Redskins: Predicting the 2020 stats for each incoming rookie
By Ian Cummings
![ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 28: Antonio Gibson #14 of the Memphis Tigers during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Arlington, Texas (Photo by Benjamin Solomon/Getty Images) ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 28: Antonio Gibson #14 of the Memphis Tigers during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Arlington, Texas (Photo by Benjamin Solomon/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/c673ea90f3010fbf0b873a5eaa6ad7723a320dc9982d98c281725ea9e8968bfd.jpg)
James Smith-Williams
There’s reason to be cautiously optimistic about James Smith-Williams, the Redskins’ final pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He’s a solid athlete for his 6-foot-4, 265-pound size, and when he was on the field at NC State, he put up good numbers. He’s also a player who checks the character box emphatically.
There’s far more reason to be pessimistic, however. Smith-Williams only had one collegiate season where he stayed on the field consistently, and he suffered season-ending injuries twice. He’s not a very bendy player off the edge, despite his athleticism, and he’s also competing for roster spots with the likes of Young, Sweat, Kerrigan, Ryan Anderson, Nate Orchard, and others.
There’s a chance Smith-Williams could find a role, if he puts on a few pounds and displays positional versatility on the line. Otherwise, I think his best bet is to stick around on the practice squad through 2020. There, he will be unable to accumulate stats.