The Washington Redskins had a very strong draft class that saw them add a lot of potential contributors. Here’s a look at a few who could make the All-Rookie team in 2018.
The All-Rookie team is always fun to look at. Every year following the season, the Pro Football Writers of America pick the best rookies and create a team out of them. Last year, the squad was led by Deshaun Watson, Alvin Kamara, and Kareem Hunt. And this year, it figures to be a loaded list as well.
Over the past couple of seasons, the Washington Redskins haven’t gotten a lot of love for this list. In fact, they haven’t had a single player on it since 2015, when Brandon Scherff made it as an offensive line candidate. That’s not necessarily and indictment of the talent the Redskins have added. It just means that they didn’t have the quantity of production that the PFWA looks for in their vote.
With that said, the Redskins have some pretty solid looking candidates who could make the team in 2018. It’s possible that they could finally land a player on the squad, and here’s a look at their three most likely candidates for the All-Rookie team.
As the one who is more often trying to calm down the Trey Quinn hype train, I hesitate to name him as a realistic candidate to actually make the squad. That said, of the rookies on the Redskins, he probably is one of the players who would more likely make the squad.
The receiver class in the 2018 NFL Draft wasn’t considered to be a strong one. D.J. Moore was the first receiver off the board at the No. 24 pick, and that was the latest the first receiver had been selected since Donnie Avery was the No. 33 pick in the 2008 draft. Suffice to say, there may not be a lot of high quality receivers that come out of the 2018 class.
Quinn was the final pick of the draft, and he was the 33rd receiver selected overall. So, he will have to fight for opportunities to make the team and earn playing time. And that will make it difficult for him to have a realistic shot at making the All-Rookie team.
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That said, in the event that the Redskins suffer and injury to one of their starters, it’s possible that Quinn could be ready to step in. He has the versatility needed to play all over the field, outside and in the slot, and he is coming off a 114 catch, 1,236 yards season in which he scored 13 touchdowns. So, he has talent for sure.
If Quinn does end up starting eventually, he could rack up a fair amount of catches and put up some serious yardage. In the event that happens, he could find himself near the top among rookie receivers, as not many are expected to play big roles in their first season with the squad.
In all likelihood, Quinn won’t make the All-Rookie team. But of the Redskins later round options, he is the one with the clearest path to playing time and the one who could put up the most statistical production. For that reason, he gets the nod at this place on the list, even though he’s unlikely to rank that highly among rookie receivers.
In the modern NFL, it is very easy for talented rookie running backs to make a serious impact early in their careers. And Derrius Guice could be the next in a long line of talented backs to make a name for himself early.
Guice ended up being picked in the second round by the Redskins, and he was the seventh running back off the board. This was a surprise to many, as some had Guice ranked as the No. 2 back in this entire draft class. However, there were rumblings about potential character concerns surrounding Guice, and that was what caused him to slip.
Still, nothing substantial has come of those rumors. Additionally, he seems to have won over the hearts of many Redskins fans and genuinely seems like a good guy. So, it’s hard to figure out where those rumors stemmed from.
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Getting back to the point, it is quite possible that Guice could end up playing a major role in the Redskins offense. He could see anywhere from 200-300 carries if he impresses early on, and that will certainly give him a chance to break the 1,000 yard mark. For that reason alone, he should be considered a potential option for the All-Rookie team.
Of course, it also helps that Guice is a very good receiver who figures to rack up some yards there as well. If he can become a true dual-threat back, then there’s a good chance he could be a Matt Forte type producer as a rookie, and that might be enough to earn him a spot.
That said, there are a couple of things worth noting. The first is that Guice will have to compete with Chris Thompson, Samaje Perine, and perhaps Rob Kelley for carries early in the season. While Guice probably has the most talent of the group, Jay Gruden has been reluctant to trust rookie runners early in the season. So, that could lead to him being eased into the workload which would certainly hurt his chances of earning an accolade.
Also, the rookie running back class is very strong, and Guice will face stiff competition from other players. The three first round running backs, Saquon Barkley, Rashaad Penny, and Sony Michel, all have fairly clear paths to earning a substantial workload as the workhorse back. And while Guice could end up with a similar load, they may gain a statistical edge earlier in the season. For that reason, it could be difficult for him to earn one of the two spots set aside for running backs.
Regardless, Guice figures to be a great contributor in his rookie year. Fans won’t care if he makes the All-Rookie team if he can make a big impact on the game. And he figures to be able to do that.
Because of all the hype being given to guys like Quinn and Guice, Daron Payne has flown under the radar a bit. The Alabama nose tackle was the first overall pick by Washington, and he does plug a massive hole for the squad. So, there’s a real chance that he could make a huge impact on the team and have a shot at making the All-Rookie team as well.
Payne has virtually no competition for a starting role in the Redskins defense. While Tim Settle and Phil Taylor are currently on the roster, both figure to be rotational players at the most while Payne should see plenty of action alongside Jonathan Allen. Payne possesses great athleticism, and that could give him a fighting chance to shoot through gaps and become a sack artist, which is something he didn’t do much of in college.
At the very least, Payne should be a monster run stuffer for the Redskins, and he could help to catapult their unit to a top 10 defense. Realistically, they have patched almost every significant hole, though some still question the No. 2 corner and slot corner roles, and Payne will be a big part of that. If the Redskins defense does drastically improve, people will take notice of his abilities and may credit him as being a part of that.
Payne was also one of the top defensive tackles selected, as only Vita Vea went in front of him. This will already give him name recognition with many and in the event that he is statistically similar to other top candidates for the All-Rookie team, he will probably get the nod because of this.
Next: Analyzing the Redskins receiving corps
Don’t sleep on Payne just because he’s a nose tackle. He could end up being the most impactful rookie on this squad. But no matter what, the Redskins will be happy with any production they get out of their top picks. If they can help turn the team into a playoff contender, then they should get a warm reception from fans in Washington.