Selected as the second defensive lineman in the Washington Redskins' 2018 draft class, Tim Settle's availability in the fifth round surprised the team's front office.
Although the Washington Redskins used their first round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft on Alabama defensive lineman Da'Ron Payne, they simply couldn't pass up on the opportunity to select Virginia Tech defensive lineman Tim Settle in the fifth round.
"We were surprised, very surprised, you know?" said Redskins head coach Jay Gruden of Settle being available at the No. 163. "Pleasantly surprised we got him. He's a big, wide body, has good feet, good short-area quickness, plays off blocks well.
"He's disruptive in the passing game and I think can play multiple spots along the defensive line as Payne, as [Jonathan] Allen. So it's very important to have versatile defensive lineman and have a lot of big guys that can do multiple things and he'll add to the mix."
Gruden added that Settle was too high on their board not to pass on, especially with his ability to play multiple positions along the defensive line.
"It's very, very important to have those big guys that can be interchangeable and not just be a one position, one-trick pony," Gruden said. "Subbing guys in and out and keeping them fresh throughout the course of the football game, whether you dress five defensive lineman or sometimes six, a good, sound rotation is what you are looking for with big guys that are very talented that can multitask and do different things."
In two active seasons at Virginia Tech, Settle – who checks in at 6-foot-3, 329 pounds -- appeared in 27 games with 13 starts, recording 53 total tackles (28 solo) along with 19.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two kicks blocked and one pass defensed.
Last year, Settle recorded 36 tackles (12.5 for loss) with four sacks.
When asked to describe his game, Settle only took four words to answer. But it's the kind of traits that makeup a successful defensive lineman.
"Destructive, physical, explosive, raw," Settle said. "It's causing havoc, I like to say."
While Settle, like most collegiate interior defensive lineman, didn't register eye-popping sack numbers, he believes he can be impactful in pass rush.
"I feel like if it's one-on-one, then I'm going to win every time," Settle said. "If it's two-on-one, I'm still going to win a majority of them [laughter]."
With the Redskins, Settle will have the opportunity to expand his game under one of the best defensive line coaches in the NFL, Jim Tomsula.
"I like his personality," Settle said. "You know, he's keeping it 100. He talks from his heart. He's not going to beat around the bush. He's honest, you know? He told me, 'If you come here, you're going to work.'"
