The Indianapolis Colts failed to reach the postseason for the first time under Frank Reich in 2019. Despite the disappointing end to the season, Rock Ya-Sin proved to be a bright spot for the franchise in his first season in the NFL.
The Colts decided to draft Ya-Sin with the 34th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Coming out of Temple, Ya-Sin's name alone made him worthy of being selected in the second round of the draft.
All jokes aside, Ya-Sin's physical style of play immediately translated to the NFL in 2019. The Colts seemed to be impressed with his development as they allowed him to start to begin the season in Week 1.
In his first 15 starts as a pro, the Temple alum tallied 61 tackles, five deflections, an interception, and a fumble recovery. An ankle injury in Week 11 prevented Ya-Sin from playing in all 16 games for Indianapolis.
Despite the apparent lack of production, Rock Ya-Sin played well considering the circumstances. Given how his first year in the NFL went, what letter grade does Ya-Sin deserve for the 2019 season with the Colts?
Rock Ya-Sin's grade for the 2019 season: B-
When taken within the first couple of rounds in the draft, expectations are raised for prospects coming into the NFL. There's no doubt that fans in Indianapolis were hoping to find a gem in Rock Ya-Sin when his name was called during the 2019 NFL Draft.
While he didn't produce All-Pro numbers, he did enough to warrant his selection in the draft. Alongside Pierre Desir and Kenny Moore, Rock Ya-Sin held his own as a first-year starter in the secondary.
The rookie out of Temple flashed the skill set that made him a coveted prospect coming out of college. Ya-Sin was at his best when he was tasked with playing man-to-man coverage and was physical with wide receiver lined up across from him.
However, with Ya-Sin as a starter, Indianapolis had the 23rd ranked pass defense in the NFL that surrendered 248.9 yards per game. On the other hand, he only allowed 36 receptions on 56 targets in 2019 according to Pro Football Focus.
Similarly to most rookies, there was the good and the bad when it came to Ya-Sin's rookie season. But in a positive note, the 23-year-old cornerback had plenty of flashes of being part of the future for the franchise.
Without a doubt, Rock Ya-Sin has plenty of room for improvement as he heads into his first full offseason with the Colts. At the least, he provided fans in Indianapolis with some optimism on the defensive side of the ball for the near future.
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