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Wake Up Washington | Cole Turner focused on leveling up his blocking in transition from college to pro level

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Heading into training camp, Cole Turner knew what one of his major focuses would need to be. Coaches and scouts had identified it when the Nevada tight end first came on their radar.  

"The biggest thing that we really didn't see a lot of was in blocking," head coach Ron Rivera said.  

The lack of blocking they saw out of Turner in college was more of a feature than a bug. The Wolf Pack play in an Air Raid offense that emphasizes more running and catching from their tight ends than blocking. Turner has been impressive so far in camp as a pass-catcher and revealed that, beginning in OTAs, he has adopted a determination to transform a perceived blocking "weakness" into a strength.  

"We spent a lot of time with [Tight Ends] Coach [Juan] Castillo, extra time watching film working on just the basics of blocking," Turner said. "At the end of the day, technique will save you. So as long as we keep working hard and keep our technique, I think it'll only keep getting better."  

As Turner works to improve this aspect of his game, the sheer amount of info that needs to be digested and wielded correctly has proved to be an adjustment.   

"When you get to this level, we have every single zone scheme, almost every single gap scheme in," Turner said. "So, remembering which footwork to take on which play, which guy you're going to, that's the hardest part." 

Luckily, the rookie has had some great support in the form of mentors and experienced players who all want to see him succeed.   

"I've had a lot of guys who have helped me out like Logan Thomas and John Bates and Sammis [Reyes] and Alex [Armah] as well," Turner said. "They've all taken me under their wing a little bit … So, I've been lucky to have those group of guys around me."

Here's a morning roundup of what the local and national media have to say about the Washington Commanders on Thursday August 4, 2022. All reports, rumors and conjecture are a reflection of the media conversation and are not endorsed or confirmed by the Washington Commanders.

The reports and deals expressed in this article have not been confirmed by Washington, nor do they reflect any insider information from anyone in the front office.

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