For the first time in four years, the Washington Redskins actually have their full compliment of draft picks and they have to feel like a Michael Moore when he walks into the Golden Corral.
The real issue for the Redskins is the problem that monster draft pick trade in 2012 was supposed to solve didn’t get solved. And now, they face a make-or-break season with quarterback Robert Griffin III. They’re bringing back all three of their signal-callers from last season, RGIII, Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy and while Griffin will get every chance to take the reigns as the team’s undisputed starter, head coach Jay Gruden will not be afraid to let Cousins or McCoy openly compete with him for the job over the summer.
Will the Redskins look at adding a quarterback in this draft? Let’s see.
First round, No. 5
Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
2014: 34 tackles, 21.5 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks, three passes defended, six quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery, two forced fumbles
If Beasley was looked at as a potential superstar before the NFL combine, he only solidified that spot with his performance in Indianapolis. His 4.53 40-yard dash shows exactly how he lived in opponents’ backfields last season, with 63 percent of his tackles coming behind the line. With Brian Orakpo defecting to the Tennessee Titans in free agency, this pick represents both a need and the best player available for the Redskins. Hard to argue with that.
Second round, No. 38
Eric Rowe, CB, Utah
2014: 59 tackles, three tackles for a loss, one interception, 14 passes defended, 1 fumble recovery, one blocked kick
At 6-foot-1, 205-pounds there aren’t going to be a lot of physical match-ups in the NFL that Rowe can’t compete in and when you put in his 4.45 40-yard speed, he should be able to run with anybody too. Rowe is a day-one special teams player with a knack for making plays and isn’t afraid to tackle anybody.
Third round, No. 69
Ali Marpet, OG, Hobart
There’s not a person following the lead-up to the draft that isn’t excited about Ali Marpet and where he’ll finally end up. The Division III standout has done nothing but blow up draft boards since he landed an invite to the Senior Bowl. His 4.98 40-yard dash, 30 presses of 225 pounds and size at 6-foot-4, 307 pounds is a prototype NFL guard and the Redskins could do worse than make positive news on the second day of the draft with Marpet.
Fourth round, No. 105
MyCole Pruitt, TE, Southern Illinois
2014: 81 catches, 861 yards, 13 touchdowns
Pruitt is the second-coming of Julius Thomas to the NFL and the Redskins have been floundering at tight end since Fred Davis got banned from the league. Priuitt’s 4.5 speed is plenty fast enough to take on any linebacker or safety he’ll come across. Pruitt can make catches in traffic and knows how to use his body to shield the ball, something that RGIII or any of the Redskins’ QBs are going to need.
Fifth round, No. 141
Dezmin Lewis, WR, Central Arkansas
2014: 64 catches, 945 yards, nine touchdowns
Lewis would be ranked a lot higher if not for his college pedigree. The 6-foot-4, 214-pound wideout brings 4.46 speed with a 33.5-inch vertical jump. Lewis is a good route runner and can play immediately in three-wide passing plays, giving any Redskins quarterback a good-sized target on the outside and letting them move DeSean Jackson into the slot.
Sixth round, No. 182
Laurence Gibson, OT, Virginia Tech
Gibson is a project as a pro, but one worth the effort at 6-foot-6 and 297 pounds. He started every game his senior season at left tackle and held up well against some pretty good pass rushers. He won’t be ready for a couple of seasons, but his size and athletic ability alone will make him a valuable pick.
Seventh round, No. 222
Connor Halliday, QB, Washington State
2014: 67 percent completions, 3,873 yards, 20 touchdowns, 11 interceptions
Because of his ankle injury happened so late in the season, I’ve seen Halliday’s name as a potential seventh-rounder and skipped it in previous drafts because I thought he wouldn’t be drafted. Instead, I thought he’d be a high-value undrafted free agent and that still could happen, but the more I look at Halliday and what he did before he got hurt, the more I think a team will grab him in the seventh round to ensure he lands on their team or at least they get the first shot of putting him on a practice squad. Of the three quarterbacks on the Redskins’ roster, only RGIII is a potential long-term solution and that’s still up the air.
