The 2019 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching. The Washington Redskins have a lot of options with their first-round pick, but at the moment, these are looking like the most realistic options for the team.
The 2019 NFL Draft is going to be key for the Washington Redskins. More than any team in the NFL, the Redskins are entering a defining draft. The decision they make about who to take in the first round will do a lot to define the direction of their franchise and really give them a plan.
There are many different directions that the ‘Skins could go with their first-round pick. They could opt to take a quarterback and add youth to the most critical position on the field. They could look for a replacement for Preston Smith. Also, they could choose to address their lack of offensive weaponry at the receiver positions. There won’t be any knowing what their plan will be until draft day.
Still, there are some options for the Redskins that will be better than others. Of course, they also have to be realistic. So, here’s a look at five of the most realistic options for the team with the 15th pick.
The Redskins have done a lot of work at the quarterback position this offseason. They are gearing up to take one at some point during the 2019 NFL Draft. The question is about when, not if, they will take one.
It’s possible that the Redskins could take a passer in the first round. While the team has been tied to Drew Lock and Dwayne Haskins in recent weeks, it seems unlikely at the moment that either of those passers will be available. First-round caliber quarterbacks tend to rise as the draft draws nearer, so Haskins and Lock could both end up being top-10 picks.
If both are off the board with the 15th pick, that won’t necessarily preclude the ‘Skins from taking a quarterback. They have been connected to Daniel Jones this offseason, and they reportedly like him. If they think that he can be a franchise quarterback, they could take him in the first round.
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Jones is a solid-looking quarterback prospect. He was well coached by Dave Cutcliffe at Duke. Jones possesses excellent accuracy, great mobility, and an NFL caliber arm. He can struggle with his deep-ball accuracy at times and sometimes tries to do too much with his feet, but he can be coached up a bit in that aspect. And it’s worth noting that he understands how to throw touch passes and when to put something extra on the ball to put it into a tight window.
Additionally, Jones was surrounded by a poor supporting cast at Duke. His receivers dropped countless passes while his offensive line struggled to protect him. If he had played with stronger weapons, there’s a chance that he could have been a more highly touted prospect.
Also, it’s notable that the Giants have also been connected to Jones this offseason, but they may wait until the 17th pick to try and grab him. Thus, if the Redskins want Jones and really don’t want the Giants to get him, they could select him with the 15th pick.
While this move seems possible, it wouldn’t be the best use of the team’s resources. That’s why Jones comes in at the No. 5 spot on this list.
The Redskins may not have a glaring need at tight end. They still have Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis on the roster along with Jeremy Sprinkle. However, Reed and Davis may only be with the team short term, so they could consider adding a quality starter at the position.
T.J. Hockenson is one of the best and most well-rounded players in this draft. The Iowa tight end had a terrific season and put up massive production despite sharing targets with early-round prospect and tight end, Noah Fant.
All told, Hockenson had 49 catches for 760 yards and six touchdowns. On tape, he showed very good hands, route running ability, and the ability to make contested catches. He should be a well-rounded player in the NFL and could soon be one of the league’s better playmakers at the position.
Additionally, Hockenson’s blocking ability is extremely strong. He knows what he’s doing and has very good technique, so he won’t be limited to just being a receiver. That versatility will be huge for him, and that makes him a potential target for Washington. He could be the long-term replacement for Reed and take over as the mismatch nightmare.
Also, it’s notable that the Redskins are, in general, in need of receiving help. That could come via a tight end, so Hockenson can’t be discounted. However, the odds of him being on the board at 15 don’t seem too high.
The Redskins need receiver help in the worst way possible. Jamison Crowder is gone. Josh Doctson is either a bust or on the brink of being one. And big free agent signing Paul Richardson barely played last year because of a shoulder injury. The team needs to add multiple receivers to their unit, and they could try and do that early in the 2019 NFL Draft.
D.K. Metcalf is one option that the Redskins could consider in the first round. Metcalf is a physical freak, as he blazed a 4.33 in the 40-yard dash and has a ripped 6-3 frame. His tape from college demonstrates that he has a lot of upside at the NFL level. And, he was productive despite dealing with injury issues at times.
Our own Ian Cummings scouted Metcalf earlier in the year. Here were his thoughts on Metcalf at the time.
