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News | Washington Commanders - Commanders.com

Seven Things We've Learned About Trey Quinn

WR Trey Quinn
WR Trey Quinn

With the Redskins taking off for training camp later this month, Redskins.com will take a deeper look at the new faces of the organization and what we've learned regarding their football and life background.

Today the focus is shifted towards rookie wide receiver Trey Quinn.

1. He was one of the top receivers in college football last season.

Quinn's only year playing in an SMU uniform turned out to be one of the best in program history. Setting a school record of 114 receptions, the six-foot wide receiver led the nation with 8.8 receptions per game.

Recording 1,236 yards and 13 touchdowns, Quinn ranked in the top five in SMU history in both of those categories. During a three-game stretch from Sept. 30 to Oct. 21, he was the first player in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in this century to post at least 15 receptions in three straight games.

Even though the Redskins drafted him with the final pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden is eager to see how Quinn can contribute immediately.

"Trey Quinn is a very exciting prospect," Gruden said upon drafting Quinn. "At SMU, he caught a lot of balls, did some punt return. He's a great option route runner, great feel in zones, strong hands, good physical blocker, good after the catch."

2. He was a star baseball player at one point.

Not only did Quinn's star power shine on the gridiron, it was noticeable on the baseball field as well. Before focusing his attention to football in the fall, the Lake Charles, La., native became an all-district performer in baseball.

With Quinn's pitching and assistance in the outfield, he contributed to Barbe High School's 5A Baseball State Championship run in 2012.

Before his high school days, though, Quinn was a key member to South Lake Charles Little League's success in the 2008 Little League World Series. Throwing a no-hitter in the opening round in Williamsport, Pa., South Lake Charles was able to advance to the U.S. title game before falling to Hawaii.

While Quinn no longer plays baseball, he still believes those skills have helped him in football, especially when it comes to special teams.

"I think that kind of just comes natural," Quinn said. "I grew up playing center field for baseball, so tracking balls was just kind of a thing that came easy to me, so I'm excited to have the opportunity to show my talents on special teams as well – just anyway to make the team and not even just make the team but, you know, dominate once I get on the team. I'm excited and I'm ready to compete."

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3. He was the last pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Holding the final pick in this year's draft after a draft day trade with the Los Angeles Rams, the Redskins made Quinn "Mr. Irrelevant," a nickname given annually the to the final pick in a given NFL Draft. Washington had not made a selection with the last overall pick since 1992 when it drafted Matt Elliott from Michigan.

Despite Quinn having a record-breaking season at SMU, he was doubted by several NFL scouts as to whether he could translate that success at the professional football level.

According to NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein, the 22-year-old's was projected to be a fifth or sixth round pick due to the fact that he faced "soft" cornerback competition in the American Athletic Conference and that scouts did not see anything special after his catches, despite the fact he excelled last year. That's something that Gruden and the rest of the coaches noticed before submitting his draft card.

Quinn uses the doubt from outsiders as motivation to have a productive rookie season and make an impact that helps the Redskins moving forward.

"I made it apparent to everybody I can that I'm willing to do everything for the team," Quinn said. "Any spot they have open, I want to contribute to the team quick. Whatever they ask me to do I can do it.

4. His grandfather was a successful college football coach.

Quinn's introduction to football came from his grandfather, Bobby Keasler. Coaching 13 seasons at the college football level, Keasler came up with 86 wins while taking the helm at McNeese State and Louisiana-Monroe from 1990-2002.

Guiding McNeese State to four Southland Conference championships, the Cowboys made seven NCAA Division I-AA playoffs during that time, with their best finish appearing in the championship in 1997. Honored as the Southland Coach of the Year for the decade of the 1990s, the school's winningest head coach was inducted into the McNeese Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.

Keasler was later honored with an induction into the Southland Conference Hall of Honor in 2014.

5. He holds state and national records for receiving in high school.

Although Quinn is trying to make his mark in the NFL, his name stands in the Louisiana high school record books. At Barbe High School, he became the nation's all-time leader in career receiving yards with 6,566.

Holding the Louisiana state record for career receptions (357) and receiving yards, Quinn earned All-American honors during his senior year. His 1,967 receiving yards and 23 receiving touchdowns as a senior broke Dorial Green-Beckham's national career receiving yards record.

Quinn's high school career was capped off when he earned his third consecutive first-team all-state selection in his final year.

6. He started his career at LSU where he was teammates with current Redskins running back Derrius Guice.

Quinn is stepping into a new territory in Washington, but he is reunited with a former college teammate. The former SMU receiver teams up once again with Redskins' second-round pick Derrius Guice.

Often drawing the assignment of blocking for Guice whenever the Tigers called a running play, Quinn started seven of the 13 games as a true freshman at LSU in 2014 and finished second on the team with 17 receptions for 193 yards. He caught five passes for 83 yards as a sophomore before electing to transfer to SMU.

Been a while- #militiasquad

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7. Along with solid hands, Quinn also has NFL speed.

One of the things that stood out to the Redskins when evaluating his tape was Quinn's speed on the field. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he ran his 40-yard dash in 4.55 seconds and ran his 20-yard shuttle in 4.19 seconds.

It was not just in football where Quinn showed everyone how fast he was, however. In high school, he was a two-time 5A state finalist in the 100-meter dash in addition to playing baseball in the spring.

Quinn thinks that his speed can allow himself to be separated from other prospects. The fact that he feels he has "an even bigger chip" on his shoulders gives him more motivation to showcase his speed and other skills.

"I think I'm setting myself apart every day already," Quinn said. "So I already have a head start on that, but it's really, like I said, I'm about to walk around with an even bigger chip on my shoulder. I earned everything that I'm about to receive and if people don't want to give me the credit for things that I've done, I'll just have to keep on doing them."

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