Redskins Draft Special Round 1 (Pick 17)

Everyone except for Myles Garrett has been linked to the Redskins at the 17th pick.  It is hard to determine what the Redskins will do, and the smart money is that they may trade down to acquire more picks for trade in the later rounds.  I think the Redskins trade up a lot in this draft to get players they want for the simple fact that it may be hard to carry 10 new players on their roster.  I do think that they need an elite pass rushing DE more than anything, and if they are to stay at 17 that would be Derek Barnett.

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

Round 1 (17th Overall Selection):  Derek Barnett    DE    (Tennessee)
Height: 6'3"   Weight: 259 lbs   40 yd: 4.88   3 Cone Drill: 6.96 sec

Who would not want an elite level SEC pass rusher?  Derek Barnett is the cream of the crop when it comes to pass rushing ability and stat production. Barnett was a three year starter at Tennessee, the first defensive lineman ever to start as a true freshman for the Vols, where he accumulated 32 sacks over his three years.  Barnett was named First Team All-American by numerous outlets in 2016, and his stat production came against some of the SEC's best. Barnett is a violent pass rusher who uses superior hand fighting technique in unison with good footwork to rush the passer.  While his speed and athleticism are question marks for some, his 6.96 cone drill time was 5th at the combine for defensive linemen and only .01 seconds behind Solomon Thomas.  Barnett shows this quickness in his ability to get around lineman and close in on the quarterback in the pocket.  Barnett is a play maker who is not content with just setting the edge.  He uses great moves to get around the tackles and finishes his sacks.  Barnett also shows great spatial awareness in batting passes, defending screens, covering passes in the flat.  Barnett is described as a quiet player who lets his high level of hustle and intensity do his talking, and someone the coaches described as the heart and soul of the Volunteer defense.

Barnett's limitations come with his athletic acumen.  Scouts worry about his inferior athleticism compared to other DE's in this class, and that he relies too much on timing the snap to make up for his lack of burst off of the line. That timing has caused him to be on the wrong end of offsides penalties.  Barnett also has trouble changing direction once he gets going down field, and scouts note that he will have trouble with quarterbacks who elude the pocket.  There are also questions about his overall footwork, and his ability to sustain pressure when he does not win the initial confrontation with his hands.  Scouts also note that he needs to diversify his pass rush techniques and not rely solely on beating tackles of the edge with dip moves and hand fighting.  Finally, Barnett comes from a 4-3 scheme and may have trouble adapting to the 3-4.  Whatever.  The Redskins need a guy like this on the line.

Barnett's highlights are a thing of beauty.  He wins one-on-one battles at the line and can put major pressure on the quarterback.  Barnett's style maybe reminiscent of Brian Orakpo's straight line approach, but remember that that move worked for a few years.  The Redskins could develop his technique and possibly put muscle on him to be able to handle NFL level tackles, but those are things that can be easily done.  You cannot teach someone to do what Barnett does at the point of attack to win against lineman, and his dedicated level of play could prove to be infectious.  He would also provide yet another option at pass rusher that would give the Redskins front seven a scarier look in passing situations.  The Redskins have relatively good  outside pass rushers at the linebacker position, but they need people at the line who can strike the same fear into opposing offenses.  Barentt would do that the moment he puts on a Burgundy and Gold uniform, and if the is there at 17 (or wherever the Redskins end up in the first round) without any better alternative at D-line (i.e. Solomon Thomas) the Redskins would be fools to not pick him.

Redskins Draft Special Round 2 (Pick 49)

Another pick where the Redskins could do a lot of things.  This one could be a reach, and yes I propose that we take two safeties in this draft, but what would a Redskins draft be without a little redundancy.

