The Washington Redskins have three major positions to fill, and only two picks in the first two days. That means that their second round pick will be critical.
In the event that the Washington Redskins don’t elect to trade back into the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the team is going to be faced with a major decision to make. Right now, the team has three major holes left on their roster. They need a starting left guard, a starting nose tackle, and a potential three-down running back for their offense. They have to get these three players, and while they have resources, they need to carefully consider how to attack the draft.
Because of the Alex Smith trade, the Redskins are without their third round pick. That isn’t a major deal, but considering that they have three big needs, it stands to reason that unless the team trades down, they may end up with a Day 3 player being forced into a larger role in 2018. That wouldn’t be the worst thing, but it also is a risk for the team to take.
Because of this pressure, it’s increasingly important that the Redskins get their first two picks right. They need to hit on their first round pick, and they should be in position to do that. But their second round pick could be even more important.
With many quality players at the team’s major positions of need being available early in the second, the team will have a chance to change their team for the better. Here’s a look at the players who would represent the top three options for the team if the draft was held today.
I only have B.J. Hill as the No. 3 option on this list because I still think that it’s highly likely that the Redskins will take a nose tackle in Round 1. There are only two scenarios in which I see them passing on this position in the opening frame. The first is if Minkah Fitzpatrick somehow slips to them, and the second is if they trade down to pick up some extra Day 2 picks.
That said, if the team did pass on Da’Ron Payne with their first round pick, or Vita Vea, though he may either be off the board or below Payne on the Redskins Big Board, they would have to consider a nose tackle in Round 2. And if they do, B.J. Hill would be a good fit.
The Redskins have been tied to Hill on many occasions, which makes sense. As I pointed out in a recent 7-round mock of mine, the Redskins could opt to take Hill because of his production at NC State.
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"Hill was part of the stellar NC State defensive line that features many NFL talents on it, including likely top 10 pick Bradley Chubb. Hill served as a run stuffer in the defense, racking up 55 tackles and two sacks for the team. He demonstrated strong ability to move blockers at the point of attack and his 6-foot-4, 315 pound frame should make him a good fit at the nose tackle in a 3-4 defense. There have been some reports tying Hill to the Redskins. Kareem Copeland of The Washington Post mentioned Hill as a potential second round option for the team, and WalterFootball.com’s Walter Cherepinsky had Hill mocked to the Redskins in the second round of one of his recent NFL mocks. Both linking Hill to the Redskins makes it seem like Hill could be a preferred prospect for the team."
Though I had Hill slipping to the fourth round of that draft, it seems more likely that he will be a Day 2 pick. The No. 44 pick may be a bit early for him, but considering that the team doesn’t have a third round pick, it may be their only shot at landing Hill. As it stands, Hill is firmly in the mix for the Round 2 pick, but only if Payne or Vea isn’t selected at No. 13 overall.
Running back is a position that will almost certainly garner consideration from the Redskins in Round 2. Unless the team trades back in the first round to get Derrius Guice, it’s likely that they will target a Day 2 option to plug a hole at the running back position. There will be a few second-round options, but there are three that stand out.
Sony Michel, Nick Chubb, and Ronald Jones should all strongly interest the Redskins. The trio of backs all have talent, and the Georgia duo are particularly strong. Michel is the best of the bunch, in this analyst’s opinion, but he is also likely to be off the board by the time the Redskins pick. Michel could sneak into the first round because of his Alvin Kamara like ability. So, getting him would be tough for the Redskins.
As for Chubb, he is more of a two-down back at the NFL level, as he’s not much of a receiver. But, between the tackles, he runs with strength and power and he should be a force for the team that drafts him. He’s also going to be further removed from the devastating knee injury he suffered sophomore year, so he could get some of his athletic ability back.
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That said, it’s possible that Chubb could be off the board when the Redskins are picking. He seems to be rising as the draft draws nearer, so he could be the fourth runner off the board, which would be sensible given where I have him ranked on my running back big board.
Because of this, the Redskins are likely going to miss on the Georgia products. Still, the team may be able to land a quality running back in the second round. That could be Ronald Jones. Jones had a great career at USC and was one of the most elusive players in college football. He’s going to be a strong running back, but if Guice, Michel, and Chubb all make it to the late-first, early-second round range, Jones could slip to the middle of Round 2.
If that happens, the Redskins should try to snap up Jones as quickly as possible. He has the potential to be a three-down back and while he could stand to add strength at the NFL level, he has game-breaking ability and should be a solid player. Landing him would definitely solve the Redskins running back problems, and the only way they wouldn’t take him would be if one of the Georgia guys makes it to this pick.
Frank Ragnow has flown under the radar a bit as a top guard/center option. He missed a good chunk of Arkansas’ season with a high ankle sprain, and also missed the Combine workouts as a result, but when he was on the field, he was a terrific.
Ragnow is an elite run blocker and has fared well in pass protection as well. He never gave up a sack during his career at Arkansas despite playing an excess of 2,600 snaps. That is insanely good, even for an interior lineman. Ragnow has positional versatility, having spent time at both center and guard during his time at Arkansas, so that will help to pump up his value a bit.
For the Redskins, Ragnow could be a massive upgrade at guard for the team. They haven’t had a solid starter at the position since the team signed Shawn Lauvao as a free agent in 2014. Ragnow could give them just that and while he isn’t a great athlete, he has good blocking instincts and takes good angles to get to the second level. His ability to provide good protection and generate push in the run game will allow him to complete the interior of the offensive line, forming a nice trio alongside Brandon Scherff and Chase Roullier.
Next: Authors picks for Redskins in Round 1
Ragnow may not be well-known right now, but the Redskins should strongly consider him with their second round pick. He would fill a major need at guard and that is one of the three biggest needs that the Redskins have. If all the running backs are off the board, then Ragnow should become one of the favorites for the team’s pick, unless they have Billy Price ranked above him, which is possible. Still, Ragnow could be a great option with the Round 2 pick.