Top 2020 NFL Draft prospects for the Redskins to target by round
Round 3
The Redskins are going to have a number of options in the third round this year. There should be some very talented tackles and receivers on the board because of the depths of those respective groups. This also could be a point for the team to take a chance on a tight end if one of the top two options is available at this juncture. Or they could look to the defensive side of the ball, though that seems a bit less likely.
WR Laviska Shenault, Colorado. Shenault is coming off a campaign that saw him grab 56 passes for 764 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran the ball 23 times for 161 yards and two touchdowns. The thickly-built 6-foot-1, 227-pound receiver will be a versatile weapon at the next level and has good size, strength, and speed.
Shenault should be a downfield threat but will also be a threat on jet sweeps and should be able to body up against more physical corners because of his unique frame. Shenault is dealing with a core muscle injury that could cause him to slip in the draft. But if he’s on the board at 66, the Redskins should waste little time adding him to the fold.
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WR Chase Claypool, Notre Dame. Another big, strong receiver prospect, Claypool has a 6-foot-4, 238-pound frame and impressed at the combine. He clocked a 4.42 in the 40-yard dash and looked slick in the on-field drills. Claypool should be a strong outside receiver but some teams believe he could be a tight end as well. He has the tools needed to be a contributor either way and could be a nice get for the Redskins if he doesn’t go in the top 50.
OT Matt Peart, UConn. Peart has a 6-foot-7, 319-pound frame, great length and athletic ability, and a lot of starting experience at UConn. He has the tools needed to become a very good starting tackle so if he’s on the board here, he may be tough to pass up.
OT Lucas Niang, TCU. Niang had a strong career at TCU and the 6-foot-6, 315-pound tackle has the skills needed to be a successful tackle at the NFL level. He does have some work ethic concerns and is coming off a hip injury, but if healthy, he could be a solid starter in the league. There are other tackles that make sense before Niang, but if they’re all gone, he should be considered an option here.
TE Cole Kmet, Notre Dame. Considered by many to be the best tight end in this class, Kmet may last until the third round. If he does, the 6-foot-5 hybrid will get consideration as he’d be a good challenger for the starting role. He had 43 catches for 515 yards and six touchdowns last season at Notre Dame.
TE Adam Trautman, Dayton. The other top tight end in this class, Trautman could well be the first one off the board in a weak class. He’s not a great athlete, but he was a natural in the drills at the combine, has a solid frame, and is a willing blocker. He’d be a nice, well-rounded option provided that he can handle making the jump from the FCS to the NFL.
S Ashytn Davis, California. If the Redskins want a dark-horse option for their pick, Davis would make sense. He’d fit well as a potential complement to Landon Collins and if he’s not ready to play yet, he could be the top backup while Sean Davis looks to prove himself on a one-year deal.
CB Noah Igbinoghene, Auburn. There’s a good chance that Igbinoghene will be off the board by this juncture. But it not, he’d be a great option at corner. The converted receiver is raw, but the sky is the limit for him. If a team takes a flyer on him because of his potential in the second round, a guy like Ohio State’s Damon Arnette may be a better option here. It’s hard to figure out which corner may be on the board for Washington given that teams across the league have wildly different corner boards after the top two (Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson).
LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech. Brooks has been a late riser but it’s possible that the Redskins could like him as a future starter on defense. They did speak to Texas Tech head coach about his former quarterback at Utah State, Jordan Love, so perhaps they checked in on Brooks while they were there as well. If Brooks is on the board at 66, don’t discount him as an option.