The Washington Football Team is 2-5 entering a Halloween showdown against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.
At this point, it’s tough to see Washington accomplishing much of anything this year. Even if they beat Denver on the road, they still have the Buccaneers, Seahawks (most likely with Russell Wilson back healthy), the 5-2 Raiders, and the scalding hot Cowboys (twice) waiting on the schedule.
Washington also has three NFC East games left vs the Giants and Eagles (twice). While those squads are nothing to write home about, they almost always get up for inner-division showdowns.
Those matchups could also have massive draft order ramifications.
Speaking of the 2022 NFL Draft, if the season ended today Washington would hold the No. 8 overall pick. In other words, the front office could have its pick of the litter, depending on how the first several selections unfold.
Seeing that Washington is headed for another losing season, let’s highlight some first-round prospects they could target next April.
5 first-round targets for the Washington Football Team
5. Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida
Let’s call it like it is, folks. If Washington’s secondary continues down this path, it would be insane to run it back with William Jackson and Kendall Fuller as the top two cornerbacks on the roster next campaign.
It would be a terrible optic to cut bait with one or both of them — Fuller signed a four-year, $40 million deal in 2020 and Jackson inked a three-year, $42 million deal back in March — but both players haven’t cut it.
This secondary would benefit from getting younger, and Kaiir Elam springs to mind as a perfect draft target. Widely recognized as the No. 2 cornerback in the 2021 class behind LSU’s Derek Stingley, Elam has shined on a Florida defense that’s underwhelmed given the buzz it garnered before the season.
Elam ran track in high school, so speed isn’t a concern. He has a great closing burst, which is vital in recovering on plays he misreads, which will happen early on in his career. Playing in the loaded SEC, Elam has vast experience playing against NFL prospects, so it’s not like he’ll be overwhelmed as a rookie.
At 6-foot-2 with long arms, Elam is a pass breakup waiting to happen. If Washington parts ways with one of Fuller or Jackson before the draft, we’d like them to target Elam to pair with Benjamin St-Juste as the defense’s CBs of the future.
4. Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
We know Washington spent a second-round pick on Sam Cosmi in April, but the tackle position could still be a need after this season.
Charles Leno only signed a one-year deal in the offseason, so he’s set to hit free agency. There’s no guarantee he’ll be back. The same can be said for Cornelius Lucas, who’s been immense at both tackle positions off the bench. We wouldn’t be surprised if a high bid comes in that pushes him out of Washington’s budget.
Mississippi State standout Charles Cross could be the solution. He’s widely projected to be a first-round pick and if he continues on this current trajectory — he was just named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week for the second time this season — he could vault himself into the top 10 conversation.
Cross hasn’t allowed a sack over 66 pass-blocking snaps. He’s one of Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded tackles for the 2021 season, earning a pass-blocking mark of 78.1 and an 83.2 grade in rushing situations. The young tackle’s allowed just seven pressures on the season and conceded a total of ZERO pressures in back-to-back games against Alabama and Texas A&M (133 snaps).
If Washington isn’t sold on a quarterback — or if whom they liked was taken before their turn to pick — we love the idea of netting Cross. Not only does he project as a future stud, but it would help save the franchise a ton of money, as both of its tackles would be under rookie contracts for the foreseeable future.
Not many NFL teams can say that right now.
Disclaimer: Before fans freak out, the cheap contract is just a perquisite. It obviously doesn’t qualify as a reason to draft Cross in Round 1. Relax!
3. Kenny Pickett, QB, Pitt
Ron Rivera spoke of Washington’s ever-growing need to find a franchise quarterback, and his comments were a little depressing. Can you remember the last time Washington had a sure thing under center? Kirk Cousins? Woof.
It obviously remains to be seen if Washington will have a high enough draft pick to pounce on one of the highest-rated prospects. Luckily for them, they likely won’t need a top-five pick. Not only are just a few teams on the prowl for a gunslinger, but the 2022 class is one of least-hyped groups in recent memory.
Enter Kenny Pickett, the star of the Pittsburgh Panthers who continues to ascend up draft boards amid his domination of the ACC. Pickett has always shown flashes of NFL potential during his time at Pitt, but he’s taken that long-awaited next step as senior, throwing for 2,236 yards and 21 touchdowns to just one INT.
For quarterbacks who have at least 200 drop backs this season, Pickett is Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded passer. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, he’s the prototypical size for an NFL QB, so no worries there.
Even more intriguing is the fact that Pickett excels pushing the ball downfield, as he’s completed 21 of 32 such passes for 730 yards (34.7 YPA!) and 10 TDs.
Want another tasty nugget, Washington fans? Pickett has a tremendous feel for pressure and is adept at escaping outside the pocket and extending plays. The last time we checked, that’s incredibly important in today’s NFL.
In sum, Pickett should be high on the WFT’s list of draft targets.
2. Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
The Washington Football Team’s need for a safety is glaring.
At this point, it’s fair to say that Landon Collins and Bobby McCain won’t be back next season. The former could be back if Washington restructures his contract and doesn’t want to swallow dead cap by cutting him. After all, he could have a future as a box linebacker if he performs well over the remaining 10 games.
Either way, safety is a HUGE need for Washington.
Enter Kyle Hamilton, whom some scouts believed had No. 1 overall pick potential before Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux emerged as the nation’s best player and likely top selection.
It’s not often that freshman play extensively in Notre Dame’s perennially-elite defense, but Hamilton broke that rend and was named the the Fighting Irish’s Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2019.
The young safety has never looked back. He has excellent instincts, range and size (6-foot-4 and 219 pounds) to hold his own against NFL receivers and tight ends. His versatility also makes him a highly-coveted prospect, as he’s been deployed at safety, linebacker, corner (including the slot) and a pass rusher.
Hamilton can be aggressive to a fault, but Washington would walk out of the first round as huge winners if they draft the ND star.
1. Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
Not many 2022 prospects have bolstered their draft stock more than Matt Corral. In fact, the Ole Miss star is making his case to be the first quarterback of the board next April. Over seven games this season, he’s completing 67.9% of his passes for 1,913 yards and a picturesque 15:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Corral’s arm talent is apparent, but his poise really sets him apart from the rest of the signal callers in the 2022 class. He never looks panicked in the pocket and has a knack for delivering in clutch moments. This season, he’s proven capable of winning both shootouts and defensive slugfests when he has to be a game manager.
While Corral’s arm has grabbed most of the spotlight, his ability as a runner has seen scouts compare him to Lamar Jackson, Trey Lance and Josh Allen. After all, Ole Miss has instilled more RPO into its offense in 2021, and Corral has reaped the benefits, averaging 4.8 yards per carry and 1.6 rushing TDs per game.
Simply put, Corral is everything you could want in a modern-day NFL QB. He might need time to develop as a rookie, so Washington should have a capable veteran (or Taylor Heinicke) in place to start early on. Nevertheless, if this quarterback-starved franchise gets its hands on Corral in Round 1, fans should throw a parade.