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

Round 2 (49th Overall Selection):  Marcus Williams    S    (Utah)
Height: 6'1"   Weight: 202 lbs   40 yd: 4.56   Vert: 43.5"

Everyone seems to be falling in love with Obi Melifonwu from UConn, and for good reason.  He is an athletic freak who wowed people at the combine, and whose body type maybe more suited for the NFL than Marcus Williams.  But the Redskins have plenty of thumpers at safety.  What they need is someone who can play center field and actually cover a lot of ground on deep pass plays. Williams fits that mold perfectly.  Williams is a safety with 4.5 speed and whose quickness drills at the combine were comparable to Budda Baker, not to mention that he had the second highest vertical behind Melifonwu.  Williams, though, is not just a workout warrior.  He forced 18 turnovers the past three seasons for the Utes including 11 interceptions, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.  Scouts note his impeccable ability to make plays on the ball from deep positions, and he possesses the instincts and timing necessary to track deep balls and break up pass plays.  He also has good instincts in the run game that allow him to be first to the ball, and he is avid in trying to strip the ball from the ball carrier.  Williams is characterized as a true center field type safety who has the speed and quickness to cover a lot of ground in the open field in order to defend the pass, and he is also not afraid to step up and play the run.  The Utah coaches attribute Williams's honed instincts to his voracious appetite for film study, and they have called him one of the most committed people on the Utah team.  With all of these positives, there are some worrisome negatives that Williams has.

Williams missed two games in 2016 with a sprained knee, and while the injury appeared to be nothing major it could be indicative of a larger problem for Williams in the NFL.  His smaller frame and wrap up tackling style may leave him more prone to injury, and he may not have the same type of success with creating fumbles as he did at Utah.  Bigger running backs have been able to carry him for extra yardage, and even slip his tackles due to Williams's lack of pop on his hits.  Williams also has been known to read the quarterbacks too carefully, and he can fall for misdirection and pump fakes. Despite these shortcomings, which can be fixed at the next level, Williams is the safety the Redskins should go with in the higher rounds.

The Redskins need someone to police the deep routes that they get killed on time and again, and Williams is that type of guy.  His 10 INT's over the past two seasons against PAC-12 competition should be all the Redskins need to know in drafting a player like this.  His size could be a turnoff, but just like Tarell Basham that can be fixed through proper training and conditioning.  It is also hard to deny Williams's instincts and work ethic that could increase the level of commitment from everyone in the locker room.  Williams would not necessarily be a physical enforcer, but he was a guy that PAC-12 quarterbacks had to think twice about challenging due to his elite level of play.  The Redskins have not had someone like that at safety for a long time, and when paired with Cravens or Swearinger it could allow the Redskins to play around with interesting coverage packages.  The Redskins need a sure fire play maker in the back of the defense, and for my money it should be Marcus Williams.

Redskins Draft Special Round 3 (Pick 81)

This could be a pick the Redskins package into a Draft Day trade.  There is a lot of talent around this part of the Draft, and there are a lot of directions the Redskins could go if they decide to stay at 81.  Here is someone who could be an intriguing project for the Redskins to get in the 3rd round.

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

Round 3 (81st Overall Selection):  Tarell Basham    DE    (Ohio)
Height: 6'4"   Weight: 269 lbs   40 yd: 4.70   Vert: 31.5"

Tarell Basham is a prototypical NFL Defensive End that started all four years for Ohio and recorded a school record 29 sacks over that time.  His best season came in 2016 where he had 16 TFL and 11.5 sacks en route to being named The 2016 Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year.  Scouts note that Basham is quick in short bursts, which allows him to close on running backs and scrambling quarterbacks.  Basham also has long arms and a high motor that he uses to never give up on a play, and he has good spatial awareness that allows him to avoid cut blocks and even drop into coverage at times.  The Ohio coaches also raved about his infectious personality and work ethic that allowed him to evolve as a football player.  Basham does not come without limitations, most notably his surprising 15 reps on the bench at the combine.  Being overpowered by strength at the NFL level is a major concern, and there are questions about his stats being a product of the level of competition Basham faced in the MAC. Basham still has room to grow in the area of diversifying his pass rushing skills, and there is uncertainty as to whether he can enhance his play style in order to beat NFL level lineman.  As the saying goes, though, you can't teach speed/quickness, and the Redskins could get someone they could develop into a solid NFL pass rusher.

