Five Washington Football Team prospects to watch in Alabama vs. Ohio State

As much as I wanted to list Alabama receiver and Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith here, I just don’t think he’s going to be available and I don’t think Washington will trade up to get him. Fans should still watch him because he’s explosive, but landing him is probably a pipe dream, for Washington.

Landing a guy like Alex Leatherwood, however, is possible. The big-bodied Alabama tackle has a ton of college experience and may have been a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft had he declared. After another year of development, his pro prospects still look good.

Leatherwood’s skill set was described by our own Ian Cummings in a draft profile on Pro Football Network. Here’s what he had to say about the ‘Bama tackle.

"Leatherwood most often wins with his size and power. At 6-foot-6, 316 pounds, Leatherwood is a massive bookend blocker. He also has absolute levers for arms. His length allows him to extend toward linemen, and he has the play strength to maintain his anchor once he has both hands on his target. In pass protection, Leatherwood has the length to disrupt incoming edge rushers, and he also has the grip strength to keep a hold on them through the play. Additionally, Leatherwood is fairly smooth when shuffling along the edge. He has good footwork and stable lower-body mechanics, and he keeps his shoulders square to his assignment. This enables Leatherwood to always keep his opponent in front of him. When he gets into position, he has the arm quickness to latch on and suffocate the rush."

That certainly sounds like something Washington could use. As good as Cornelius Lucas and Wes Schweitzer were on the left side of the line last year, it may be better to knock one of them into a backup role, as that would give the team excellent O-Line depth in case of injuries. Or, the team could develop Leatherwood as a potential long-term starter with Lucas and Morgan Moses set to be free agents in 2022.

Tackle may not be as big a need as some of the other positions on the roster, but if Leatherwood is on the board at 19, he could be pursued as a potential tackle upgrade. Either way, keep an eye on him, as he is a very good blocker that could make sense for Washington.