Post-free agency full NFL two-round mock: Redskins trade down

With the Redskins on the verge of losing Trent Williams, and having a glaring need at offensive tackle, investing the No. 5 pick in the position is far from a bad decision. It just has to be the right player, because the Redskins can’t afford to botch Dwayne Haskins’ development.

For the Redskins purpose, one offensive tackle can be ruled out right away, and that’s Jedrick Wills. Wills might be the tackle with the highest floor of the class, but he played exclusively at right tackle at Alabama, and it would be tough to expect him to suddenly switch to the left side for the Redskins.

Andrew Thomas and Mekhi Becton are intriguing candidates for the Redskins, but if the Redskins want to follow the mold they did with Williams years ago, they need to go after the elite athlete of the bunch, while also preserving the security that’s valued with Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins. With this in mind, a case can be made that the Redskins first choice should be Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs.

Wirfs played primarily at right tackle in college, but was occasionally asked to switch over to the left side, and in the process, he showed translatability on both sides. Wirfs’ athleticism is certainly translatable, and his NFL Combine profile is eerily similar to that of Redskins tackle Trent Williams’. Here are how the numbers compare:

Trent Williams: 6-foot-5, 315, 4.81 40-yard dash, 34.5-inch vertical, 23 bench reps

Tristan Wirfs: 6-foot-5, 320, 4.86 40-yard dash, 36.5-inch vertical, 24 bench reps

Now, Williams was more dominant on tape with his traits, but Wirfs’ flashes are equally impressive; the Iowa product is an incredibly easy mover in space, and he has the power and length to impose his will on opposing players. With time, one can only assume that the 21-year old Wirfs will better learn how to maximize his traits. The Redskins, if they trade back, should make sure they’re the beneficiaries of that process.