Five potential Washington Football Team prospects to watch in the Alabama vs. Ohio State National Championship Game.
The Washington Football Team is officially in offseason mode after their Wild Card Round loss at the hands of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The effort they put forth in that game was a strong one and after the excellent season they had, the future is looking bright for the team.
But, to be truly competitive, the team will need to make some upgrades this season. While NFL free agency will come first, the 2021 NFL Draft will be where Washington continues to add key building blocks to their young core.
In recent seasons, the team has targeted players from the Alabama and Ohio State programs, for better or for worse. In fact, since the 2017 NFL Draft, the team has taken a player from either program in the first round. They were Jonathan Allen (2017, Alabama), Daron Payne (2018, Alabama), Dwayne Haskins (2019, Ohio State), and Chase Young (2020, Ohio State).
Haskins didn’t pan out, but the other three have turned into core players on the team’s borderline elite defensive line. The team has also targeted the likes of Terry McLaurin, Ryan Anderson, and Ross Pierschbacher in recent drafts, so it’s clear that they don’t just like the top-tier talent from these programs.
With that said, Washington will surely be watching the College Football Playoff matchup between Alabama and Ohio State closely tonight. They are two of the best programs in the country and have countless prospects that could make sense for the team in the draft.
Here’s a look at five players the team should watch closely, as they could look good in the Burgundy and Gold during the 2021 NFL season.
I’m listing Fields here as a formality more than anything else. Ron Rivera has made it clear that finding a quarterback this offseason is the priority for Washington.
However, it’s hard to imagine that Fields will be available with the 19th overall pick. He is a consensus top-three quarterback in this class and many have him as the No. 2 passer behind Trevor Lawrence and ahead of Zach Wilson. Some think that Fields could go with the No. 2 pick to the Jets and will likely be a top-five pick.
That said, it’s still possible that Fields could slip if players like Wilson and Trey Lance rise. And if that happens, Washington could trade up to get him. Fields has had an up-and-down year playing in just seven games, but when he has played well, he has flashed the tools of a franchise quarterback.
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Fields has a cannon of an arm and is, arguably, the most mobile quarterback among the first-round options in this draft. He runs with ease and that ability will make him fit into the NFL well at this point, considering how important dual-threat quarterbacks are becoming. He can serve as a big-time playmaker and has been a true leader for the Ohio State offense this season.
However, Fields has had some struggles with accuracy at points and will need to refine his mechanics and footwork to put everything together at the NFL level. He’ll also need to improve his ability to read the field a bit, but with good coaching, all of these issues should subside.
Some Washington fans may be scared of Fields because of the failure of Haskins, but it’s important to scout the player, not the helmet. Haskins being a bust doesn’t mean Fields will be a bust. Fields may need to work on some areas to improve in the NFL, but if he brings a better attitude than Haskins did, he should be able to find success.
Fields may be on the outer-edge of availability for Washington, but they will surely be interested in him. After all, he did just carve up the Clemson defense and throw as many touchdowns in that game as incompletions (six each). That game showcased what his ceiling could be and it will certainly excite some NFL decision-makers.
Moses is the only defensive player to make the cut on this list. That’s less of a knock on the defensive talent playing in this game and more a ringing endorsement of the talent that Washington has on defense.
The team still has a couple of notable holes on that side of the ball. They need a starter at free safety and may need another corner if Ronald Darby doesn’t return, but the glaring hole they have on defense is at linebacker.
Washington doesn’t really have a true, three-down linebacker at the moment. Cole Holcomb, Kevin Pierre-Louis, and Jon Bostic are all good role players, and the team can get by with one or two of them starting, but they need a true, top-tier player to settle everyone into roles that suit their strengths.
Moses could end up being just that type of player. The three-year starter at Alabama has been solid during his career. He has struggled at times in 2020 coming off a major knee injury, but he still has shown great ability as a downhill playmaker, good blitzing ability, and decent enough coverage skills.
To improve at the next level, Moses will have to get a bit better in coverage, but as he gets further away from his knee injury, he should be able to do that. He has an interception and three pass defenses this year, both career highs, so that’s a good sign that he is improving. And with great defensive coaching from Jack Del Rio and Ron Rivera, the sky would be the limit for him.
Moses profiles as a fringe-first-round option right now, but he could set his stock ablaze in the title game if he plays well in coverage. Either way, Washington should have an eye on him. There’s a good chance he could emerge as a great three-down starter at linebacker and if he landed in Washington, he could be the glue to bring the defense completely together.
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.
The Washington Football Team had a lot of success drafting one Ohio State receiver. Could adding another one be a sensible move?
The answer is yes. Chris Olave is a very good prospect that could seriously interest Washington in the first two rounds of the draft.
Olave had a prolific season for the Buckeyes despite playing in just six games. He caught 42 passes for 660 yards and seven touchdowns while catching passes from Fields. He was the team’s top receiver and he brings a nice skill-set to the table.
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Like McLaurin, Olave is an excellent route-runner and should be an immediate success thanks to his work in that area. That seems to be a staple among Ohio State receivers in recent drafts, so as long as that coaching staff remains there, it will probably continue to be an emphasis.
In addition to his route-running skills, Olave has a good 6-foot-1 frame, but he could stand to add a little muscle to his 188-pound frame. That could keep him out of the first round, as his ability to win will be mostly based off his route-running and athletic ability. Olave should still do fine with that, but he may not be much of a jump-ball threat or a true X-type receiver.
Still, Olave should interest Washington. Can you imagine having two elite route runners at the receiver position who can generate separation immediately and also serve as downfield threats? That’s what McLaurin and Olave could be. Of course, the team may want a different type of receiver, specifically a more physical one, but Olave is explosive enough to draw consideration.
And either way, a player like Olave would be an upgrade to the Washington receiving corps. So too would the aforementioned DeVonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle, so there are a lot of potential-packed receivers that are on these two teams.
Mac Jones doesn’t get enough appreciation when discussing potential quarterback prospects for the 2021 NFL Draft. He has proven time and time again this season that he has the skills needed to succeed at the next level, and while he may not be as flashy as Lawrence, Fields, and Wilson, he still will have a chance to be a great starting quarterback.
Jones has played well for Alabama this year and has led the team’s superb offense all year. Jones is terrific at reading the field, making the right decision, and throwing the ball accurately to his receivers. His ball placement is top-notch, especially for a quarterback with just a year-and-a-half of starting experience.
While Jones’ arm isn’t a cannon, it is still strong and on numerous occasions, he fit the ball into tight windows for Alabama this season. His mechanics are good, too, and he’s a player that just rarely makes mistakes but is still capable of making big plays with his arm.
Some want to see more off-script ability from Jones. He’s not a great athlete, so how will he fare in the NFL if he’s just a pocket passer? That question is important, especially considering the strong supporting cast he had at Alabama, but Jones still has the arm talent needed to be a successful starter. That much is clear from watching him on tape.
Jones had completed a whopping 77 percent of his passes for 4,036 yards, 36 touchdowns, and just four interceptions on the year ahead of the National Championship Game. If he can have a big game there, he should solidify himself as a first-round quarterback option.
For Washington, Jones seems likely to be available with the 19th pick. He also would be an upgrade over what they have already and would, likely, fit Scott Turner’s offense very well. Jones might not end up being their preferred quarterback option, but of the top-five passers in this class, he’s the only one that’s likely to be available on the edge of the top-20.
We’ll see which quarterbacks Washington ends up wanting in this year’s draft, but rest assured, Jones will be on their shortlist of options to consider with the 19th pick. And based on his performance this year, he should be.