Assessing Washington Redskins first-round options: RB Derrius Guice
By Ian Cummings
The Washington Redskins should draft Guice if they don’t see Perine or Kelley as the answer.
Ultimately, if the Washington Redskins make no running back acquisitions in free agency, and if they don’t see themselves having a future with Perine or Kelley as a starter, then they should pull the trigger on Guice, unless Saquon Barkley manages to drop to No. 13 (which could very well happen).
Guice would give the Washington Redskins a true NFL running back. He has the physicality to body the biggest defenders, and he has the quickness and the focus at the line to make the most out of every run. His patience can be worked on, but at it stands right now, he would be a mid-tier starter in the NFL, right out of the gate. And the potential for quick and prosperous growth is there.
To put it in simple terms, Guice is a high-floor, high-upside prospect who is still 20 years old. With the Washington Redskins, he can start right away, and with the maulers on the offensive line, like Trent Williams, Chase Roullier, Brandon Scherff, and Morgan Moses, Guice can be elite.
Next: Why Redskins RB Samaje Perine is no more than a backup
Don’t treat Guice as another Robert Kelley, or another Samaje Perine, or even another Marshawn Lynch. Guice is more than a power back. He’s a complete back. And in 2018, one lucky NFL team will find that out for themselves. The Washington Redskins should do everything in their power to be that team.