Washington Commanders
"The best thing about Metcalf, on tape, is his prowess against press coverage. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound receiver uses a diverse set of hand technique and footwork to beat press coverage. His lateral quickness shows up in the form of diligent foot movement at the line, and he has a brutal strong arm, which he uses to pry away from press coverage and accelerate into open field. Metcalf has an innate understanding of how to gain leverage at the line of scrimmage, and create separation. He knows when he’s attained that leverage, and he has the flexibility to bend around cornerbacks and peel off into open space from there. Metcalf dishes out physicality to cornerbacks of similar fire, but he’s not all strength; he’s very coordinated with his movements, and the tape does not show the stiff athlete that many convinced themselves to see at the combine."
The reason that Metcalf ranks in the middle of this list is that the Redskins may be able to get solid value at the receiver position in the mid to late rounds. But as we saw last year, they aren’t afraid to take first-round players even at positions that are considered to be deep (they selected Daron Payne in what was thought to be a deep interior defensive line class). So, he remains a possibility.
And if the Redskins are going to eventually draft a young quarterback, it would be nice to have a bona fide No. 1 receiver on their roster. That’s something that Metcalf could become.
Of all the top edge prospects that could be on the board with the No. 15 pick, Brian Burns seems to be the one that would most likely be available. There are a ton of talented pass rushers that could go inside the top 10, and while Burns may be competing for one of those roles, it seems more likely that he will go in the early teens than inside the top 10.
Burns is one of the more athletic edge prospects in this draft. At the combine, he blazed a terrific 40 time and looked really fluid in the on-field drills. It was expected that he would work out well, and his performance afforded him a chance to heat up his draft stock.
On tape, Burns has flashes of dominance on the edge. He has an elite first step and get-off that should help him beat the more athletic tackles at the NFL level. As a pass rushing prospect, he is clearly one of the more interesting options in the draft. However, there are some minor concerns that make it possible that he would fall to the 15th pick.
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The big concerns with Burns are somewhat related to his size. While Burns has good size and length, he played with a leaner frame at Florida State. He proved that he was able to bulk up to 249 pounds while keeping his athleticism at the combine, but teams will still likely be worried about how he will fare against bigger, stronger players at the NFL level. He has the athleticism needed to win consistently on the edge, but if he ends up being too light, he could get pushed around a bit more.
However, the bigger issue overall is that Burns’ run defense isn’t particularly good. It may have been because he played at the lighter weight, but compared to some of the other top edge rushers in this draft, Burns just didn’t seal the edge as well or make consistent stops in the run game. That’s not to say he can’t, but it’s an area for improvement at the next level.
With defensive line/edge prospects like Nick Bosa, Rashan Gary, Josh Allen, Montez Sweat, Clelin Ferrell, and Ed Oliver all fighting to be top 15 picks, Burns could fall out of circumstance. And if he’s on the board, he would fill a massive need for the Redskins.
Burns would give the ‘Skins an athletic speed rusher with great bend and fluid movement skills. And if he can’t be a great run defender at the next level, the squad will be able to rotate him in and out and allow him to wreak havoc in pass rushing situations. There is only one player that would be a better fit if on the board for the 15th pick.
I’m not convinced that Montez Sweat will be on the board with the 15th pick. After his performance at the combine, he has been on the rise thanks to his athletic ability, length, and solid all-around tape. It’s easy to imagine him rising up draft boards, especially thanks to his consistent production at Mississippi State (22.5 sacks in two seasons).
However, there is a chance that Sweat could slip. There are a lot of talented edge rushers on the board in this draft, and there are some teams that may prefer different players to Sweat. Additionally, Sweat did have a minor heart issue surface at the combine. It’s not thought to be major, but that could cause him to fall a couple of spots.
On tape, Sweat shows solid athletic ability and has a good combination of strength and speed off the edge. He has good burst and can win in a variety of ways at the line of scrimmage. Sweat is also very good against the run, as he understands how to get involved in plays and his functional strength is solid.
Sweat’s one concern is that he can be a bit stiff in space. However, he has the athletic profile to fix that issue with better coaching. And if he can improve his instincts, perhaps he can be a bit more fluid and develop into a quality all-around player.
Sweat has few holes in his game, elite athletic ability, and the production to back it up. He would be a great complement to Ryan Kerrigan and would have a chance to notch double-digit sacks during his rookie campaign.