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The Virginia Tech Hokies have a lot of holes to fill for the 2018 season. One of the biggest holes is at defensive tackle, after Tim Settle left Blacksburg with two years of eligibility remaining to enter the 2019 NFL Draft. Settle didn’t go as high as most predicted, ending up as a fifth-round selection of the Washington Redskins.
Most felt, especially those who closely follow the Virginia Tech football program, that the Redskins were getting a steal in Settle. After just a few days into his first NFL training camp, Settle is already turning heads.
The Redskins like to rotate in their defensive linemen, but fifth-rounder Tim Settle was working with the first team. Lined up next to Jonathan Allen
— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) July 27, 2018
On the second day of camp last week, Settle spent some time rotating with Washington’s first-team defensive line. Not bad considering Settle is a rookie taken in the later rounds of the draft.
With Daron Payne out of practice for a ‘minimum’ of a week, keep an eye on rookie DT Tim Settle who has made some nice plays over the last 2 days or training camp. #Redskins
— Lake Lewis Jr (@LakeLewis) July 28, 2018
Settle wasn’t just a body, though, he was out there making plays. Now, Washington’s first-round pick, defensive tackle Daron Payne, is out with a minor ankle injury, opening the door for Settle to entrench himself in Washington’s two-deep. Payne is only expected to miss a week or two of practice, but for rookie like Settle, that is an eternity. He has numerous practices to stand out in front of coaches and show them he belongs.
The Hokies will certainly miss Settle’s playmaking ability in the middle of their defense in 2018, perhaps as much, if not more, than any other of the departed stars. Now, Settle has his shot to become a contributor in the NFL and it could come sooner than most envisioned.