Washington Redskins: Which cornerbacks are worth the No. 13 pick?

Draft season is here. And the Washington Redskins have a number of decisions to make.

The team needs a cornerback. Josh Norman is only getting older, and the team’s former slot cornerback is off to Kansas City. Bashaud Breeland could be on the way out, and behind him, depth  remains to be acquired.

The Washington Redskins will likely draft a cornerback at some point in the 2018 NFL Draft. But when? Day 3? Round 2? Could they take a risk and grab one at No. 13?

To assess the possible returns drafting a first-round cornerback would provide the Washington Redskins, we decided to analyze a few possible first-round cornerbacks, and determine whether or not they’re worth the pick. Turn the page, and take a look at what we found!

Isaiah Oliver – Colorado

At 6-foot-1, 195, Colorado’s Isaiah Oliver surely passes the eye test.

When you first turn on the tape, Oliver is easy to spot. He has an NFL frame, and with his size, he stands out among his teammates. Much like his size, his play stands out as well.

At his best, Oliver is a sticky cover man. His footwork and the use of a jump step at the line is superb, and when facing a receiver with better quickness, he doesn’t lose a step. On go-routes, Oliver is a shadow to his receiver. It’s impossible to gain vertical separation from the former Buffalo.

I can see you’re lining up to grab him at No. 13 already. Not so fast.

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At his best, Oliver is ready to start at the next level. But at his worst, he’s a liability to the defense. For his size, Oliver plays with a startling lack of aggression. He can easily shed blocks in run defense, but he doesn’t always engage such blocks, and in press, he doesn’t use his hands as well as one would like. The aggression issue spans into tackling as well. When presented with an opportunity to bring the ball carrier down, Oliver, more often than not, lets the dog pile handle the job. He’s hesitant to use his size.

Furthermore, Oliver doesn’t have the agility to succeed on day one in the NFL. He struggles with comeback routes and quick direction changes. In the NFL, facing quicker receivers, Oliver will only continue to struggle. If facing an agile wide receiver, he could get beat every time.

His downfield awareness is also an issue. On go-routes, he doesn’t always turn his head toward the ball. This can get him into trouble with costly flags, and when he’s tested, his technique can be sloppy. My belief is that if Oliver has a sizable role in his first year, quarterbacks will throw his way specifically to draw pass interference calls. He needs to improve.

I would take Oliver at the right place. And No. 13 is far from the right place. Oliver has great potential at the next level. But there are some serious flaws in his game that he has to correct, or he might not be in the league very long.

Verdict: Not worth the No. 13 pick

My Grade for Oliver: Round 3-4

Mike Hughes – UCF

Mike Hughes began his college football career at North Carolina, and after one year, he left the program following discipline over a misdemeanor assault charge. He went to play at a community college for a year before transferring to UCF in his junior season.

It was there that Hughes made a name for himself as a very good college cornerback. In 13 games, he logged four interceptions and 11 pass deflections. His stats may seem deflated at first, but by watching his tape, it’s clear that Hughes wasn’t leaving plays on the field. Rather, quarterbacks simply didn’t throw his way.

Hughes’ talent is unique in that he can take options away. At 5-foot-11, 185, he has the size and quickness to maintain leverage through a receiver’s route. His length allows him to blanket receivers, discouraging quarterbacks to throw his way, and when they do, he is aggressive. Sometimes too aggressive.

In the future, Hughes will need to learn when to take a risk and when not to. But the talent and the  potential for success is there. Hughes’ lack of experience is one of the biggest knocks on him as it stands. He’s fairly raw in this stage of his development, and the learning curve in the NFL could hit him hard. Does he have potential? Absolutely. Starting potential. All-Pro potential. But he won’t play at that level in his rookie year, or in his second year. It will take time for Hughes to develop, and time is something the Washington Redskins don’t have.

Verdict: Not worth the No. 13 pick

My Grade for Hughes: Round 2

Jaire Alexander – Louisville

If the Washington Redskins are looking for an immediate starter at the nickel cornerback position, then Louisville’s Jaire Alexander could fit the bill. But at the No. 13 pick? That remains to be seen.

Alexander projects well in that position, and for several reasons. His size is comparable to that of the Washington Redskins’ former starting slot cornerback, Kendall Fuller. At 5-foot-11, 192, Alexander possesses adequate length, and he uses such length to make plays on the ball. He’s not afraid to throw himself around on the field, and when he goes for the ball, he has a wide range that isn’t easily bested.

