Su'a Cravens proved to be a playmaker in college at USC, and when Redskins GM Scot McCloughan selected Cravens in the second round of the NFL Draft, it became clear the Redskins want to see the same on the next level.

Questions remain where Cravens will play - whether it's at strong safety or linebacker - but players and coaches have been impressed by the rookie.

"Sky is the limit for this kid," Redskins DL Ricky Jean François said after a June minicamp session. "The kid is doing everything that we need him to do."

For now, "doing everything that we need him to do" means learning the defensive playbook at not one but two positions. At 6 foot 1 and 226 lbs., Cravens may not have the bulk to be an every-down linebacker, but with 4.69 speed in the 40-yard-dash, he also might not be fast enough to keep up with receivers in the secondary.

The good news for Cravens is that the Redskins appear to be shifting roles on defense, and there should be plenty of opportunities for playing time. As the Redskins play more and more nickle and dime packages, Cravens ability to battle with tight ends will find him on the field, and his nose for the football could produce big plays. Last year at USC, Cravens showed his versatility, logging 5.5 sacks to go with two interceptions.

So far, François said, the rookie is working hard to learn, but the real test will come at training camp in Richmond.

"When camp comes that's when we get to see the real player that everybody wants to see when them pads come on," François said. "Out here [at minicamp] we can look like All-Americans and it’s great, but as long as he gets the fundamentals and understands the defense, when it comes camp, we're gonna look for the player that we want to have on Sunday."