Washington Redskins quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur said the team couldn't lose by taking Kirk Cousins in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.
"I thought Kirk would've been gone long before the fourth round," LaFleur told 106.7 The Fan Monday night, according to the Washington Post. "When he's sitting there, and you have a high grade on him, it's like you can't lose with that pick, in my opinion."
Selecting the former Michigan State signal-caller was a head-scratcher for some analysts who believe the team is inviting a quarterback controversy if second-overall pick Robert Griffin III struggles out of the gate.
"This is a nasty game where sometimes things happen, and you have to go with somebody else, so we want to make sure we're secure at that position," LaFleur said.
"I personally think it'll be a great thing," the coach added. "You've got two guys coming in here and they'll get the chance to grow together and learn together and study together."
Cousins, who said he was initially shocked by the pick himself, said he was focusing on the positives of being a Redskin.
"Coach (Mike) Shanahan is a guy who is well-respected for developing quarterbacks and worked with the likes of John Elway, Steve Young and Joe Montana, so that’s good enough for me," Cousins told WJR radio on Monday, according to MLive.com. "I'm going to be willing to be coached by those guys and learn all I can to develop myself as a quarterback."
Cousins said Monday on "The Dan Patrick Show" that this isn't the first time he's been one of multiple quarterbacks on a roster, having gone through similar scenarios in college.
"I think the important thing to note is that we're not competing against one another, we're competing with one another, and we're competing with one another to help the Redskins win football games," Cousins said, according to ESPN.com.
Cousins added that his chance to succeed "will come sooner or later," and he'll have to seize that moment when it arrives.
LaFleur also said he expects Rex Grossman to transition easily into a mentor role.
"I like the dynamic in our room and I see it hopefully leading to a lot of success here," he said.