With most of the Bengals' rookies set to take a ton of snaps in Saturday's preseason game at Paycor Stadium against the Bears (7 p.m.-Cincinnati's FOX 19), Bengals.com senior writer Geoff Hobson sat down with one of training camp's most exciting draft picks.
Colbie Young, the fourth-round wide receiver from Georgia, walked us through his improbable journey to the NFL.
The Conversation
GH: You've had quite a trip to get here.
CY: There's that one road in mind. Trust myself and keep moving. There was a lot of uncertainty coming out of high school, and when JUCO hit it kind of all fell into order after that.
GH: You were looking for more when you went Lackawanna Junior College in Pennsylvania.
CY: I just knew my talents were better than FCS, and I really wanted to get to the FBS level. I had multiple offers from FCS. Albany, Maine, Furman. A lot of different schools.
GH: You're the ultimate bet-on-yourself guy.
CY: Absolutely, I had to trust the process.
GH: You ended getting found by Miami and all the rest before finishing at Georgia. Did you figure: They'll find me no matter where?
CY: I went to (Lackawanna) to get maybe one offer. I didn't really know what to expect. Lackawanna was close to home and they were ranked in the top ten every year. One of the biggest schools up there.
GH: Up there is Binghamton, N.Y., your hometown. Binghamton High, where you led the basketball team to Section 4 glory, isn't known for producing NFL players. It's not like the scout Scotty Carson in the movie The Natural calling Roy Hobbs a nobody from nowhere because you had a fine college career. But in football circles, you did kind of come out of nowhere.
CY: I wouldn't say that. We've had some decent players that made it out. Lucas Scott (suburban Binghamton trying to make it on a roster) is a guy that's been on the Ravens for a little while. We've got people that bounced around here and there that got close. So I wouldn't say nowhere, but we've got some players up there for sure.
GH: You look comfortable making plays in practice and games.
CY: Just trusting the quarterback and making plays. Honestly, that's the name of the game when it comes down to that. Like I said, without the quarterback throwing the ball, there is no play to be made, and without me being in the right place, there is no play to be made. So that's just testimony to our playbook Guys helping me get into playbook and guys helping me out on the field.
GH: Were there any welcome-to-the NFL moments for you since camp started?
CY: Nah, not since camp started, not really. Guys are really talented. It's nothing that I wasn't expecting. These guys are really good. Everybody's good. The quarterbacks are amazing. It's just being on that next level.
GH: That's a great story about how you and Tee Higgins met years ago at the Clemson camp when you were in high school and he was a star. What's your relationship like now?
CY: It's like a brother figure right there. A guy who looked up to you growing up, and then now to be in the same room with him is amazing. But we're here for a job. That relationship, that full circle moment is kind of cool. But I'm here to make sure we do a job so we can stay in the room as long as possible.
GH: You're such similar body types at 6-4. What part of his game would you like to take away?
CY: He comes down with contested catches. I feel like that's something I can do well as well. He's just an all-around good receiver, and I know there are parts of my game that I can take from his, but I wouldn't say there's anything that stands out as much. I feel like there are times where I can do better in certain areas that he excels.
GH: You've taken many of your snaps with backup Joe Flacco and his 19 seasons. What have you learned from Flacco?
CY: Be ready for the ball at any time. Flacco is a guy who, if he sees something, he likely doesn't hesitate. He puts the ball in the air. He's very reflective. Good pass, he'll come up and let me know what he's seen on that one. Bad pass, bad route, he's very communicative, and he'll let you know whether there is something you can do better or something that you did very well.
GH: Does he let you know after practice or after the play?
CY: Most of the times, it's right after a play. He'll come up and say either, "Hey, this is what I saw. Maybe we could do this next time.' Or he'll say, "Hey, that was a great play, keep going.'
GH: Any plays with you two stand out?
CY: I feel like all our plays that we've had are pretty electric. We're getting that timing down. I feel like when we first started off, it was kind of a couple of balls were off on timing, and now that we're starting to click, we're starting to make some plays.
GH: You had the team's longest catch in the preseason opener on a 20-yarder.
CY: We're third-and-16, and honestly we got the coverage we wanted. Guys just vacated. I felt like (Flacco) was right on time, the route with my depth and his timing on his drop. It worked out perfectly.
GH: Does he act like he's 41?
CY: No, I wouldn't say so. I mean, he's just very laid back, chill guy, but he's always ready to go.
GH: You've had a few reps with Joe Burrow.
CY: It's the same as Flacco. Flacco won a Super Bowl. Joe Burrow made it to the Super Bowl, so those are two quarterbacks who are very talented and have endless knowledge of the game. When you get in there, you've got to be on your best.
GH: Talking to the folks up in Binghamton, you were known for making big-time plays as long as they can remember.
CY: This is not new to me. It's that people are just seeing it. These are just typical catches to me. It's fortunate that the fans are at practice, so you get a little more spotlight. But it traces all the way back to high school, all the way to college.
GH: You're close to your mother. I think you were telling me she's been working at the same nursing home for years, but she made sure to make it to the preseason opener. And I guess she's going to come to every game she can.
CY: She's been working for a nursing home almost since I was born … She came to every Miami game, and she's definitely going to be at every Cincinnati game.
GH: Do you think that bond is there because you're the youngest of four brothers?
CY: No, she has that relationship with all her sons. She's just a loving mother. Whether it's something happening with one of my brothers at work, or whatever, she wants us to know that we all have her support.
GH: Some of your brothers played in college and they showed you the path, so that's another thing that kind of makes this all natural for you.
CY: I had two brothers that played Division I football. Devin went to Maine and Kareem (Leaver) went to Delaware State. I've seen it all. In the basketball aspect of things, too, I had brothers that played.
GH: Devin is closest in age to you. Did you ever get up to Maine to see him play?
CY: I didn't get up to Maine. That's kind of far from New York and I was kind of focusing on my high school career at that time, trying to take off. But when I was growing up I did get to see a couple of games at Delaware State.
GH: What are you looking to improve on after watching tape from the preseason game and move-the-ball drills in practice?
CY: Making plays. There are two plays I left out there, possibly, in the last preseason game … just simple drops. I wouldn't say it was overthinking. It happens. I came back the next play and made another play …
I feel like I'm pretty comfortable with the playbook. But there's always more to grow in the playbook. It's going to get expansive. It's going to keep getting more and more as we get deeper into the season, so just making sure I stay on top of that playbook as well as Ja'Marr (Chase) and Tee or Dre (Andrei Iosivas). Any of those guys. They know the playbook pretty well. So I need to elevate my standard, too.
GH: I know you had talked about giving back to the community in Binghamton. Trying to get kids exposure.
CY: I plan on doing a camp in the offseason. I wanted to do it last year, but that's one of the busiest times I've had without playing football. It'll be coming around here soon in a year or two. There's another guy from Binghamton entering the draft next year. Hopefully he gets picked up. Stanton Ramil. The son of my head coach. He's at Auburn.
GH: When you take that first snap Opening Day, you'll be the first Binghamton High player in the NFL since 1947. It's a pretty big place with a lot of New York regional and state trophies. How's that make you feel?
CY: It's amazing, but I have to focus on what I have to do on the field. On how can I stay in the NFL?
