Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU: Oh how the mighty have fallen. You skip one bowl game and suddenly everyone is questioning your heart and love of the game. Like most rational people, I don’t think he slips past the top 10 (or the top 5 for that matter). However, pro football focus thinks differently:

So, now we’re here. It’s worth noting here that they also have Dalvin Cook, RB, FSU being the first RB off the board at #12 to the Browns as well.  Here are Fournettes stats over his three years at LSU:

Fournette was the #1 overall recruit in 2014.  According to Wikipedia, in high school, Fournette was a track star as well.  He ran a 200m in 21.67 (fastest in 4A) and a 100 in 10.68 (.02 off the fastest time in 4A).  He started as a true freshman at LSU and made an immediate impact. As a true sophomore, he led college football in yards (162 per game), yards after contact (4.0 yards after carry per carry), and missed tackles (85).  His Junior year was disappointing. He came into the year a clear Heisman candidate but was hampered by injuries. Fournette ended up missing 5 games and sitting out the Citrus Bowl which pissed off a whole lot of fans (myself included).  However, even in the down year his stats were still good (6.5 per attempt).

Take: So, you’re telling me that this 6’1″ 235 lb down-hill runner, who led the nation in yards after contact is also one of the fastest players in college football?  Take him.  Take him here, deal with the bitching from fans, and figure out the defense later. There’s no way this guy falls to #17 but God-forbid, if he does, the skins better take him especially if Dalvin Cook goes ahead of him. PLEASE give me an angry Fournette with a chip on his shoulder for falling in the draft. PLEASE make up stories about his toughness and heart to make him fall to us. Yes, I understand he missed a meaningless bowl game. Yes, I understand he was more concerned about his health than his college team.  Yes, I understand the running back position is the shortest lived position in football. But this kind of talent can be the face of your franchise for a decade. He would take us from a finesse pass-first team to a we’re-running-it-down-your-throat team overnight. Goal line problems? Solved. WR leaving in FA? Go ahead. Our offense would be lights out.

His highlights are astonishing. I don’t think I’ve ever said “Jesus Christ” more times while watching someone’s film. He is a power back but he has the speed to split safeties and beat corners in a foot race. The thing I admire most about him is his love for contact. Time in and time out, he’ll see a would-be tackler and turn and run straight at him. Some of his craziest plays are him running straight over a defender and waltzing into the end zone (see below). That kind of ferociousness is what the redskins as a whole are lacking. He is a tone setter. People compare him to Peterson and I can see why. However, I don’t think Peterson ever had these kind of trucks. He is a hybrid of Peterson and Earl Campbell in my book.

Fournette is going to a star and is incredible value at #17.  The only thing that could hold him back are injuries.

Late Round Names to Consider:

Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma: Sticking with the RB theme, meet Joe Mixon. Mixon is 6’1″ 226 who runs similarly to Levon Bell.  Mixon averaged 6.8 yards per carry for the Sooners and was a big part of their Sugar Bowl win over Auburn. However, he is most famous for being suspended for a whole year for punching a woman in the face in public, breaking bones in her face that required surgery to repair. According to Ian Rappaport, Mixon has been also been barred from attending the NFL combine.  At first, Mixon was considered a 2nd round pick. However, he may fall out of the draft completely. It will interesting to monitor his situation moving forward. The video of his assault is almost worse that Ray Rice’s and, unlike Rice, he was actually charged. As a player, I think he’s pretty good. However, now I’m reading there is now a new story of him assaulting a parking attendant in 2016. He needs to mature a good bit before he gets drafted. Yet, I can’t say I’d be unhappy if the redskins selected him with one of their 6th round picks.

Dede Westbrook, WR, Oklahoma: Dede Westbrook is another Sooner to keep an eye on. He stands 6’0″, 175lbs and was a playmaker for Oklahoma this year. He was a Heisman finalist after he finished 2016 with over 1500 yards receiving and 10 TDs.  However, like Mixon, Westbrook has a history of domestic violence. What are they putting in the water down in Oklahoma? In 2012, he was accused of throwing the mother of his two children to the ground. The charges were dismissed and there hasn’t been anything since. His situation is a lot different than Mixon but the stigma is still there. Otherwise, Westbrook is a good player. He is a deep threat similar to Desean Jackson. I’ll wait to see his 40 time but he appears to be one of the fastest WRs in the class. He does a great job of tracking the deep ball and shows great balance along the sideline. Most of his TDs were him being wide open in the Oklahoma spread offense. There is not much tape of him going up and beating a DB one on one so that is a concern. He is a undersized at 175 and probably won’t help much in the run blocking department but his speed alone is worth the 2nd-3rd round pick. His ability to separate from defenders with his quickness and agility (see below) could make him a star in the right system. Let see how he performs at the combine.

Jake Butt, TE, Michigan: I LIKE JAKE BUTT AND I CANNOT LIE (sorry not sorry). Okay, so this one is a selfish pick (I want a redskins Butt jersey badly). The redskins certainly do not need any help at the tight end position. However, Jake Butt may be too much value in the mid rounds to pass up. Butt is 6’6″, 248 lbs. He won was the nations John Mackey Award winner (Nations Best Tight End). He caught 46 passes for 534 yards his senior year with 4 TDs. Butt was projected as the third TE off the board before he tore his right ACL in the Orange Bowl.  Jake will most likely miss his entire rookie season. What makes matters worse is that he tore the same ACL his sophomore year which makes the injury that much harder to recover from. Butt is a sure handed receiver. He has the size to be a mismatch against any DB and the speed to be a mismatch against linebackers. He doesn’t make many flashy plays after the catch but he is a reliable target on 3rd down. Furthermore, he is no slouch in run blocking. He has the size and strength to match up with anyone in the NFL and will most likely beef up upon signing.  Let me reiterate, probably the last thing the redskins need right now is another injury-prone TE but if he’s sitting around in the 5th round, take him. Davis isn’t getting any younger, Reed is one concussion away from being out of the league and neither are as willing to run block as Butt.