Half way through the season, the Redskins are in a good spot, but it’s time to start getting familiar with prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft.
The Washington Redskins are in first place of the NFC East, but if they want to sustain this success, they will need to add more talent in the upcoming draft.
This mock draft is based on what I believe to be the biggest needs for the team. It’s also based on how I personally rank the prospects and where I believe they’ll end up being drafted.
The Redskins have a great core of young players, mostly on the defensive unit. With an expected nine selections in the upcoming 2019 NFL Draft, hopefully they can assert themselves as one of the leagues best, young teams. If you enjoy the mock, or don’t agree with me, let me know on Twitter at @MVscouting.
Round 1
Jachai Polite – EDGE – Florida
Jachai Polite is first and foremost a fantastic athlete. I expect him to test excellently at the combine; he will probably outrun 95 percent of all quarterbacks.
The Redskins have lacked a true speed rusher in 2018. They had it with Junior Galette last season, but it’s been a missing element of their defense this year. With Preston Smith in the final year of his contract, a new edge rusher might be the go-to move in a stacked class. I expect the Redskins to just miss out on Brian Burns and Montez Sweat, so Polite is a nice consolation prize.
Polite already has 7.0 sacks and four forced fumbles this year. He’s a little undersized, but it doesn’t effect his play. He’s a strong run defender, but he’ll make his money as a pass rusher. He’s not a hands fighter and doesn’t possess an arsenal of pass rush moves, but that’s because he doesn’t need to.
Polite’s game revolves around his speed and his explosion off the line of scrimmage. Polite gets off the snap immediately and has been embarrassing college tackles all season. He’ll need to develop a counter move when he gets to the NFL because he’ll face tackles athletic enough to keep up him, but if he finds a way to beat them, the Redskins would get a special pass rusher.
Round 2
Dalton Risner – Interior Offensive Lineman – Kansas State
A tackle in college, most scouts believe Dalton Risner is best suited to stay at tackle in the NFL. However, I believe he projects better as a guard. Similar to the Brandon Scherff situation, Risner has good natural power and is very solid in pass protection, but he struggles with speed and length. A move to guard would magnify his strengths while also hiding his weaknesses.
Why do the Redskins need this pick? Well, Shaun Lauvao has to be one of the five worst starting guards I have ever seen in my life. Eisner would come in and bring that fifth piece the Redskins have been missing on the line all this time. He’ll get to spend time learning from the likes of Trent Williams, Brandon Scherff, and Morgan Moses. Risner would be a perfect selection for the Redskins, finally shoring up the Hogs 2.0
Round 3
Irv Smith Jr. – Tight End – Alabama
While the Redskins may seem set at tight end right now, the future is in question. Vernon Davis continues to age and I’m skeptical on his ability to sustain production. Jordan Reed hasn’t been the factor we hoped for when healthy, and he’s making a lot of money. I’d expect either a contract re-structure or Reed on another team come draft time.
Luckily, this season’s tight end draft class is very talented. Irv Smith Jr. has been lost in some of the Alabama noise but is enjoying a breakout season this year. Smith has six touchdowns so far this season, four of which have come in each of the last four games. Smith Jr. actually reminds me a little of Jordan Reed. He’s great after the catch and prevents mismatches. Most of of his yards have been on large chunk plays, as he’s averaging over 17 yards a catch.
Anthony Ratliff-Williams – Wide Receiver – North Carolina
Some Redskins fans are set on the idea that the wide receivers are the reason the offense is struggling. This idea is wrong. While the receivers could be doing more, it’s not their fault they lack production. The Redskins have been a run first offense this year, and Alex Smith is not someone that’s going to pump out yards. However, you can take advantage of Smith’s tendency to throw short, and add players who excel after the catch.
Enter: Anthony Ratliff-Williams.
Ratliff-Williams is dangerous with the ball in his hands. He’d provide an immediate spark for the Redskins offense. He’s always a threat to score, and he can be moved all along the offense.
Ratliff-Williams is very complete in terms of his physical play on the field. He’s got excellent vision with the ball in his hands and can score on screens and slants. Even though hes not built like a 50-50 receiver, he does a great job going after the football in the air. Ratliff-Williams has good speed, but I don’t think he possesses real burner speed, so he’ll need to develop as a route runner if he wants to become a dominant receiver.
Round 5
Brett Rypien – Quarterback – Boise State
Nephew of former Redskins quarterback and Superbowl champion Mark Rypien, Brett Rypien is a quarterback I’m a fan of, in a quarterback class that lacks any real… talent.
Justin Herbert and Dwayne Haskins are my top two quarterbacks, but neither of them are guaranteed to declare. Alex Smith has been very ‘meh’ this season, so why not spend one of your nine picks on someone who could be his understudy and eventual successor?
Parris Campbell – Wide Receiver – Ohio State
Similar to Anthony Ratliff-Williams, Parris Campbell excels after the catch. He has the ability to line up at any receiver position and even the backfield. Legit 4.3 speed helps with this. Campbell is a weapon. He has high upside, but as a rookie, projects best as a specialist who gets more manufactured touches, or is used as a decoy to get others involved. The Redskins need to add talent at the receiver position, so adding these two guys would provide immediate explosion for the foreseeable future.
Round 6
Tuf Borland – Linebacker – Ohio State
Tuf Borland lacks elite size but plays with good speed. While Mason Foster has been a force in the run game, he’s an obvious mismatch for opposing offenses. When he gets lined up on tight ends and running backs he’s a liability. Borland is more physically gifted, and therefore matches up better on passing downs. He adds extra talent into the linebacker room, while also bringing potential as a future starter.
Patrick Vahe – Interior Offensive Lineman – Texas
The Redskins need more talent in the depth of the offensive line. Texas’ Patrick Vahe brings a high floor but a limited ceiling. He’ll never be a top-tier NFL guard, but he can be a quality backup and spot starter. If the team wants to ever be a contender, they first have to understand that they need talent in the reserves. Vahe provides just that.
Round 7
David Dowell – Safety – Michigan State
The seventh round is all about finding diamonds in the rough. While David Dowell seems limited athletically, he does have a nose for the football. He was a teammate of Redskins safety Montae Nicholson and could help be a key special teamer with rotational upside. He’ll need to improve technique and his open field tackling if he ever wants to get there, though.
A.T. Hall – Offensive Tackle – Stanford
The opposite of David Dowell, A.T. Hall is actually very gifted athletically. I noticed it when I was watching Bryce Love’s tape. Hall was used as an open field blocker and held his own nearly keeping up with Love. I watched some more and it’s clear Hall is not ready to play in the NFL. However, I believe Bill Callahan can take this Mountie of an athlete and turn him into a serviceable NFL tackle.
The Redskins have a good core in place, but they can’t rest on their laurels if they make it through the rest of the season. They have to keep building on the success they’ve already achieved through the draft, and with this mock draft, they’d do just that.