Redskins: Iowa State WR Hakeem Butler could be a Day 2 gem

How Butler fits with the Redskins

Currently, the Redskins are a team without a lot of answers or a bona fide star like Odell Beckham or Julio Jones at the receiver position. Last year, the team struggled mightily to push the ball downfield, lacked explosive plays in the passing game, and Washington couldn’t finish inside the red-zone. Butler can help out in all three of these areas in 2019 and make an impact early on while he develops.

Regardless of who the quarterback is next year (Colt McCoy, Case Keenum, or one they draft), the Redskins need to upgrade the talent at the receiver position. They have to have a real playmaker the quarterback can go to. This playmaker can be Hakeem Butler.

Butler can come in and provide the Redskins with a legit target to throw to on third down, be a true red-zone mismatch, as he thrives on contested catches coming from a basketball background. He can also be a vertical threat who should see significant action as a rookie because of the lack of talent on the roster.

As a physical receiver, another area of his game he excels at is as a blocker. This is an area of a receiver’s game that often gets overlooked and one that can help the Redskins’ offense, as they expect to rely heavily on the running game this coming season.

With a deep receiver class, it likely that Butler is not a first-round pick. He should go in the second-round however, and this is where the Redskins should be looking to take him. After trading away a fourth-round pick for HaHa Clinton-Dix, the Redskins could look to trade back a few picks in the second round to gain some extra draft capital to help address the offensive line, then take Butler with that pick.

As mentioned earlier, this draft is deep at receiver and the Redskins still have a lot of needs. Still, Butler has the playmaking ability that Washington desperately needs in their passing game.