Selected in the third round in the last draft, cornerback Benjamin St-Juste has never hidden his goal of having an immediate impact in Washington. The Montrealer can say mission accomplished, even if his first season in the NFL was punctuated by adversity, with two concussions.
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“It went really well and I didn’t experience any major problems like the famous rookie wall. I continued to have fun every week and I learned a lot, ”said St-Juste in an interview with the Journal.
“From my first to my last game, I was more and more relaxed and confident on the field. It was a very good year if we put aside the concussions and the fact that we did not make the playoffs.
Indeed, concussions put a premature damper on what looked to be an excellent first season for the cornerback.
In his third game against the Bills, St-Juste suffered a first concussion when he tackled running back Devin Singletary. He missed the next game before returning and suffering the same fate against the Broncos on October 31. Since then, he has been in rehabilitation, in Virginia.
“I passed all the tests and cognitively nothing in my brain was affected. There are just chronic headaches. It is often the last symptom that remains,” he said.
Solid contribution
In total, St-Juste took part in nine games, collecting 26 tackles and three knockdowns. In four games, he took part in more than 75% of his team’s defensive plays. Even in his last full game, against the Packers, he was on the field for 98% of Washington’s defensive plays. Before getting injured against the Broncos, he was at 96%.
“In my end-of-season meetings, the coaches had nothing negative to say. They saw more than they needed to see. I performed from training camp until halfway through the season when I got injured.
It was what they expected of me and I delivered. They saw the progress and they are excited for the 2022 season. I think I will have even more playing time, ”he said.
Ron Rivera’s contribution
Sign that times are changing in football, it was head coach Ron Rivera who invited St-Juste to take a step back after his second concussion.
The fierce competitor was tired of chomping at the bit without being able to help the team, but Rivera, himself a former Chicago Bears linebacker, made him listen to reason.
“Anxiety kept me awake because I still had headaches, but I didn’t want to lose my place. Coach Rivera made the smartest decision. He said to me: we signed you for four years, not for one year.
“The therapists told me to take my time to do my rehabilitation. Coach Rivera has already experienced the same situation with Luke Kuechly in Carolina and he told him to be patient,” said St-Juste.
The former Spartans from Cégep du Vieux-Montréal will make a quick jump home soon before heading to Los Angeles to fine-tune his training. He plans to return to Montreal for a longer period after spring training to hold his second annual youth football camp.
Accelerated learning
Benjamin St-Juste was quickly plunged into the pot of the NFL and it was in fifth gear that he worked to perfect his game in the big leagues.
The 24-year-old player, after his university years at the universities of Michigan and Minnesota, asked for nothing better.
“It’s definitely a challenge. Every week, I said to myself: Oh boy! I’ll cover guys like Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, Davante Adams…
“You wonder every time if you are ready. After a few games, I realized that I, too, am in the NFL with these guys! Once there, there’s not as much scope for talent as you might think. I got drafted for a reason and that was to cover for these guys,” he explained.
Good moments
Moreover, it is from his sixth game, against the Packers, that St-Juste has the most memories.
“I almost made my first interception at Lambeau Field. It was against Davante Adams. I decided to go with one hand instead of two… It didn’t work. We play and we learn!
“I took the time to realize that I was in a historic stadium facing off against two future Hall of Famers. It’s still cool and these are things you have to savor, because these moments do not last long, ”he said.
According to St-Juste, much more than athletic talent, it’s preparation that makes all the difference in the NFL.
“If you don’t follow the process to the letter using all the resources at your disposal to perform, the other team will notice and attack your weaknesses. In high school or college, if you’re the best athlete, you’re fine. In the NFL, everyone is super good. It’s crazy all the details that you have to anticipate!
New identity
On February 2, the Washington football team will unveil its new name, logo and uniforms. The Quebecer awaits the moment impatiently.
“I can not wait to see. Football Team is fine, but having a real team name will allow us to create an identity and a culture. Our helmet just had a number on it, no logo. It was a bit flat!”, he laughed.