Potential Redskins prospect Chase Young declares for 2020 NFL Draft

The Washington Redskins have the No. 2 overall pick and will be able to add some high-end talent to their team. Chase Young could be that talent now that he has declared for the 2020 NFL Draft.

For much of the season, the Washington Redskins were out of contention for the playoffs. That said, they were in contention for a big prize, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. They were able to land it via a couple of late season losses, and now they are in control of their own destiny regarding the draft’s top prospects.

There had been some debate about who the Redskins would target if they didn’t land the second pick. Would it be an offensive tackle like Andrew Thomas? Or what about a top-tier receiver like Jerry Jeudy? Or could they try to land a potential stud corner like Jeff Okudah? The possibilities were endless.

But at the No. 2 spot, their goal should be a bit clearer. There’s one defensive prospect who stands out above all else. And that’s Chase Young. The Ohio State pass rusher has been an electric playmaker in college and figures to be the next talented edge player to wreak havoc at the NFL level.

That said, Young had officially declared for the NFL Draft yet, so Redskins fans were still holding their breath a little until his announcement was official. And Young did confirm that he would enter the draft on Friday afternoon via his Twitter account.

https://twitter.com/youngchase907/status/1213155501011283969

This was a no-brainer for Young. He’s likely to be a top-two pick and will surely go in the top five barring anything crazy happening during the process. Nothing is ever locked in for the NFL Draft until it actually arrives, but at this point in time, it would be surprising for the Redskins not to take him with the second pick if the Cincinnati Bengals do take Joe Burrow No. 1 overall.

Young was a productive sack artist for Ohio State and during his junior season, he produced a ridiculous 16.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss. That was a year removed from posting 10.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss. He simply has the speed, size, and athletic ability needed to wreak havoc at the line of scrimmage. And in the Redskins new 4-3 defense, he could really help strengthen their edge rush.

Young would pair long-term with Montez Sweat but if the team keeps Ryan Kerrigan around, the trio could be one of the most dominant pass rushing groups in the NFL. Add Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, and Matt Ioannidis into the equation on the interior and suddenly, the Redskins defensive front looks elite. And Jack Del Rio would certainly be able to get the most out of them.

The Redskins have to be happy that Young declared for the draft. We’ll see how things go during the draft process, but the Redskins are going to keep a very, very close eye on Young. At the moment, he’s definitely the clubhouse favorite to be the No. 2 pick.