The NFL Draft isn’t until spring of 2019, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start thinking about it now.
It’s good for franchises to think ahead. Thinking ahead ensures that you’re prepared for any roster issues that arise. It ensures that you stay ahead of the game with contracts and weaknesses that might arise.
Taking that into account, you could say that the Washington Redskins failed to think ahead when mulling over the left guard slot. Perhaps the team felt that Shawn Lauvao was competent enough for another year or two. But whatever the case, that position has turned into a weakness. Lauvao is out now, and Chase Roullier has been slotted in.
With Lauvao’s injury penchant rearing its ugly head again, and with the Redskins’ depth on the interior a shaky asset, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to invest in that position group during the 2019 NFL Draft.
There are, as always, a lot of intriguing options on the offensive interior in this draft class, but today, we’ll focus on a specific prospect: Texas offensive guard Patrick Vahe.
Patrick Vahe Player Breakdown
If the Redskins pick Patrick Vahe, they’d be getting an absolute bull in the trenches. Vahe is far from a small man, standing at an imposing 6-foot-3, 325. He came to Texas as a four-star recruit, and so far, he’s lived up to the reputation.
Power is Vahe’s middle name; he has the sheer strength to negate opponents from the play in an instant. He’s contact hungry as a run blocker and he holds his ground in pass protection, possessing a strong, wide base and quick, accurate hands.
Vahe plays until the final whistle, and you won’t find him missing many snaps; as a four-year starter with the Longhorns, he’s played in 44 games, with 40 of those games being starts. Durability isn’t an issue for the Trinity, Texas native.
While Vahe is fundamentally and functionally sound, however, there are some inconsistencies in his game. He’s fairly smooth when traveling to the second level, but he has Inconsistent awareness in open field. He’s not the most mobile player as a pulling guard, which might disillusion Redskins coaches who favor another screen lineman.
Vahe can also have heavy feet, and he has inconsistent speed when getting upright off the snap. That said, these are areas of polish. No one is going to be starting from scratch with Vahe. He appears to be an NFL-ready lineman who could, at the very least, provide immediate depth for the Redskins.
Patrick Vahe 2018 Performance Update
After earning honorable mention All-Big 12 honors in 2017, Vahe has kicked off the 2018 season on the right foot.
Vahe’s blocking prowess has contributed to a solid rushing attack for the Longhorns, and the offense has begun to find its footing as well, after years of inconsistency in that regard.
Recently, per Texas offensive line coach Herb Hand, in a 247 Sports article by Chip Brown, Vahe was one of five Longhorns’ linemen to grade at an 85 or higher against the Kansas State Wildcats.
It’s become clear that Vahe is one of the safer offensive linemen in the nation, and he could be worth a fairly high pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Day 2 is a possibility for the burly lineman. Want to watch him play today? He’ll have a tough test against the Oklahoma Sooners at 12:00 PM eastern time.
Relevance to the Redskins
I don’t need to dwell on this for long. The Redskins have a No. 77 currently who is not great. He’s a force as a run blocker when healthy, but as a pass blocker, he’s a liability, and rarely does he stay on the field. Factor injuries into the equation, and the Redskins current No. 77 doesn’t seem to be a valuable mainstay.
The Redskins decided to bring back the old No. 77 for the 2018 season once Arie Kouandjio went down with a season-ending injury. It is now becoming clear that No. 77 needs a change. No. 77 needs an upgrade.
Patrick Vahe might be the No. 77 the Redskins need.
What do you think about this week’s player selection? Be sure to voice your thoughts in the comments section below, and feel free to give any player suggestions! Next week, we’ll reveal a defensive player who the Redskins could consider picking.