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Washington Redskins Select Tight End Jeremy Sprinkle With Fifth Round Pick, No. 154 Overall

By Jacob Camenker

Nov 12, 2016; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks running back Rawleigh Williams III (22) cuts back off the block of tight end Jeremy Sprinkle (83) during the second quarter of the game against the LSU Tigers at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 12, 2016; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks running back Rawleigh Williams III (22) cuts back off the block of tight end Jeremy Sprinkle (83) during the second quarter of the game against the LSU Tigers at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Washington Redskins had two picks in the fourth round and added a running back and safety. In the fifth round, the team added tight end Jeremy Sprinkle.

After making two fourth round picks, the Washington Redskins had five more selections left in the 2017 NFL Draft. They had one left in the fifth round, and they had a few needs left to address. They needed to add a receiver, an interior lineman, a linebacker or maybe even a quarterback. The team ended up going the best player available route and selected Jeremy Sprinkle from Arkansas.

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The 2017 tight end class is widely considered to be a really strong class at the position. Three players at the position went in the first round, and that pushed some talented players down the board. In the fifth round, tight ends were flying off the board. Jake Butt, George Kittle and Jordan Leggett had gone earlier in the frame, and the Redskins felt like they could no longer wait.

Sprinkle is a tight end with great size at 6-foot-6, 256 pounds, but his production has not been quite as good as it should be. In his past two seasons, he totaled 60 catches for 769 yards and 10 touchdowns. He could be a solid receiving weapon at the next level, but he really needs to do a bit more at the NFL level to be more than a backup.

Thankfully, the Redskins have Wes Phillips as their tight ends coach. He has gotten the most out of Niles Paul and Jordan Reed, so that will allow the team to develop Sprinkle well. Of course, it helps that he will be the third or fourth option on the depth chart behind Reed, Vernon Davis, and potentially Paul.

There are some concerns with Sprinkle. Notably, he was suspended from his team’s bowl game for shoplifting from the store that was the bowl game’s sponsor. Still, that could have just been a boneheaded mistake, so that could be a non-issue.

Next: Montae Nicholson Selected By Redskins In Round 4

At the end of the day, this is another solid pick in what is a strong draft. Sprinkle could be a great developmental prospect and he should be a good blocker early on at the very least.

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