The NFL Supplemental draft is in a couple of days. Armed with a boatload of picks in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins could be a player in the supplemental draft.
For those that don’t know, the supplemental draft takes place every year in the months after the NFL Draft. In this iteration of the draft, players who have circumstances that are preventing them from playing in college are able to file as late entries to the NFL, where teams get a chance to select them by forfeiting picks from the next year’s draft class. This is done by making a bid to the league office, and the draft order is determined by a specific system that our sister site NFL Mocks outlined recently. Usually, players are selected very late in the supplemental draft, if at all.
One of the most notable supplemental draft picks was Josh Gordon, as the dynamic receiver was taken by the Cleveland Browns in Round 2 after being dismissed by Baylor. That selection came in 2012, and only one player has been selected since then.
That said, the 2018 Supplemental Draft has more talent in it than normal. Because of this, the Washington Redskins, who are armed with many 2019 picks thanks to the compensatory selections they are due to receive, could end up being players. And if they are, they will have a chance to land some quality prospects.
One of the best available players in this year’s supplemental draft is Sam Beal. The Western Michigan product could end up being highly coveted among NFL teams, so the Redskins have to do their due diligence on him. Here’s a look at what Beal might provide the Redskins.
What Beal does well
It’s easy to see why Beal is one of the more hyped supplemental draft prospects in years. Beal has very good coverage skills and ran well with receivers at Western Michigan. Beal is a former receiver, and his tape shows that he is very good at figuring out where his opponents will run, and that allows him to stay with them in coverage.
Beal possesses a lanky, 6-foot-1 frame and great physicality for the corner position. He’s only 185 pounds, so he could add some weight to his frame at the NFL level and really make a name for himself as a hard-hitter at the line of scrimmage.
WalterFootball.com’s Charlie Campbell agreed with this sentiment and said the following of Beal in a recent scouting report.
More from Riggo's Rag
- What will Emmanuel Forbes bring to the Washington Commanders?
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
"Beal has a lot going for him as a cover corner. In speaking with team sources, they felt that his ball-reaction skills were his best trait. Beal tracks the football extremely well while running downfield. He high points the ball and is adept at breaking up passes to prevent completions. Beal doesn’t panic when the ball is coming toward him and is a real competitor with receivers. He is a physical corner with good length to take on big receivers. At his size, Beal has the ability to be an outside starter in the NFL."
Those ball tracking skills will be particularly important for him, as he will look to become a playmaker at the NFL level.
What Beal could improve
Beal’s biggest weakness is his apparent lack of speed. On tape, Beal struggles at times to stay with faster receivers, and that could be a problem at the NFL level. Given that he has shown good recovery speed at times, there’s a chance that he could end up improving in this aspect in the pros, and perhaps his weakness is tied to instincts. Still, this is an important area for Beal to work on moving forward.
It’s also worth noting that Beal’s tackling form isn’t great and he could have trouble with that early on in the NFL. He can fix that by adding some strength to his frame and utilizing better technique. That said, he wasn’t a poor tackler and did put forth solid effort to try and stop opponents. He just has to improve this at the next level.
Beal has the skills necessary to be a solid corner at the NFL level. The biggest concern is the speed, as he may get torched frequently if he can’t fix that. Still, he could be a playmaker and will be worth a shot for one team in the draft.
How Beal might fit with the Redskins
On the surface, it’s hard to see a logical fit of how Beal would fit in with the Redskins. They already have a lot highly touted young corners, so adding another to their room at a high cost might be a mistake. However, Beal offers a lot of potential and that can’t be ignored.
The only way that Beal would have a realistic chance of being selected by the Redskins is if they are undoubtedly moving on from Josh Norman in the 2019 offseason. Norman has an out in his contract and he likely won’t live up to his extensive cap hit. Beal could be added as a future starter to compete with Quinton Dunbar and Fabian Moreau once Norman is out of town. So, that would be how he fits.
That said, adding Beal would likely push one of the Redskins back-end depth players off the roster. Considering that Greg Stroman has a lot of upside, Joshua Holsey is considered to be a coach on the field, and Orlando Scandrick provides needed experience to the unit, adding Beal at the expense of one of them could be a mistake. Especially if he costs a second-round pick like many are projecting.
In terms of on-field fit, Beal could be another talented player to add to the cornerback room. But, he may not be able to find a place, especially if the team is confident in the depth they have at the position right now. So, the fit for Beal is, at best, questionable.
Next: 3 reasons the Redskins can win in 2018
Still, with an abundance of resources, the Redskins will have to consider Beal. They just aren’t very high on the list of teams that may select him given the high value that some cornerback-needy teams will place on Beal.