Redskins: Five things to watch at the 2020 NFL Combine
By Ian Cummings
No. 3 – Which mid-round prospects will boost their stock?
The NFL Combine has a habit of boosting prospects’ stock, in spite of the fact that no new information is learned. Existing context seen on tape is instead supplemented with numbers that quantify elements already seen on tape. It’s confirmation, not cultivation. But that quantified upside can be enough for teams to re-evaluate, which is a crucial part of the process, regardless.
Some teams have a bevy of mid-round picks, so they have more influence in how the combine shapes the middle rounds of the NFL Draft. The Redskins, however, do not; after their first-round selection, they have to sit through a big gap, until they pick again at the top of Round 3. Unless they trade for another second-round pick, they’ll have to hope the guy they like falls to No. 66.
As for who the Redskins might miss out on if they stay put, due to the effects of the NFL Combine, that remains to be seen. The list of prospects the Redskins can pick at No. 66 is a long one, comprising various positional needs. There’s wide receiver Denzel Mims, and Donovan Peoples-Jones. There’s tight end Brycen Hopkins and Adam Trautman. There’s Akeem Davis-Gaither at linebacker, or Noah Igbinoghene at cornerback.
These are just sample names, but the message to take is this: The NFL Combine can take these kinds of players — players who might be available at the top of the third — and bump them up quite a bit on the draft board. The Redskins need to be careful how they approach that area of the draft, because that’s ultimately what makes or breaks teams.