By now, we’ve probably written around 2,000 Washington Football Team mock drafts.
Every Washington Football Team mock draft is different, but there’s less room for variance in the first round. Usually, for every Washington Football Team mock draft that you see, there’s only around five or six regularly circulated options in Round 1.
Quarterbacks are popular in trade-up situations. Christian Darrisaw is popular among fans, as are linebackers like Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Zaven Collins. Not many are keen on picking a receiver, but those who are seem to like Rashod Bateman. After that, the variance dwindles at No. 19.
Thus, now seems like a good time to discuss some underrated options at the Washington Football Team’s first-round selection. If they stay put at No. 19, or trade back in certain situations, who are some players who deserve more love than what they’re currently getting? Let’s take a look.
No. 5 – LSU WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
Most people aren’t fans of the Washington Football Team picking a wide receiver in Round 1 after free agency, and I get it. The unit looks a lot stronger on the surface with Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Adam Humphries, and Cam Sims.
Having said that, the Washington Football Team could use more size and upside on the boundary. Humphries is mainly a slot receiver, and Samuel also figures to be used often in the slot, although his versatility will carry him all over the field. Nevertheless, the point stands: Washington could use another alpha on the edge, and Terrace Marshall Jr. is an underrated option at No. 19 overall.
It goes without saying that Washington could wait to pick a wide receiver, but Marshall does have an athletic profile worth considering. Marshall stands at around 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, and he logged a 4.4 40-yard dash, a 39-inch vertical, and a 125-inch broad jump at his pro day. He also earned 19 bench reps, alluding to plus play strength on the perimeter.
Marshall is explosive, fast, and strong, and he also offers excellent body control and ball tracking ability downfield. On top of his big-play ability, Marshall can also come away with tough catches in the short and intermediate ranges, and he has the quickness and agility to become a very good route runner in time.
Taking all this into consideration, Marshall could ultimately be acquired with a trade back in the first round. One other receiver who wouldn’t be available with a trade back is Jaylen Waddle. I didn’t list him here, but if Waddle falls to No. 19 — by any chance — Washington should be compelled to take him.
No. 4 – TCU FS Trevon Moehrig
It hasn’t been advertised as much, likely because of the relative dearth of available options at the position, but free safety is a fairly big need for the Washington Football Team in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Veteran and special teams ace Deshazor Everett played well at times last year, and Jeremy Reaves has some utility as a backup, but the team still needs a dynamic free safety who can improve the quality of play on the back end. Round 1 might not be the best spot to find that, but if any free safety is going to be the pick at No. 19, it should be Trevon Moehrig.
Personally, I think Moehrig would be a better add if the Washington Football Team traded back into the 20-30 range, and then selected him. However, No. 19 isn’t a massive reach for his talents. Moehrig is an aggressive, dynamic safety who has the proactive traits necessary to fill Washington’s need at the position. Here’s more on Moehrig, from my profile of him at Pro Football Network.
"Trevon Moehrig is a playmaker. That much is clear right away when watching his tape. Moehrig, often used in two-safety looks, has impressive speed and acceleration for his size. He can close gaps with tremendous quickness, and at the catch point, he has the length to extend and disrupt the catch process. His 4.52 40-yard dash and 33-inch slightly subverted expectations for his athletic testing, but he’s still a very good athlete. Moehrig’s range is translatable to both run and pass defense. As a pass defender, his range enables him to hone in on intermediate and deep routes. As a run defender, the TCU safety’s range allows him to come downhill with ample momentum. From there, he can use his 202-pound frame to deliver some jarring hits. While he still has room to add to his physique and play strength, Moehrig isn’t lacking in toughness, and he’s incredibly aggressive by default."
Moehrig would be an interesting selection at No. 19, but he’d undoubtedly give the Washington Football Team the playmaker they lack at free safety, and he’d help free up the secondary. Two-high safety looks with Moehrig and Kamren Curl would be very effective, but Moehrig also has the range and length to rotate into single-high while Curl looms in the box.
Playing behind Washington’s stalwart defensive line, and playing with a secondary that includes Curl, Kendall Fuller, William Jackson III, and Jimmy Moreland, Moehrig would have a chance to hit the ground running in D.C.
No. 3 – Kentucky LB Jamin Davis
We’ve heard all about Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Micah Parsons and Zaven Collins — and for good reason. But let’s talk about a linebacker who might not be getting as much hype regarding the Washington Football Team. That linebacker is Kentucky’s Jamin Davis.
