Redskins 7-Round Mock Draft: Re-examining what happens if the team takes a quarterback early

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you a player that I firmly expect the Redskins to be interested in if they don’t get an edge rusher in the first round. Chase Winovich seems like a good fit in Washington, and he would fit their draft-day strategy of targeting rush linebackers in the second round.

Winovich did a lot to help himself out at the 2019 NFL Combine, as he blazed the 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds while also posting a sub-seven-second time in the 3-cone drill. He is a try-hard player that will certainly put his best foot forward every time he’s on the field.

On tape, Winovich shows relentless effort and consistently is involved in plays. As a pass rusher, he is more likely to use his hands and strength to beat an opponent than his speed and athletic ability. Still, he is tough to contain and is consistently involved in every play.

The concern with adding Winovich is regarding his ability to play in coverage. At Michigan, he consistently played down near the line of scrimmage and wasn’t always great in space despite his athletic ability. That said, with proper coaching, he should make the transition just fine. And considering his demeanor and work ethic, this shouldn’t be an issue.

For Washington, Winovich would challenge Ryan Anderson for the starting job across from Ryan Kerrigan and would at least rotate with him in that place. Winovich seems like a better pass rusher than Anderson — Winovich has 18.5 sacks in the last three seasons combined — so perhaps Winovich could play mostly on passing downs until the team is ready to deem him the starter. Either way, he was arguably the best edge player the team could get in the second round.