Washington Football Team: Grades for each 2021 NFL Draft pick
Round 7: William Bradley-King, Edge/Defensive End, Baylor
This draft pick is part of the trade with Philadelphia. The Washington Football Team has selected a defensive lineman with a hyphenated last name for the second straight year in this round.
William Bradley-King is likely the Ryan Kerrigan replacement, but the former Washington sack leader could return on a one-year deal in the coming weeks. If that happens, Bradley-King could be a candidate for the practice squad.
If Kerrigan doesn’t return, Bradley-King could get a similar number of reps that James Smith-Williams was able to compile in 2020. Smith-Williams provided Washington with some quality snaps last season and Bradley-King could do the same in 2021.
If WBK can lose about 15 pounds, he would be a good fit as an outside linebacker. He is a good pass rusher but is something of a liability on running defense. If he gained some bulk and muscle, then WBK would likely be a true defensive end in Washington’s 4-3 defense.
Playing outside linebacker probably gives WBK a better chance of making the roster of 53, but his opportunities are likely to be limited no matter which path he chooses. That is the football life of most seventh-round picks, but he does face an uphill battle.
Verdict: WBK is your typical seventh-round selection and he is an obvious candidate for the practice squad. Some analysts placed the former Bear as a sixth-rounder, but that seems a bit of a reach. A better pick at this juncture would’ve been a running back. There were several such players still available.