The Washington Redskins hold the No. 13 pick in this year’s NFL Draft. Numerous holes on both sides of the ball could be addressed with that pick. One position that stands out over the rest, however, is running back.
Washington has lacked a true lead back since the early years of Alfred Morris. Gone are the 1,000 yard seasons from Morris, and the Washington Redskins have yet to find another back capable of being the ‘game changer’.
It is no secret that the Washington Redskins struggle with running the ball. The team under Jay Gruden has consistently ranked in the bottom half of the league on the ground. In 2017, the team ranked near the bottom at No. 27, their worst season under Gruden. Part of the issue is Gruden’s scheme, but more daunting is the simple lack of a quality running back.
Grudens scheme has never produced a quality running game, dating back to his coordinator days with the Bengals. The same issue has followed him to Washington. All the blame, however, cannot be placed on Gruden’s shoulders. His cast of running backs has been subpar at the best and outside of Chris Thompson, there isn’t anything special about this group.
Washington passed on top names in free agency. Guys like Isaiah Crowell, Carlos Hyde, and Jerrick McKinnon all have found new places to call home, per FanSided’s free agency tracker. None have taken up residence in Washington.
Having foregone the veteran route, the team will now need to turn to next month’s NFL Draft in order to try and find an upgrade to their running back corps. Newly acquired quarterback Alex Smith has always thrived with a solid rusher behind him. Having had rookie star Kareem Hunt, and future Hall of Famer Frank Gore in San Francisco to carry the ball allowed Smith to have some of his most productive seasons. Bringing in a solid running back will help take some of the load off Smith’s shoulders, and in turn, it could help his production reach a maximum yet again.
Insert Derrius Guice.
Derrius Guice is the best running back not named Barkley heading into the NFL Draft. His power and vision make him a solid option for the Washington Redskins out the backfield, and his running style makes him special.
Downhill and violent, Guice has the ability to run through you, around you, or past you. He is a gifted back who employs speed and power on his way to the hole.
Guice’s vision and balance allow him to turn small gains into positive chunk plays for the offense on a consistent basis. The SEC product has the tools needed to come in and be a work horse back in the NFL. Finishing his career at LSU by posting back to back seasons with over 1,100 yards and double-digit touchdowns, Guice has solidified his stellar draft status. Derrius Guice will most likely be the second running back taken next month, and should be gone by the middle of Round 1.
As you’ll see in the video below, Guice is simply hard to tackle. He has the balance to stay upright through contact, and he has the power to body defenders and match them with every ounce of momentum. It’s not uncommon to see three defenders fighting to drag him down, like lions attacking an elephant. In the NFL, Guice would bring this quality, a rare quality, and likely thrive. Guice is an NFL starter. No one has to overthink it.
I love Derrius Guice. Power and balance allow him to turn this into a much bigger gain than it should’ve been. pic.twitter.com/tspW4an5bA
— Nathan Britton (@NathanBritton_) March 1, 2018
With their recent attempts at finding talented backs in the middle rounds falling short, the Washington Redskins should look to spend an early round pick on the position of running back. They are legitimate candidates to land Guice come late April. Vice President of Player Personnel Doug Williams has stated that the Washington Redskins will adequately address the need at running back. It should be noted that the Washington Redskins met with Guice at the NFL combine and came away impressed. Our own Ian Cummings writes that Guice has everything the Washington Redskins need at No. 13.
"In Guice, any given NFL team would have an energetic runner who can start and thrive on day one. For the Washington Redskins, Guice, a complete back, would provide a perfect compliment to third down back Chris Thompson, and he’d effectively fill the team’s need at a very important position. He doesn’t even turn 21 until June, and for running backs, who usually tick out at around 30 years of age, time is very much a valuable asset."
RB Derrius Guice (@DhaSickest) checking in after his #NFLCombine workout! @LSUfootball https://t.co/2rze5TLQ5W
— NFL (@NFL) March 2, 2018
When Washington is on the clock at 13 next month, Guice will most likely be there. Bruce Allen and Co. should be all over the opportunity to bring him in and finally fix Washington’s run game.
Next: NFL Mock 6.1: Redskins find a talented RB
The hope that Guice would possibly fall to them in the second round is looking more and more like a pipe dream. Washington will have one shot to land Guice, and should the Washington Redskins decide to pair him with Chris Thompson and Samaje Perine a weakness will immediately become a strength in Washington.