A look at the Washington Football Team’s potential first-round draft picks
By Jonathan Eig
WR Kadarius Toney, Florida
After Jones, Toney is the consensus second choice for the Washington Football Team. It is easy to see why. He fills a desperate need.
After Terry McLaurin, Washington has nothing but question marks on the outside. Several other receivers have been linked to Washington in mocks, but of those, Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle will almost certainly be off the board by the time Washington chooses. Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman should still be available but seems less likely at this point (more on him later.)
Toney appears to have made a very wise decision to return to Florida in 2020 for his senior year. The NFL team that selects him will be getting a more physically developed athlete and a significantly more polished route runner.
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Toney’s progression from do-everything athlete to a seasoned receiver during his time at Florida has been impressive. Whereas he was primarily used as a behind-the-line option on screen passes prior to his senior year, in 2020 he showed much more ability to get downfield.
The athleticism has never been in doubt. I have not seen a recent 40 time, but he obviously plays fast. The numbers he did post coming into college were already bordering on elite – especially his vertical jump – which is a great raw indicator of a player’s explosiveness.
During his time at Florida, Toney has averaged 11.6 yards per touch. That would not be all that impressive were he just a pass catcher. But when you consider that more than one-third of his touches came on running plays, that number is exceptional. Given what we have seen from Scott Turner’s offense, Toney’s versatility makes him very appealing.
Toney has had only one productive year as a receiver in college. That is explainable due to his change of positions and an injury during his junior year. He seems to have developed into a very dangerous all-over-the-field weapon and should be in serious consideration when Washington makes its first pick.