Commanders rookie already making national waves as confidence skyrockets

Confidence is key for any rookie looking to make a splash in Year 1. And this stage of preparations for the new campaign is the best way to go about increasing this crucial characteristic.

For one Washington Commanders rookie with high expectations on his shoulders, the confidence is oozing from him during a seamless transition from college to the pros.

The Commanders got a gift from the football gods when cornerback Trey Amos slipped through the cracks. A back issue that came up during his pre-draft medical assessments saw the projected first-round pick drop to the end of Day 2. Even so, general manager Adam Peters didn't hesitate to end his dramatic slide at No. 61 overall.

Commanders' rookie Trey Amos is making the best possible impression at training camp

Everything happens for a reason. Amos was stung at the time, but he landed in the right place. And Steve Wyche from the NFL Network proclaimed that the physical cornerback has been the talk of Washington's training camp so far during a recent visit to Ashburn.

Former NFL offensive lineman turned analyst Brian Baldinger was also suitably impressed. He noted how confident Amos looked. He also wants to see the first-year pro against wide receiver Terry McLaurin once the second-team All-Pro can participate.

Just watching him play the ball. When you want him to press and get his hands on guys, he is so confident. Without being a talker… Fred Smoot told us he's not a talker, but he's confident. Big, long, aggressive, can get his hands on guys, can run with anybody, and he's getting that opportunity against the receivers out there. If [Terry] McLaurin can get in here anytime soon, I want to see him run with a guy who can run like Terry McLaurin. Brian Baldinger

That will be a mouthwatering matchup if, or when, it happens. McLaurin won't be on the practice field until his ankle heals or his contract gets resolved. That seems a long way off right now, but others are more than capable of sharpening the defensive back's tools before Week 1 against the New York Giants rolls around.

Amos looks well on track to win the starting boundary cornerback spot opposite four-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore. He's still competing with two-time Super Bowl winner Jonathan Jones, but reports indicate that the rookie is pulling clear with training camp in full flow.

The former Ole Miss standout has the size, length, and aggression typically associated with defensive backs in Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.'s system. Amos never backs down from a challenge, and he's turning heads in the best way imaginable before his first season in the pros.

There will be growing pains, but this looks like an absolute steal if Amos takes this form through to a competitive setting.

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