The Washington Redskins have five picks on Day 3 of the 2019 NFL Draft. They may be able to land some gems with their picks, and here are a few late-round guys they could target.
The 2019 NFL Draft is almost here. While many are focused on the early rounds of the draft, as a higher concentration of talented players will come off the board in the first two days, quality NFL teams are able to build in the later rounds of the draft. And that’s something that the Washington Redskins will have to do.
The Redskins have a few glaring holes on their roster, but even more pressing is the depth they need across the board. In the past couple of seasons, the team has been ravaged by injuries and this offseason, they lost some of their notable depth players. They will find a way to replace them, but the best way to do it will be to load up on quality upside players on Day 3 of the draft.
The players that the team could land late aren’t necessarily going to be inspiring. But, they have the skills needed to be quality depth and could eventually develop into starters. Here are a few options that the ‘Skins could target with their five picks in Round 5 or later.
The Redskins could use a long-term player at safety to pair with Landon Collins. However, they have two former fourth-round picks on the roster at the position, Montae Nicholson and Troy Apke, and they may think that one could develop into a starter. Nicholson would be the more likely bet, but he was suspended at the end of last year after being benched in favor of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
Delvon Randall could be a late-round target for the Redskins. Randall was a rock-solid player for Temple, but his lack of upper-tier athletic ability could keep him on the board for a while on Day 3.
I’ve liked Randall as a late-round developmental prospect at the safety position for a while now. Back in February, I included Randall as a fifth-round pick in a seven-round mock I did. Here’s what I said about him at the time.
More from Riggo's Rag
- What will Emmanuel Forbes bring to the Washington Commanders?
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
"On tape, he shows good ball tracking ability and is opportunistic. In each of the past three seasons at Temple, he has grabbed four interceptions and has good instincts. In addition to his ball tracking ability, Randall has the potential to be a solid tackler. He needs to make faster moves and take better angles to get to the ball, but he has the frame needed to be a good tackler from the safety position in the NFL. The biggest concern with Randall is his lack of overall athleticism. He doesn’t have a lot of speed and as a result, he relies on his instincts to help him make plays. These instincts exist in passing situations, but they need to be honed more against the run. If he can’t do that, it will be hard to justify keeping him on the field in obvious running situations."
In a deep safety class, Randall may fly under the radar. And if the Redskins decide to wait on a safety, they could add Randall to compete for a spot on the team.
The Redskins need to add some depth and upside at the tackle position. However, they spent a third-round pick on Geron Christian last year, so they may be content to give him a chance to operate as the swing tackle this year. Christian didn’t look good as a rookie, but if he adds more strength, he could fill that role just fine.
Still, after losing Ty Nsekhe, the Redskins have no depth beyond Christian (and Christian is spotty at best). The team will need to add a fourth tackle to the roster, and they should look to grab a player with some upside late in the draft. If they do that, William Sweet is a player that they could consider.
Sweet has a sold 6-6, 313-pound frame and had a decent showing at the combine. He has enough length needed to find success at the NFL level and while he isn’t anything more than an average athlete, he won’t need to be more than that to find success in the NFL. He will just have to focus more on becoming a strength-based player who wins with his technique. That may be difficult for him to do, but it remains possible.
More from Commanders Draft News
- What will Emmanuel Forbes bring to the Washington Commanders?
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Bet365 VA Bonus Code – Claim $200 Guaranteed With Sign-Up Bonus
That said, there’s a reason that Sweet may fall deep into the third day of the draft, and maybe to the ranks of the undrafted. Sweet’s biggest issue is his lack of movement skills. He simply doesn’t move well in space, which is a major issue, especially for a player at tackle. He did suffer an ACL injury in 2017, so perhaps the lingering effects impacted him last year. But, if Sweet ever wants to become a quality starter, he will need to show an ability to move and sharpen up his mediocre technique.
Sweet will probably be on the board in the sixth/seventh round, and the Redskins should consider drafting him if he is available. He has potential and as a late-round pick, he could be given a year to develop as the fourth tackle or spend some time on the practice squad. The opportunity cost of landing him is low, and given his natural length and size, he’s worth a pick.
Another late-round offensive line option could be Texas A&M’s Keaton Sutherland, who played guard in college. Sutherland played well in the East-West Shrine Game, and could help provide depth at the team’s troublesome guard spot.
This is a very top-light but deep receiver class. The Redskins will almost certainly look to add a playmaker or two in the draft. They will almost certainly add a playmaker in the first three rounds, but they may look to add a potential-packed player on Day 3.
There are many options that could work, but one that I particularly like is Jakobi Meyers. Meyers was converted to receiver after playing quarterback during the beginning of his time at NC State, and he made great strides in this past season and on tape, he jumped out.
Meyers has really quick feet and should be able to use them to help him separate at the next level. He is quicker than he is fast, but he still has the size (6-2) and change of direction skills that teams look for at the wide receiver position. He should find ways to get open at the next level and should be a solid pass-catcher, though he lacks the breaking speed needed to be a burner.
Meyers will likely be best in the slot at the next level, but he can play outside as well. He is a smooth and fluid mover, and he should be a solid player in the NFL. He may be a bit rawer than some of the other Day 3 options at the position, but with more time to learn, Meyers could eventually become a good weapon.
For the Redskins, Meyers would challenge Trey Quinn in the slot and could have a chance to emerge as a versatile backup if he doesn’t win the starting job. If he’s available in the fifth round, the ‘Skins should definitely take a look at him.
Other quality Day 3 options at wide-out include raw RB-turned-WR Jalen Hurd from Baylor, Buffalo’s Anthony Johnson, and Nebraska’s Stanley Morgan (if he makes it to the team’s fifth-round pick).