Redskins select LSU tackle Saahdiq Charles after trading Trent Williams
The Washington Redskins were armed with the second overall pick on the third day of the 2020 NFL Draft. And with that pick, they added LSU tackle Saahdiq Charles to the fold.
In the first two rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Redskins focused on adding explosive playmakers to the roster. Chase Young should be one at the edge rush position and will have a chance to log double-digit sacks early on in his career. And Antonio Gibson will have a chance to become one on offense, as Ron Rivera compared the explosive running back/receiver hybrid to Christian McCaffrey.
With the second pick in the fourth round, the Redskins went in a different direction. They needed to replace Trent Williams, who was traded to the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday afternoon. And they went with Saahdiq Charles to do that.
Charles is a talented offensive tackle from LSU. He blocked on the left side of the line for the Tigers and was always viewed as a Redskins target. They had a virtual meeting with him in the lead up to the 2020 draft and at that time, this is what I had to say about Charles.
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"Charles is a very athletic tackle with a 6-foot-4, 322-pound frame and 33-inch arms. He moves his feet well and is able to stay with edge rushers as a result. He doesn’t have the best functional strength and will have to bulk up at the NFL level to avoid getting blown up by stronger players. However, his technique is still good so even if he can stalemate those players long enough in those circumstances (or at least only get pushed back slowly) he should be all right.The concerns about Charles’ strength and the discipline issues he dealt with in his final season at LSU should knock him down a bit in this tackle class. But if the interviews went well, the Redskins could consider grabbing him in the middle rounds of the draft. He could pan out as a solid tackle and at the very least, he should be a good swing if he can bulk up a bit."
The discipline issues are certainly concerning, and Louis Riddick said on ESPN’s coverage of the draft that one scout had caused Charles “a follower and not a leader.” But if Rivera is willing to trust him, the Redskins should find a way to maximize his talent and could have a new starter on the left side of the line. And Charles, for one, seems ready to give it his all with the Redskins, as detailed by ESPN’s John Keim.
Saahdiq Charles: "I wasn't sure where I would go, but I ended up in the right spot. They believe in me. For that I'll give the Redskins' organization everything I've got."
— John Keim (@john_keim) April 25, 2020
That certainly seems like good news and it looks like Charles will be a solid fit in Washington, especially if he buys into the team’s new culture.
Charles should push for a starting job right away. He’ll battle Cornelius Lucas and Geron Christian for the left tackle spot and he may have the leg up in terms of talent. It will just be about how he can fare in what may be an abbreviated offseason because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Next. Redskins trade Trent Williams to San Francisco. dark
This is a high upside pick. Taking Charles over Prince Tega Wanogho is a bit surprising, but it’s certainly not a bad pick. Without character concerns, Charles almost certainly would’ve been a Day 2 pick. The ‘Skins are getting some talent that they desperately needed at tackle and will be better off for it.