Undrafted offensive lineman Tanoa Togiai was one of the surprises on the Commanders’ initial 53-man roster, sneaking onto the depth chart after showing off strength and quickness during training camp. With offensive line depth a lingering concern, the Utah product could be called upon sooner rather than later.
It’s a challenge that he — like the rest of Washington’s heavily questioned offensive line — is ready to tackle.
In the locker room and offensive line meeting rooms, teammates described the 320-pounder as a wallflower.
“He’s a little bit shy, but he’s a good guy,” fellow guard Sam Cosmi said. “We’ll have him up there making jokes.”
On the field, he’s a mauler who thrives making big blocks in space and stonewalling opposing linemen.
The 25-year-old entered the draft process as an intriguing, if unpolished, prospect. His measurable physical traits were enticing enough to land him a contract with Washington.
Togiai wowed scouts during pre-draft workouts. His unique combination of size, speed, strength and explosiveness ranked among the best in this year’s crop of rookies. His Relative Athletic Score — which translates traditional NFL combine measurements into a single number — clocked in at an eyebrow-raising 9.54 out of 10.
He didn’t have a good shot to show off that skill set during initial, unpadded workouts throughout the spring and early summer.
Then, training camp arrived.
“Really in August, when you got the pads on and we really started hitting people and playing games, we felt his size and physicality and what he brings to the field really started to come to light. Even more than maybe he does in summertime,” Commanders assistant general manager Lance Newmark said. “During the preseason, he really started to show us a lot of positives.”
He had 103 snaps to show off during the preseason exhibitions. He capitalized.
Togiai flexed his strength in one-on-one pass protection and punished opposing linemen and linebackers in the run game.
“He’s very talented in his abilities. A hard worker, his ceiling is high,” Cosmi said of the rookie. “If he just keeps working at it and putting his foot forward, he has the foundation to be a good guard in this league.”
The blend of short-area quickness and power is a necessity in the new zone-heavy running scheme offered by first-year offensive coordinator David Blough.
“You want to get players that are going to have the best ability, the best chance to succeed in what you’re doing,” Newmark said. “It’s always on our minds. Is this guy going to be able to reach his maximum potential with what we do?”
Compared to some of his training camp teammates, Togiai’s fit was clear.
Washington’s interior offensive line received plenty of criticism from the fanbase for a perceived lack of depth. Center Julian Good-Jones, now on the practice squad after spending most of August with the first-team offense. Sixth-round rookie Matt Gulbin offered occasional flashes, but has room to improve his technique before becoming an NFL starter.
The players already in Washington’s locker room showed enough to earn votes of confidence from Newmark, general manager Andam Peters and coach Dan Quinn.
The Commanders signed former Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Esa Pole to the practice squad, but did not add to the interior offensive line.
“We compare what’s out there in the league to what we have, and you see if something makes sense,” Newmark said Tuesday. “In the end, we looked at a lot of different options on the interior and we felt good about where we’re at.”
“I think it’s a huge misconception,” right tackle Josh Conerly said of the outside concerns about the line. “I know how much we work and I feel like there’s only been so much put out there with all of us being out there at once.”
Time will tell if that confidence is well-placed. The Commanders open the season in Philadelphia against the Eagles on Sept. 13.
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