As our own Ken Johannesen detailed in his incredibly valuable prospect meeting database for the Washington Football Team, Washington met with Jamin Davis virtually this offseason. And seeing that Davis has quickly entered the Round 1 discussion, it seems like their only options are either to pick him at No. 19, or trade back and hope he sticks around.
Maybe picking him at No. 19 would be a slight reach, but the upside that Davis provides cancels out that loss in value almost entirely. Davis stands at almost 6-foot-4, 234 pounds, and he has a 4.48 40-yard dash, a 42-inch vertical, a 132-inch broad jump, and 21 bench reps with 33-inch arms.
Davis’ numbers are elite — they amount to a Relative Athletic Score of 9.93 — and his tape confirms that athletic potential. Davis is incredibly explosive, fluid, and abrupt as a mover, and he also flashes instincts, and dishes out impressive physicality for his relatively lean frame.
Davis will have to adjust to the pace of the NFL, but he has the perfect physical profile to be a versatile, impactful linebacker in Washington’s scheme. And it’s been said many times, but playing behind Washington’s defensive line should allow him to play with more freedom and confidence early on.
No. 2 – South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn
Cornerback isn’t an immediate need for the Washington Football Team. I’ll admit it. William Jackson III should provide the team with steady play for at least two seasons, and Kendall Fuller and Jimmy Morleand both project well in the future.
Having said this, cornerback is one position that shouldn’t be settled at. In the modern, pass-happy NFL, teams can never have too many good cornerbacks, and high-level cornerbacks can also free up other versatile players in the secondary to play different roles. If Jaycee Horn falls to No. 19, he’s almost a must-pick, by virtue of his upside in this sense.
Horn is an elite athlete with an elite competitive motor. He’s close to a top ten prospect on my board, and while I like Patrick Surtain II, Greg Newsome, Caleb Farley, and other cornerbacks, Horn is my CB1. With a long 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame, a 4.39 40-yard dash, a 41.5-inch vertical, and 33-inch arms, Horn legitimately checks almost all the boxes physically, and mentally, he’s an alpha in every sense of the word.
Horn can be too aggressive at times, and he can also get tied up with his feet, but there aren’t many bad things to say about Horn, and he offers legitimate lockdown cornerback upside. Were he to fall, and were he to be selected by Washington, he’d immediately start on the boundary alongside William Jackson III, and he’d free up Kendall Fuller to play more at free safety, where he flourished in Kansas City.
One of Fuller’s best traits is his versatility as a defensive back, and the addition of Horn would not only add an elite talent at cornerback, but allow Washington to keep more exceptional players on the field at once. Think of it as essentially adding a cornerback and a free safety by adding one player. That’s the flexibility Horn can provide, on top of his top-tier fundamental traits.
Truth be told, I don’t expect Horn to be available at No. 19. But you never know how the board is going to fall. If he’s there, I’d seriously consider taking him.
No. 1 – USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker
I don’t necessarily disagree with the fan base’s infatuation over Christian Darrisaw. Darrisaw is a very good offensive tackle prospect, and I wouldn’t be mad if Washington picked him. But many often cite the impending openings on the offensive line in 2022 at left and right tackle, as well as left and right guard.
I certainly think it’s important to be future-minded. But if you’re worried about needs at both tackle and guard, why not get an offensive line prospect who already has high-level reps at both tackle and guard? Why not get USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker?
Darrisaw has more hype, but Vera-Tucker isn’t far behind him on draft boards, and some evaluators might have Vera-Tucker ranked above him. Vera-Tucker is a very good athlete at 6-foot-4, 308 pounds. He has a 1.77 10-yard split (84th percentile), a 32-inch vertical, and a 106-inch broad jump. On top of that, he logged 36 bench reps at his pro day, speaking to his strength and power.
Beyond his athletic traits, Vera-Tucker’s profile still holds strong. The USC offensive lineman is well-leveraged and fluid with his blocking sets, and he has a feel for proper mechanics. Additionally, Vera-Tucker has a mauler mentality, especially when blocking on running plays. He’s not shy about imposing his will, and his shorter, stockier tackle frame allows him to have an easier time maintaining leverage.
Darrisaw is the popular name at No. 19 when discussing offensive tackles, but I almost like Alijah Vera-Tucker more because of his versatility. You can start him at left tackle and he’ll be very good, but he also has the ability to play at guard in a pinch, if injuries change the unit’s outlook. For ultimate security on the line, Alijah Vera-Tucker makes a lot of sense.
Are there any underrated first-round options left off the list that you want to discuss? Give us your favorite names for the Washington Football Team in the comments section below!