Washington Redskins: A brief first-round draft history

The Washington Redskins have a long storied history in the NFL, which led me to wonder how their first-round draft history reads.

Yep, it’s that time of year again. Draft day each year brings hope to franchises and fans alike; it serves annually as a reminder that the future is now and the season is underway. For every team there’s much to look forward to. The best NFL talent is often procured throughout the entirety of the draft (see all-time greats Jerry Rice, Tom Brady, and Brett Favre), and the Washington Redskins have Hall of Fame notables picked up outside the first round including Russ Grimm and Chris Hanburger.

Bottom line

There’s many diamonds in the rough every year. But the sizzle, the most talked-about players, are those chosen in the first round.

For the modern NFL, evaluating talent is a year-round job. So how have the Washington Redskins fared in the first round?

A snapshot would prove the Redskins have often chosen to do without first-round draft picks all together. Since 1969, over the last fifty years, they’ve had no first-round pick at all twenty-five times.

I’m not sure how to feel about that. It would seem good teams know you have to add an influx of youth each year that the draft provides. Lesser contract dollars, fresher legs. Though this process shouldn’t be taken lightly; for every slingin’ Sammy Baugh, there’s a Patrick Ramsey. For every 1981 draft class that produced six great-to-good players, there’s a 1992 draft class that produced nothing for the Redskins. Perhaps, no team ever got a greater one year haul than the Pittsburgh Steelers, who selected four Hall of Famers in 1974. To say the least, it’s an inexact science.

Who’s the greatest first round pick by the Redskins? Sean Taylor was on a freight train to the Hall of Fame before his untimely and tragic death. Darrell Green may have been the fastest player in NFL history and played for two decades. Art Monk moved the chains for over a decade as well as any player ever. Chris Samuels and Trent Williams proved to be rocks in the trenches for their tenures. Sammy Baugh led the league in punting, interceptions and threw the ball all over the place when other teams were predominantly running. The Broncos enjoyed the better part of Champ Bailey’s fantastic career.

The simple answer is to pick your favorite and cheer on. Often times, there’s really no right or wrong answer. Fans like who they like and even casual fans believe they possess the talent evaluation skills of Jimmy Johnson, not… (chuckling to myself, as I think about the hundreds of mock drafts produced every year).

In the last decade, the Redskins have selected eight times in the first round: Four defensive and four offensive choices, six of whom are still with the team. Most fans would rather Josh Doctson wasn’t here. Oh well. With three weeks to go before the annual selection show, I can guarantee one fact: By Sunday, April 28, all NFL fans will know alot more about their team’s front office and roster plans for the 2019 season. So, will the Redskins add to their history with quality players, or more fan disappointment? Win, lose, or draw; Either way, #FireBruceAllen will be omnipresent in the minds of Redskins nation.