Redskins negligent in situation of rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins

Dwayne Haskins’ draft profile

If you recall, I wasn’t a big fan of Haskins throughout the draft process. I didn’t hate the idea of picking him, but after my initial evaluation, I came away mildly unimpressed with the only modest upside I saw, and at the same time encouraged by the high floor present.

Among Haskins’ strengths: Maturity, awareness, quick processing speed, footwork, pocket manipulation, short-to-intermediate ball placement, and good arm talent, which stood out more once he started throwing in preseason. Among Haskins’ weaknesses: Mechanics, mobility (which proved to be overblown), accuracy downfield, and off-script ability.

Haskins wasn’t a perfect prospect. I gave him a second-or-third-round grade, citing traits that could subtract from his ability to make plays off-script and bail the offense out when the structure fails. He was my QB3. But my evaluation was not the only one in April. Some evaluators came to a similar conclusion as I, while other respected analysts had Haskins as their No. 1 quarterback, with a shining first-round grade.

Draft evaluation is subjective. As objective as evaluators may long to be, there will always be certain things that some people see, and other people don’t. Looking back, I don’t think I gave Haskins’ arm quite enough credit; it’s still not the most versatile arm, but he can generate velocity with ease. I also underrated Haskins’ mobility; he has enough functional mobility where it can serve him well, both in the pocket and in open running lanes.

But dwelling on specific assessment clauses serves no purpose at this point. This is what’s important: No one can make the distinction that Haskins was drafted too high. Grades are subjective from person to person, and Haskins had the traits to succeed, in a certain capacity. He possessed the mental acuity and quickness required of a quarterback. He had more than enough arm talent. He had the pocket mobility. He had the success well beyond his age.

All this isn’t to say that Haskins was the right pick; we will, in time, receive that answer. But if Haskins fails in D.C., it won’t be entirely his doing. The Redskins drafted him in the first round, and from that moment, they had an obligation to accommodate his development in any and all possible ways, in order to receive a return on that investment. And so far, they have failed.