Washington Football Team 7-round mock draft: Trading up for Trey Lance

Round 3, Pick 2

The Washington Football Team originally picked at No. 82 overall with their second third-round pick. However, I got a nice trade offer from the Titans, moving back just three spots and acquiring an extra fifth-rounder this year, for the mere cost of a seventh-rounder in 2022. I took that offer.

Tennessee gets: No. 82 pick, 2022 seventh-round pick

Washington gets: No. 85 pick, No. 166 pick

I was slightly worried that Tennessee was moving up for my top-rated remaining wide receiver. I had contingency plans at offensive tackle and tight end, of course, but my top player on the board was Amon-Ra St. Brown. Luckily, St. Brown was still available at No. 85, and so I scooped him up.

With a wide receiver core containing Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Adam Humphries, and Cam Sims, the Washington Football Team now has a bit of flexibility. They don’t necessarily have to take another receiver early. However, if a prime playmaker like St. Brown falls into their lap, they have to strongly consider it.

In my opinion, St. Brown is one of the more underrated wide receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s viewed as a third-round prospect by most, but I’d be comfortable taking him in Round 2. He’s not an elite size or speed threat, standing at around 6-foot-0, 197 pounds, with a 4.61 40-yard dash. But St. Brown plays faster than his timed speed, and he tested incredibly well in one crucial area: Explosiveness.

At his USC pro day, St. Brown put up a 38.5-inch vertical and a 127-inch broad jump, both figures better than over 90% of testing receivers all-time. He also logged a whopping 20 bench reps at his size. Those testing numbers validate a truth revealed on tape: St. Brown is a big-play threat, with the explosiveness and play strength to convert in contested situations.

St. Brown rises vertically with ease, and in contested situations, he has the explosiveness, body control, hand strength, and alpha mentality to consistently come away with the ball. He’s not just a contested catch threat, however. St. Brown is also very slippery as a runner after the catch, and he’s a smart route runner with crisp cuts and an awareness of defensive back blind spots.

St. Brown doesn’t give the Washington Football Team overwhelming size, but he does give them another complete threat at receiver, with the explosiveness and competitive fire to make the most of his opportunities. Additionally, this pick only adds to Trey Lance’s weapons core, and increases his chances of succeeding in Washington.