The Redskins need edge rushers, and they could get a guy with that type of speed and quickness in Basham.  The depth along the defensive line needs to be bolstered, and Basham could inject youth, work ethic, and talent into that group.  The Redskins need to give teams other people to worry about pressuring the quarterback other than Ryan Kerrigan, and Basham's college stats indicate that he could be that guy.  While his strength and rawness may give teams pause, his speed, quickness, and instincts should prompt the Redskins strength coaches to develop a plan to get him game ready by September.  Basham could be the guy who backs up Terrell McClain and Stacy McGee while learning the facets of the NFL game.  The Redskins need help in their defensive front, and while some scouts say that Basham could fall to the lower rounds, the Redskins may not want to take that chance.

Redskins Draft Special Round 4 (Pick 114)

The Redskins traded their 5th round pick last year (158th overall) to the Jets for a 4th round this year, which turns out to be the 114th overall selection.  The Jets took OT Brandon Shell out of South Carolina with that pick, and hopefully the Redskins can out do them by choosing a better SEC offensive lineman.

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

Round 4 (114th Overall Selection):  Will Holden    OT    (Vanderbilt)
Height: 6'7"   Weight: 311 lbs   40 yd: 5.47   Broad Jump: 111.0"

The Redskins could use depth at the tackle position, and Will Holden may be able to fill the role as Morgan Moses's understudy.  Holden is a redshirt senior out of Vanderbilt who has played all over the offensive line, but made a home as the Commodores resident do-it-all tackle.  He started 10 of 12 games at right tackle in 2014, but was moved to left tackle the next season due to injuries along the offensive line.  All Holden did there was make 37 consecutive starts for Vanderbilt from 2015-2016 and he was named Second Team All-SEC as a left tackle in 2016.  Holden is noted as being a very good run blocker who has the quickness and strength to move the defenders off the line in the run game. He has good instincts when moving to the second level on run plays, and is fundamentally sound enough to compensate for some athletic shortcomings.  The most notable of those shortcomings is Holden's struggle with speed rushers off the edge.  Holden has been beaten by players with enough quickness and speed to get around the edge, and Holden also tends to struggle shutting down stunts at the line.  Despite those shortcomings the Redskins would be wise to give Holden a look if he is here at the 114th pick.

While the Redskins are high on Ty Nsekhe he cannot be everywhere at once.  As Morgan Moses continues to age, and if Trent Williams continues to smoke pot, the Redskins may need another option at tackle that they can plug in.  Holden brings experience at both tackle spots to the Redskins offensive line, but more than likely the right side is more suitable to his skill set at the NFL level.  It would be another case of finding someone who can provide depth at first and maybe develop into a starter.  If the Redskins are looking to take a running back anywhere in this draft it would behoove them to start adding depth to the offensive line as well.  Even if they don't take a running back, the running game last year was sporadic at best and Holden's durability and skill set play right into bolstering the offensive line's ability to sustain changes due to injury or suspension.  Holden's disciplined nature would also bring good intangibles to the team as well, so the Redskins would be wise to give Holden a look in the 4th round.

Redskins Draft Special Round 4 (Pick 123)

There are a lot of directions the Redskins can go with this pick, but I propose choosing a player who may not be as obvious.

