Redskins Draft Special Round 5 (Pick 154)

The Redskins can finally be rid of the Derek Carrier trade after this pick.  The 49ers hold the Redskins 5th round pick this year (161st overall) because of the Carrier trade, but Scot McCloughan was smart enough to get that 5th rounder back.  The Redskins traded their 4th round pick last year to the Saints (who selected David Onyemata) for their 5th rounder last year (where we selected Matt Ioannidis) and this year which turned out to be 154th overall pick.

Note: All scouting information comes from CBS Sports, NFL Combine Results Page, and the NFL Draft Tracker.

Round 5 (154th Overall Selection):  Devonte Fields    OLB    (Louisville)
Height: 6'2"   Weight: 236 lbs   40 yd: 4.72   Vert: 34"

The second player I propose the Redskins draft that has played for more than one FBS team.  Fields started his career off with a bang at TCU registering 18.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, which won him the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year Award and a First Team All-Big 12 Nomination.  Things did not go so well for Fields after that.  He only played in three games the next season due to a foot injury.  Then he was robbed at gun point and had to face domestic violence charges when he allegedly punched his girlfriend and pointed a gun at her.  That case was eventually dismissed, but not before Fields was dismissed from TCU.  He would play one year of Junior College before transferring to Louisville in 2015 where he finished his career drama free this past season.  Fields's activities outside of football are major red flags, and there are a lot of questions about him when he does get on the field.

His production waned in 2016, and a lot of scouts point towards his apparent lack of effort as being the cause.  Fields is characterized as giving up on plays too easily and loafs when the play is not in his direction.  He also played significant time as a down lineman at Louisville, which he will not be able to do in the NFL due to his size.  He also gets overpowered very easily at the line of scrimmage.  So, after all of this, why should the Redskins draft him?  Because you do not get 26.5 sacks in 39 FBS games in the Big 12 and the ACC by accident.  Fields is a quick and agile defender who uses that ability to make quick changes of direction at the line of scrimmage to give him openings to the ball carrier or quarterback.  He can change direction quickly, which allows him to mirror scrambling quarterbacks and sack them before they can get away.  He is undersized, but some scouts say he has the potential to get bigger at the next level if he is willing to work.  His lack of production can be partially explained by teams running plays away from his side of the ball, as evidenced by his tape from the Florida State game this past season.  The negatives may outweigh the positives with Fields, but the Redskins could be a good fit for him.

If there is any position on the Redskins with a boon of leadership that could motivate a player it is the linebacking corps.  Between Ryan Kerrigan, Will Compton, and Mason Foster, Fields would have players around him that could push him to maximize his potential and have the NFL pedigree to back it up.  Kerrigan and Preston Smith will be the starters, but if one of them goes down are you confident in Trent Murphy and Zach Vigil's ability to get to the quarterback?  Exactly.  Fields would add pass rushing depth to the OLB position, and his ability to contain scrambling quarterbacks is enough to make him a valuable addition to the defense.  The fact that he will not need to start right away and he can learn from professionals like Kerrigan could give him the time he needs to develop into an NFL level talent.  Yes, his past and his apparent lack of motivation are concerning, but Fields's potential is something the Redskins need to take a flyer on with this 5th round pick.

Redskins Draft Special Round 6 (Pick 209)

The Texans must have really wanted Will Fuller bad.  The Texans swapped picks with the Redskins last year to take Fuller at #21 and we selected Josh Doctson at #22.  The bonus for the Redskins in making that trade is we get to select this future Hall of Famer with the 209th pick instead of The Texans.

Note: All scouting information comes from CBS Sports and NFL Combine Results Page.  I used the overall rankings on the CBS site to determine who would possibly be available in each round.  For example, if the player was rated 50th overall on the CBS site then I would assume that they would not be available in the 3rd round where the Redskins pick 81st.

Round 6 (209th Overall Selection):  Josh Harvey-Clemons    Safety    (Louisville)
Height: 6'4"   Weight: 217 lbs   40 yd: 4.76   Vert: 31.5"

The first of at least two players that I will propose the Redskins select that has played for more than one FBS team.  Josh Harvey-Clemons was a five star recruit who committed to Georgia and played there between 2012-2013, but ran into a wee bit of trouble that caused him to be dismissed from the team after the 2013 season and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was the safety involved in the Prayer at Jordan Hare.  He transferred to Louisville where he ended his collegiate career in 2016 sans drama and decent stats his senior year (37 Tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 SCK, 1 PD).  It is his size, athleticism, and toughness the Redskins should covet.  He is a tall safety whose arm length is described as being that of an offensive lineman.  Scouts describe him as a rangy tackler who can change direction quickly when tackling or in coverage, and a hard hitter who does not slow down or avoid contact.  They also note his ability to drop back into coverage on play actions, and his ability to adjust coverage when a quarterback begins to scramble.  Clemons is not without his negatives, however, most notably his apparent affinity for marijuana. But he has been described as being late to cover deep routes, and is better suited to be a box safety that can come up in run support or cover more mid level routes.  Scouts note that he is late to reacting to throws when he is the single high safety so he may not fit the mold of a true free safety in the NFL.

Clemons sounds like a poor man's Su'a Cravens, and we already signed Swearinger, so where is the benefit in drafting a guy like Clemons who has the same skill set? My counter question is, do you feel comfortable rolling with DeAngelo Hall or Will Blackmon if one of those guys goes down?  Clemons adds depth and an elite level mentality.  Scouts note that he plays with high intensity and swagger with the athleticism to back it up.  Both Cravens and Hall are coming off of an injury plagued season, so it may not be out of the question to add an insurance policy in the sixth round that can mirror the skill set of Cravens in order to lessen the impact of his absence if that occurs.  Plus Hall and Blackmon are not getting any younger, and the Redskins should look to add depth at safety that they can groom into a possible starter.  Clemons has had trouble in the past but it is worth taking the risk at the 209th pick if he is available.