The best Washington Football Team draft picks in team history by round

As the 2021 NFL Draft nears, let’s take one last look back at the Washington Football Team’s draft history.

Here’s a little light reading as the Washington Football Team prepares to make its selections in the 2021 NFL Draft. The best draft picks, by round, in franchise history.

Round One: Sammy Baugh (1937)

There have been some great ones, but Sammy Baugh, who was acquired the same year the team moved from Boston down to Washington, tops them all. A resume chock full of championships and records and the Hall of Fame.

Honorable mentions: The bar here is high. Only Hall of Famers need apply. Charley Taylor (1964), Art Monk (1980), Darrell Green (1983), Champ Bailey (1999)*

Round Two: John Jansen (1999)

Right tackles don’t always get the love. Jansen teamed with Chris Samuels to form one of the best tackle tandems in the NFL.

Honorable Mentions: Laurie Niemi (1949), John Paluck (1956), Paul Krause (1964)*, Bill Brundige (1970), Chip Lohmiller (1988), Tre Johnson (1994)

Round Three: Russ Grimm (1981)

Another Hall of Famer from the most famous draft class in franchise history.

Honorable Mentions: Charles Mann (1983), Chris Cooley (2004), Jordan Reed (2013)

Round Four: Stephen Davis (1996): 4th-rounder is 4th on the team’s all-time rushing list.

Honorable Mentions: Vince Promuto (1960), Don Warren (1979)

Round Five: Brian Mitchell (1990)

One of the greatest all-purpose yardage players ever, and the heart and soul of the franchise.

Honorable Mentions: Dick Todd (1939) Lou Rymkus (1943)*, Dexter Manley (1981)

Round Six: Alfred Morris (2012)

Didn’t have a long run but he was a revelation playing in those running-back friendly offenses of Mike and Kyle Shanahan.

Honorable Mention: Harold McLinton (1969)

Round Seven: Kelvin Bryant (1983)

Had he not given the first three years of his career to the upstart USFL, Bryant might have been spectacular. As it was, he merely became a very good third-down back on a championship team.

Honorable Mention: Rich Milot (1979)

Round Eight: Wayne Millner (1936)

He’s in the College Football HOF. He’s in the Pro Football HOF. One of the league’s first great ends.

Honorable Mentions: Dick James (1956), Larry Brown (1969)

Round Nine: Len Hauss (1964)

The ironman center played 14 years for the Washington Football Team and never missed a game. Not a single game.

Honorable Mentions: Wilbur Moore (1939), Darrell Grant (1981)

Round Ten: Eddie LeBaron (1950)

The Little General stood just 5’7” but he was one of the few bright spots on the team throughout the 1950s.

Round Eleven: Monte Coleman (1979)

Played more games for the Washington Football Team than anybody other than Darrell Green.

Honorable Mentions: Al DeMao (1942), George Starke (1971)

Round Twelve: Clint Didier (1981)

Played on two championship teams, scoring a touchdown in the famous second quarter of Super Bowl XXII.

Round Thirteen: Charley Conerly (1945)*

Unfortunately, head a great career for the New York Giants.

Round Fourteen: There isn’t one, but had 1976 draftee Quinn Buckner chosen to play football instead of basketball, you never know what may have happened.

Round Fifteen: Eddie Saenz (1945)

Exciting kick returner and DB in the late ‘40s.

Honorable Mention: Clyde Shugart (1939)

Round Sixteen: Dick Farman (1939)

Starting lineman on the 1942 championship team.

Round Seventeen: Gene Brito (1951)

Defensive end was one of the best players the team had in the moribund 1950s.

Round Eighteen: Chris Hanburger (1965)

From the 18th round to the Hall of Fame.

And, as a supplement…

Supplemental Draft: Gary Clark (1984, Round Two): 5’9”, 175 pounds, and as tough as they come.

Let’s hope some of this week’s picks make this list one day.

(*  —  these are players drafted by the Washington Football Team, but played the majority of their careers for others.)