Third-round draft pick has not been active for a game yet ASHBURN — This is not the start receiver Leonard Hankerson envisioned. He’s a third-round pick who not only can’t get on the field, he can’t even get in uniform.
Hankerson hasn’t been active through the first four games. Meanwhile, fellow rookie Niles Paul has dressed for all of them.
“Any athlete, any player wants to play or compete,” Hankerson said. “It’s hard sitting on the sidelines.”
And according to receivers coach Keenan McCardell, it’s hard learning to be a pro sometimes. At the player-run workouts in the offseason, Hankerson was always one of the last off the field. He spent extra time with quarterback John Beck in San Diego. He often stays after practice to catch more passes, as he did this summer.
But McCardell said it’s more than just that.
“When you’re practicing golf, you think you’re practicing right but you could be practicing bad habits,” McCardell said. “Not saying he was, but you have to learn how to go about being a professional. He has great ability. Things will fall in line for him real soon.
“There’s a different way that people approach things at the next level. He’s starting to understand that, seeing Santana [Moss] and Jabar [Gaffney] and how they come to work every day. Not saying [Hankerson] didn’t do that, but it’s about being consistent.”
Hankerson said the coaches talked to him about this when he first arrived. But, he said they haven’t talked to him about it the past four weeks. So he considers their words heeded. “It’s just having urgency during practice,” he said. Meanwhile, Paul has found a role. He’s developing into a good special teams player and an excellent blocker on offense.
On 90 percent of his snaps vs. St. Louis, the Redskins ran the ball, and Paul hasn’t been thrown a pass yet this season.
“He’s probably one of the better blockers I’ve seen in the game,” McCardell said.
That’s not Hankerson. Nor is he a special teams player, something he did not do at the University of Miami. All of which means unless he can break into the top three or four receivers, he won’t play. The last two receivers who are active typically play special teams. Hankerson also dropped too many passes in the preseason, both in games and practice.
But cornerback DeAngelo Hall said before the Arizona game Hankerson mimicked Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald in practice and “caught every ball they threw. He’s a beast.”
Hankerson said, “I’m being more consistent, knowing the offense and feeling more comfortable. I realized that I had to go out and do what I’ve been doing since college — making plays. I just have to control what I can, and that’s going to practice, busting my tail.”
Perhaps the Redskins are deeper at receiver this year, but they still need what they wanted from Hankerson initially: a big target. He’s 6-foot-2, but his long arms and big hands enable him to play taller than he is. The Redskins want to see that in action soon.
“It’s a luxury to sit your third-round pick and let him learn, but you want him to be out there contributing,” McCardell said. “He has a lot of talent. Young guys take a little time. He’s starting to understand that. He’s understanding that you can’t take any play for granted. … And when the time comes, you have to take advantage.”
