"He was the starter as soon as he got drafted," linebacker Brian Orakpo said. "We all knew that."
Said receiver Anthony Armstrong: "He's the second overall pick. That's etched in stone. You've got to put the guy in there. He'll bring a spark to us."
He already has players excited and talking about him.
"We know we have a phenomenal quarterback, and finally the offense has the leader we're looking for," Orakpo said. "I'm excited about the future of this team and what RGIII brings to the table."
They know it's not easy to make an immediate impact, but what the players want to see as much as early results is the right approach.
"He already seems like a humble guy from my experience and from what I hear of," Orakpo said. "He works hard, extremely hard. He should fit in easy, especially in this locker room, with those traits."
Armstrong entered the league with no fanfare and took a circuitous route to reach the NFL with stops in minor football leagues. He has advice for any rookie.
"Just come in and keep your mouth closed and go out there and do it on the field," he said. "That's the way you earn respect."
- John Keim
