also tipped a pass that London Fletcher intercepted to kill a potential Cardinals scoring drive.

Kerrigan is the fourth Redskins rookie to receive the award and the first since safety Chris Horton was honored in 2008. Other winners were cornerbacks Fred Smoot in 2001 and Champ Bailey in 1999.

Congratulations to Ryan for the accomplishment and to Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen for their wise decision. Let’s hope it is the first of many honors Kerrigan will earn wearing the burgundy and gold.

In his first three games as a Redskin, Kerrigan has a combined 12 tackles (7 solo tackles, 5 assists) with 1.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 3 pass deflections, and 1 interception returned 9 yards for a TD.

http://dcprosportsreport.com/2011/09/29/ryan-kerrigan-wins-nfc-defensive-rookie-of-the-month/
 

Highlander

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Congrats to Ryan, and "eat that" Mel Kiper.
 

Deadlift

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56 tackles and 6.5 sacks.

He needs a big game against the Giants!
 

Liverlips

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Saw Kerrigan tonight at a bar watching the Caps game with his friends. He is one big and cut dude.
 
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[h=2] Kerrigan: Big Ten’s No. 2 Lineman of 2000s [/h]
I was watching the television yesterday and tuned to the Big Ten Network, which was airing its “Big Ten’s Best: Defensive Linemen 2000-2010.â€
Not surprisingly, the Redskins’ Ryan Kerrigan — who has since converted to outside linebacker after playing his entire career at Purdue University as a defensive end — ranked high on this list at No. 2 overall.
The player listed at No. 1, however, was baffling.
It was Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who had a dominating career with the Cornhuskers before becoming a standout with the Detroit Lions.
Now, you definitely can’t argue with the numbers.
In his career at Nebraska, the Heisman Award finalist had 57 tackles for loss with 24 sacks — almost unheard of for a defensive tackle. He even had a touchdown reception while playing as a fullback. He was named First-Team All-American and Associated Press National Player of the Year.
The problem? Suh didn’t play a down in college as a Big Ten player. He played in the Big 12, where he was appropriately named Defensive Player of the Year and Lineman of the Year.
Nebraska didn’t officially move over to the Big Ten until July 2011. By that time, Suh was preparing for his second season in the NFL.
Kerrigan, meanwhile, obviously played his entire career in the Big Ten. His career numbers at Purdue are very similar to Suh’s: 57 tackles for loss, 33.5 sacks and he also is tied for the most forced fumbles in NCAA Division I history.
Maybe the Big Ten Network didn’t want Nebraska to have any hard feelings, but the fact of the matter is that Suh would most likely rank No. 1 on the same list in the Big 12 — where he played his entire collegiate career.
But, then again, it’s definitely nothing to lose sleep over. Just thought it was interesting.



http://blog.redskins.com/2012/05/29/kerrigan-big-tens-no-2-lineman-of-2000s/
 

Woody

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Another great year for the young Ryan Kerrigan. 8.5 sacks, playing most of the year without Orakpo. He was consistently the best or 2nd best player on the Skins' awful defense (behind London Fletcher, perhaps). He'll be the face of the defense for the next 10 years or so, unless Snyder lets him go for cap reasons and signs another Haynesworth (a legitimate scenario).

IMO, he's one of the best OLBs in space that I've seen. His ability against the screen pass is easily the best in the NFL of any OLB I've watched. The screen pass was virtually eliminated on his side of the field, game in and game out. How ironic that he was a DE who the "experts" predicted would struggle without his hand on the ground. (BTW, Orakpo, while a good pass rusher, is gosh-awful in space).
 
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Another great year for the young Ryan Kerrigan. 8.5 sacks, playing most of the year without Orakpo. He was consistently the best or 2nd best player on the Skins' awful defense (behind London Fletcher, perhaps). He'll be the face of the defense for the next 10 years or so, unless Snyder lets him go for cap reasons and signs another Haynesworth (a legitimate scenario).

IMO, he's one of the best OLBs in space that I've seen. His ability against the screen pass is easily the best in the NFL of any OLB I've watched. The screen pass was virtually eliminated on his side of the field, game in and game out. How ironic that he was a DE who the "experts" predicted would struggle without his hand on the ground. (BTW, Orakpo, while a good pass rusher, is gosh-awful in space).

:thumbsup:

they showed Kerrigan sitting in the stands @ the Flyers-Capitals game last night.. the Caps could use him right now ~
 

Don Wassall

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Kerrigan has been excellent his first two seasons.

Washington Redskins’ Ryan Kerrigan Poised For Breakout Season

by Greg Bradshaw

The Washington Redskins’ recent draft history has produced few impact players. This is due to the organization’s penchant for trading high draft picks for past-their-prime superstars that rarely pan out. It’s a method that has contributed towards many a losing season for the Redskins.

However, one of Washington’s better draft selections has been left outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. Selected 16th overall in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft, Kerrigan has been a pillar of consistency for the Redskins, starting every game on defense since joining the team. He is a relentless defender who gives maximum effort from snap to whistle on every play. He also has a knack for jumping up and deflecting the passes of opposing quarterbacks, which serve to effectively disrupt the opponent’s offensive rhythm.

Kerrigan’s contribution on defense was critical to a unit that struggled with injuries and consistency in 2012. He led the Redskins with 8.5 sacks, eight passes defense, as well as returning his only interception in 2012 for a 28 yard touchdown. These statistics suggest that Kerrigan has the ability to become a game changing force for Washington on defense.

Kerrigan’s stellar 2012 season was overshadowed by the exploits of quarterback Robert Griffin III and running back Alfred Morris. He will benefit greatly from the return of right outside linebacker Brian Orakpo, who had his 2012 season shortened by a right triceps injury. It’s best that Kerrigan continues to shine in relative obscurity. Orakpo was one of Washington’s most consistent defenders, earning 28.5 sacks in his first three seasons in Washington before suffering his injury. Orakpo’s sack total dictates that opposing offenses must account for his pass rushing prowess, perhaps in the form of double team blocking. This would place Kerrigan in more one on one blocking opportunities on the left side.

Redskins’ fans hope Kerrigan will continue his solid effort in the team’s efforts to improve on defense. Maybe Kerrigan can sustain his career momentum and help Redskins’ fans realize that he is the future of the Washington defense. In the short term, Washington hopes he can continue to progress into a great all around defender. If Kerrigan can do that, the Redskins’ chances of building on their 2012 season increase dramatically.

http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/2013/...ins-ryan-kerrigan-poised-for-breakout-season/
 

Leonardfan

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It sucks that he is stuck on a coal black team, hopefully he escapes during free agency.
 

Extra Point

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Ryan Kerrigan has been productive against the run and the pass since day one. He's one of the best outside pass rushers in the game.

Kerrigan has not gotten as much praise from the mainstream media as he deserves because he's white. He seems to have been regarded as a solid, unspectacular player when in reality he's one of the best OLB/DEs in the game.
 

celticdb15

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Kerrigan has 7 sacks on the season. Another solid campaign with 3 games left.
 

Phall

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Kerrigan was back up to 42% snap count for the Eagles this week after a month stretch near just 20%. He signed on with Philadelphia for a chance to compete for a starting role, but that seemed to go out the window pretty quickly this year. Kerrigan has played 197 snaps so far and has only one lone tackle to show for it. Apparently, he did register two hits on Jared Goff this past week.
 
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