Alexander is able to stay with his man, using innate lateral quickness to keep his feet under him. His rare explosive athleticism allows him to recover when he’s out of position, and make spectacular plays when he’s in position.

Unfortunately, during his final season with the Cardinals, Alexander didn’t often have the chance to be in position. He was often sidelined by injuries, and in the end, he only started six games.

Alexander has the traits to succeed in the NFL, but he has many areas in which he can improve, as well. He needs to bulk up on his 192-pound frame, and he needs to be more aggressive when engaging run blockers. But as far as pass protection goes, he’s ready for the next level, and that view is reflected by other draft analysts as well.

So this is all nice. But is Alexander worth the No. 13 pick? Some will tell you he is. A very small ‘some’. For our purposes here, however, Alexander is not. He’s a fringe first-round player as it stands. If he wows teams at the combine, that could change. But for now, his talents are bested by the players above him, and his injury proneness makes him a risk too great to take for the Washington Redskins.

Verdict: Not worth the No. 13 pick

My Grade for Alexander: Round 1-2

Josh Jackson – Iowa

To some, Josh Jackson is the best cornerback in this draft class, and with good reason.

At 6-foot-1, 192, Jackson has the size and length to dominate the position, and that’s just what he did in his final year with the Iowa Hawkeyes. He nabbed eight interceptions and deflected eighteen more passes, being named as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, as well as being named as a finalist for the Thorpe Award.

In Jackson’s game, it’s hard to find a resounding flaw that could keep him from succeeding in the NFL. He has very good length, and his instincts are obvious. His skills tracking the football are unmatched in this draft class, and with these skills, he makes plays at a premium. He plays with physicality, and he takes calculated risks, showing a high football IQ and a desire to help his team.

Jackson doesn’t have great agility, but this wasn’t a huge problem for him in college (the stats show this well). However, Jackson may have trouble with the cream of the crop in the NFL.

His lack of experience is also notable. Like Mike Hughes, Jackson only has one year of solid production, and the discrepancy between this year and last is fairly large for the Iowa defensive back. For this reason, some scouts are hesitant to commit to him as a mid-range first-round pick. But Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller is sold on the former Hawkeye.

You can watch the tape, and make your own opinions. But if Bashaud Breeland leaves, the Washington Redskins will need another ball-hawking cornerback to help solidify the position. If the right players are gone at No. 13, the Washington Redskins selection of Jackson could be validated.

Verdict: Worth the No. 13 pick (Trading down preferred)

My Grade for Jackson: Round 1

Denzel Ward – Ohio State

The Washington Redskins need a slot cornerback. And if they choose to address that need at No. 13, Ohio State’s Denzel Ward would be an almost perfect pick.

Ward is another player like Hughes and Jackson, in the sense that he only has one year of considerable production to boast about. But Ward is different from these cornerbacks in several ways.

Ward has outstanding athleticism and quickness. He is the most fluid mover in this cornerback draft class. He might not be the unanimous Rookie of the Year like his former team mate, Marshon Lattimore, but as I said in my NFL Mock Draft 4.0, Ward has the potential to be just as good.

"Everyone will agree that Ward isn’t as dominant as Marshon Lattimore was, but he is very good, nonetheless. He had a very solid season with the Buckeyes, showing off is physical play style and flawless fundamentals. He almost never lets the receiver beat him at the line, and while he is undersized at 5-foot-10, he makes up for that measurement with his long arms, which he uses to disrupt the rhythm of the receiver and make plays on the ball."

Ward’s size and quickness makes him a very good match for the slot cornerback position, and while he might not have as much production as a guy like Josh Jackson, he’s a player that can come in and start on day one.

Verdict: Worth the No. 13 pick

My Grade for Jackson: Round 1

Next: 5 prospects to avoid in the first round for the Redskins

If the Washington Redskins decide to pick a cornerback at No. 13, we now know that Josh Jackson and Denzel Ward could be worth the price of admission, provided the right circumstances materialize. But what about other positions? Defensive line? Wide receiver? We’ll get to that. Be sure to stay with Riggo’s Rag, as we’ll continue to provide you with top-notch draft content as the NFL Combine approaches.