Washington Redskins Seem Unlikely To Draft Interior Lineman In First Round
The Washington Redskins will soon have a decision to make with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. It looks like they will not use it on an interior offensive lineman.
Heading into the 2017 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins still have a number of issues that they have to address on their team. They have a lot of needs still to fill on the defensive side of the ball, but they also have a couple of needs on the offensive side. Namely, the running back position and the left guard position need to be upgraded, but the Redskins may not want to spend their first round pick on the latter position.
Must Read: Washington Redskins Options With Their First Round Pick
According to Walter Cherepinsky of WalterFootball.com, Jay Gruden is not a fan of spending high picks on offensive lineman. In his NFL Rumors column, Cherepinsky quoted Gruden as saying the following:
"We’re getting there, but we’ve had, what, two first-round picks since I’ve been here? One of them hasn’t played a down, or played one game, and the other one is a guard. We have got to utilize our picks."
More from Riggo's Rag
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
- Bet365 VA Bonus Code – Claim $200 Guaranteed With Sign-Up Bonus
The fact that Gruden spoke lowly of the guard position demonstrates that he does not think highly of the position. In all likelihood, he thinks that he may be able to land a solid starting guard on Day 2 or Day 3 of the draft. This strategy could prove to be an efficient one, especially in this draft.
In the 2017 NFL Draft, there is only one offensive guard that could end up going in the first round. Western Kentucky’s Forrest Lamp has enjoyed a terrific offseason, and he seems likely to be a top 25 pick. I currently have him going to the Colts at the No. 15 pick in my 2017 NFL Mock Draft, but some thought that the Redskins would consider him. If Gruden thinks he can get an equal or better player in a later round, then he will certainly not select Lamp.
In previous drafts, guards like Larry Warford and Gabe Jackson have each gone in the third round respectively. They have turned into solid NFL players, and Warford has notably been one of the better run blockers in the league. The Redskins may try to find the next gem at that position, and they could target Indiana’s Dan Feeney on Day 2 or a player like Western Michigan’s Taylor Moton or LSU’s Ethan Pocic in round three.
Next: NFL Mock Draft 2.0 - Redskins Get Defensive Help
At the end of the day, the Redskins still seem likely to upgrade their guard position. Shawn Lauvao was below average last year, and with 10 draft picks, the team should look to upgrade that weakness. That said, they may not spend an early pick to do so. They believe that they can find an upgrade later in the 2017 draft.