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

Round 4 (123rd Overall Selection):  Wayne Gallman    RB    (Clemson)
Height: 6'0"   Weight: 215 lbs   40 yd: 4.60   20 yd Shuttle: 4.28 sec

He is no Joe Mixon, but I could not in good conscience take THREE players who had to miss a year in college due to disciplinary reasons.  Hence the choice of Wayne Gallman, and he may fit the Redskins scheme better than you would think.  Gallman is a hard runner who has good bursts through the tackles and can make quick cuts at the line of scrimmage.  His 20 yard shuttle time was 5th at the combine for RB's, and was only .06 seconds slower than Christian McCaffrey who is listed as being almost 15 pounds lighter than his Clemson counter part.  Gallman has used that size to be a hard runner who always falls forward and fights for the extra yards.  He is noted as being trustworthy in fourth and short situations as well as goal line packages, which can be seen in his 28 rushing touchdowns over the past 2 seasons at Clemson.  The knocks on him are that he has trouble finding lanes and he slows down at times to try and find the hole.  He is not a shifty type back and has trouble moving in tight spaces, and his pass protection is average at best.  Scouts state that he may need large lanes to run through at the NFl level, and his pass catching ability is spotty.

So why waste a pick on a possible Matt Jones 2.0?  Because Matt Jones 1.0 may have fallen out of favor with the coaching staff, and they need another power back with a little extra.  Gallman's profile sounds like that of Rob Kelley, but he has a little more speed and quickness that can add an extra element to the Redskins running game.  His negatives are all somewhat ameliorated by the fact that the Redskins offense can provide big one cut lanes he needs when working properly.  Gallman also worked out of the shotgun a lot at Clemson, which may limit his ability as an every package type back but it could also make him an intriguing option on 3rd downs if given the proper coaching.  Gallman could push Matt Jones to either fix his fumbling issues or push him out of the depth chart all together.  Either way, it would add competition to a position that needed some new talent to invigorate it, and Gallman could eventually become a steady go-to option for the Redskins

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 201)

Finally, the Redskins get to use a pick that was not involved in a trade and is at the beginning of the round.  The Redskins should take advantage of being able to pick high in the sixth round to add some depth.

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

Round 6 (201st Overall Selection):  Connor Harris    ILB    (Lindenwood)
Height: 5'11"   Weight: 242 lbs   40 yd: 4.73   Vert: 33"

Lindenwood is a Division II school in St. Charles, Missouri that plays in the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association.  Connor Harris was highly recruited, but received only one FBS scholarship from Kansas and that was after he committed to the Tigers.  Harris made a name for himself by becoming the NCAA's all time leading tackler with 633 career tackles.  He was also a First Team All-American and won the Cliff Harris Award in 2016 for being named the top defender in Division II, III, and NAIA.  Now, you probably have the Sandlot mentality right now about Harris's accolades, but he has skills that would warrant the Redskins taking him early in the sixth round. Harris is described as a high motor player who has tremendous leadership skills and the quickness to be in front of run plays and disrupt their timing.  He has a good burst to the ball, and has the quickness in space to cover running backs out of the backfield.  Harris finishes his tackles, he is noted as a linebacker who can play all three downs, and has experience playing QB, Safety, Running Back, and Punter throughout his football career.  There are questions about his production being a product of the level of competition, and his lack of length has caused him to be eaten up by bigger offensive lineman. Scouts note that he has trouble shedding blocks and is more of a straight line/downhill type tackler.  While his quickness is above reproach there may be issues with his speed at the NFL level.  His size and lack of experience with higher level athletes may be concerns, but Harris is someone the Redskins need on this roster.

Yes, the Redskins just signed Zach Brown to shore up the inside linebacker position, but it couldn't hurt to add depth there as well.  At the very least, Harris will add competition to that ILB group with his determined demeanor and level of work ethic.  While you can't coach him to be bigger or taller, you also cannot teach quickness.  Harris seems to have the quickness to be in the play and the determination to finish the play once he is there.  The fact that he can cover running backs coming out of the backfield should also have the Redskins praying that he falls to this spot.  The big issue with The Redskins defense last year was stopping the run and Harris's skills set is geared to do just that.  His leadership skills would also be a bonus to have in the locker room, and the Redskins should look to select Connor Harris if they have the chance.