The Washington Redskins sit in the middle of Round 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft. By extension, they can do a lot of things with their pick.
For what seems like the third time in a row, at least, the Washington Redskins are dead set in the center of the first round. It’s not an ideal position to be in, but there are some ways such unfavorable position could bear fruit for the Redskins.
It’s possible that, at No. 15, some top talent could trickle down through the cracks and be available to Washington. Such a thing happened last year, when both Daron Payne and Derwin James were on the board at pick No. 13. This year, top prospects like Brian Burns, D.K. Metcalf, Cody Ford, and T.J. Hockenson could drop into the Redskins lap, among others.
If no top talents drop, however, and the Redskins find themselves drafting for need, they’re at a spot where they could also trade back, if a quarterback were to fall to them, for example. If the Redskins trade back, they’ll find a new batch of players to consider. And the safety position enters the fold.
If the Redskins find themselves interested in a running mate for Landon Collins in the 2019 NFL Draft, who might fit what they’re looking for? To answer that question, I’d like to introduce you to Delaware’s Nasir Adderley.
Scouting Nasir Adderley
There isn’t much tape on Nasir Adderley, but it doesn’t take long to see what kind of player he is, and what kind of player he can become in the NFL.
The potential jumps off the screen with Nasir Adderley. He’s a very good athlete, with clear developmental upside. He can generate lots of momentum very quickly, encapsulating his excellent burst. Adderley isn’t just a vertical athlete, either. His hips flip with ease, and he has the flexibility to maintain speed and leverage all at once. His Pro Day results, shared by Martin Frank of the Delaware News Journal, accentuate his athletic talent.
Adderley’s lateral quickness and flexibility also allows him to close pursuit from bad angles, but generally, he has a decent feel for angles, although he can be inconsistent. As a tackler, Adderley is fairly solid, with good form and strength to wrap players up, and the fortitude to win one-on-one collisions. Speaking of collisions… Adderley feasts on conflict. He’s an absolute aggressor on the field. He fights blockers relentlessly on run snaps, and his attitude is contagious on defense. He’s a bit inconsistent with run fits and gap surveillance, but you never have to worry about his effort. He files into trench warfare seamlessly, ferocious with his hands.
Adderley’s aggression in run defense doesn’t translate in open space when it doesn’t have to; he isn’t reckless with his range, as he generally knows when to exercise caution, in order not to sacrifice his tackling angle. That said, he can lose his balance when he cuts his angle too short, limiting his leverage. But with his athleticism, Adderley is good at recovering.
Adderley’s brightest moments are in coverage, where he flashes the range to cover large chunks of the field very quickly, and where he punishes receivers over the middle of the field. He’s very physical when contesting passes, and he attacks the ball at the catch point with definite ball skills. Adderley can be late diagnosing out-breaking routes, but he follows the play wherever it goes, and he reads the quarterback’s eyes well. With some development and NFL film work, he can be an impact starter.
Tape Watched:
Nasir Adderley vs. North Dakota State (2018)
Nasir Adderley vs. Elon (2018)
How Nasir Adderley fits with the Redskins
With his range and coverage upside, Nasir Adderley would pair well with the Redskins new starting strong safety. You may have heard of him: Landon Collins.
Collins can do it all as a safety, but his best traits feature him in a box role, where he can clamp down on underneath routes and punish ball carriers looking to turn upfield.
While Collins is in his element, having a safety who could range over the top and provide a safety blanket farther down the field could work well for the Redskins, and Adderley projects well into that role. Adderley played single high, cover two, and in the slot at Delaware, and he has the athleticism to continue providing such a well-rounded impact in the NFL.
Big nickel sets that feature Collins, Adderley, and Nicholson could also work well, if the latter still has a role with the team.
Should the Redskins draft Nasir Adderley?
The possibility of the Redskins drafting Nasir Adderley depends on two factors: Do they plan on testing the remaining free agent safeties, and do they plan on giving Montae Nicholson another chance?
There are still some options left in the free agent market that would pair well with Landon Collins, most notably Tre Boston. The veteran is still young, at just 26 years old, and his strong suit is coverage, as he’s amassed good ball production over the past few seasons.
The Redskins could sign Boston, or another safety, or they could give Montae Nicholson another chance. Nicholson showed promise in the single high role in his rookie season, and in the early goings of his second season. His off-field incident needs to be dealt with, but if the team is willing to give him another chance, he has the talent to be a cheap in-house solution opposite Collins.
If the Redskins are already turning their attention to the draft, however, and if Montae Nicholson isn’t in their plans, then Nasir Adderley has to command attention with the possibility of a trade back. He might not be worth the pick at No. 15, but late in Round 1, Adderley is a unique possibility who could be the missing piece in a top-tier safety duo for the Redskins.