Roll Skins! Call us the Burgundy (and gold) Tide! The Redskins did what most thought they would do and drafted Alabama 6’3″ 311lb defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne. Payne was listed as my #1 defensive lineman, just barely edging out Washingtons Vita Vea (who was taken one pick before Payne).

Payne should start immediately next to Jonathan Allen and hopefully recreate the most dominant run-stuffing defenses in college football over the last two years. Unlike Allen, Payne is considered to be more of a prototypical nose tackle since he weighs 311lbs but he is just as versatile as Allen. He played everywhere on the Alabama line and even a little fullback (see national semi-final game against Clemson). When you watch the tape, you can tell just how strong he is. He is constantly getting double teamed but doesn’t give ground.  He’s so fluid with his movements that he sometimes split double teams with ease and creates immediate pressure. Also, every now and then he will jump a snap count and put the guard 5 yards into the back field completely destroying a play. Oh and did I mention he bats down passes? This guy is so pro-ready it makes my head hurt.

Simply put, I am fired up for this pick.  Payne was a force for Alabama all year and especially in their biggest games. He helped shut down Clemsons high powered offense (6 points total and 66 rush yards on 33 carries) and held Georgia’s Nick Chubb to 25 yards on 18 carries in the National Championship game. Also, Payne is only 20 years old! He may still have some room to grow. Hopefully Payne will become the anchor our defense has needed and be a force at the point of attack for years to come.

Highlights:

 

 

 

Over the last two years of writing this blog I wrote about a few late round gems that made impacts for their teams such as Yannick Ngakoue (DE Jaguars 2017 Pro-Bowl), Dak Prescott (QB Dallas 2016 Pro-Bowl), and Dalvin Tomlinson (DT Giants Started all 16 games and finished 3rd in DROY). Hoping this is the year the Redskins draft one of my late round guys (instead of the usual rival).

Shaun Dion Hamilton, ILB Alabama: Redskins please remember, when in doubt, KISSDAP (Keep It Simple Stupid Draft Alabama Players). Shaun Hamilton was the captain of the Alabama defense that went to the three straight National Championships (winning two). He and Reuben Foster were considered the best inside linebacker duo in college football in 2016. That was until Hamilton tore his ACL in the SEC Championship. He started nine more games as a senior where suffered a fractured kneecap that ended his season early.

Hamilton was the play-caller for those dominant Alabama defenses and is widely considered one of the smartest linebackers to come out of Alabama. Honestly, you could notice it on tape.  He doesn’t do anything too flashy but is in perfect position and takes great angles to his tackles.  Considering Alabama ran a 3-4 defense, he would be a perfect fit with the Redskins. If he doesn’t start, he should be find a place on special teams at least.  Right now he’s listed as a 6th rounder on NFL.com but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone took him in the 5th.

Rashaad Penny, RB SDSU: Rashaad Penny stands 5’11”, weighs 220lbs and runs a 4.46 40.  Feels strange writing about him as “late round gem” considering he led the NCAA in all-purpose yards (2974), rushing yards (2248), finished 2nd in rushing TDs (23) and finished top 5 in the league in yards after contact. Despite all this, Penny finished 5th in the Heisman voting proving that Heisman voters simply do not respect anyone outside the power-5 conferences. Yes, Penny’s competition wasn’t the best of the best, but he dominated them. In his final game of the season (the Armed Forces Bowl against Army) he rushed for 221 yards and four scores on 14 carries! Honestly, when I watched the game live I felt like he was going to score on every play even though Army knew it was coming.

What makes Penny special is his subtle movements in space. He doesn’t have the flashy jump cuts or the start/ stop jukes. But he has tremendous body control, balance, and great patience when running between the tackles. He runs a little too high for my liking but he’s strong enough to run through arm tackles, bounce off others, and quickly get back to speed. Oh and did I mention he has sub 4.5 breakaway speed? I also like how he plays with a quiet intensity – hardly ever showing too much emotion. This guy is the real deal and could easily be this year’s Alvin Kamara. I don’t see this guy falling past the 2nd round so hopefully the Redskins have his name ready when they pick at #44.

Darius Leonard, ILB/OLB South Carolina State: Leonard stands 6’2″ and weighs 232lbs and dominated opponents in the FCS. He was a 2x MEAC Defensive player of the year, 1st team selection on the 2017 STATS, FCS All-American Team, and the Defensive MVP Reese’s Senior Bowl.  When you put on the film, you can see why. He is outstanding at reading/ diagnosing plays and getting there in a hurry. He does a good job of breaking down to not get juked and uses his long arms to wrap up runners, not always going for the big hit. He dominated guards/ tackles on blitzes in the FCS and good in pass coverage too. He plays with so much intensity; you can tell that he was the leader of his defense and a coach on the field. At SDST, he lined up at 3-4 inside linebacker but I can see him moving to OLB in the pros because of his size/ weight. Honestly, that’s the only knock on him right now – size. Leonard would be an ideal scheme fit for the Redskins 3-4 defense since that’s all he’s played however I don’t see him falling past the 3rd round. If the Redskins could find a way to obtain a 3rd rounder this year, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear his name called.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is finally time for the much anticipated Devine 1st Round Mock Draft! I have decided to not include any trades in this list to keep it simple.  Also, these picks are not necessarily what I would do if I were the GM of the franchise but more of what I could see happening Thursday.  Without further ado, here are my picks:

1 – Browns: Saquon Barkley RB Penn St

Skinny: Barkley is a generational talent and Browns aren’t being led by the blind anymore and GM John Dorsey has drafted RBs high before during his time at Carolina. I don’t think he’ll be fooled by Darnold at 1.

2 – Giants: Sam Darnold QB USC

Skinny: Darnold did not make my top 5 list but everyone expects him to go #1 to the Browns. The Giants have been vocal about wanting Darnold but I wonder if it’s all a smokescreen to get Barkley. Still, I could see a QB going here once Barkley is taken 1, whether its Darnold or some one else.

3 – Jets: Baker Mayfield QB OU

Skinny: Jets didn’t move up to three to take boring old Josh Rosen. They go for it all here with last years Heisman Trophy winner.

4 – Browns: Josh Rosen QB UCLA

Skinny: The Browns sneakily got the QB they were hoping for all along in Rosen and still landed a guaranteed stud at #1.

5 – Broncos: Josh Allen QB Wyoming

Skinny: GM John Elway has a knack for drafting tall, strong QBs with potential. He’ll get his guy here.

6 – Colts: Bradley Chubb DE NC ST

Skinny: Colts are making out like bandits. Chubb is widely considered to be the best defensive player, if not the best overall player, in the draft. They would’ve happily taken him at #3 but luckily the Jets came calling so they added more picks and still get the player they wanted.

7 – Bucs: Minkah Fitzpatrick SS Alabama

Skinny: Bucs get my favorite player in the draft after just barely missing out on Chubb.

8 – 8- Bears: Quenton Nelson G ND

Skinny: The Bears offensive line stunk on ice last year. Luckily, Nelson is the best offensive lineman in the draft and excels at run blocking. He will become an instant starter and help propel Howard and the Bears run game to new heights.

9 – Niners: Denzel Ward CB OSU

Skinny: Niners just added Richard Sherman so why not add the best CB in the class to sure up both sides of the field?

10 – Raiders: Roquon Smith LB Georgia

Skinny: This pick is crucial to what the Redskins do at #13. The only guarantee is that they’re going defense after that, who knows who they’ll pick. New head ball coach Jon Gruden loves his grinders. Roquon Smith led the NCAA in tackles and took that Georgia within 6 pts of a national championship.  He’ll be an instant starter and should solidify MLB for the Raiders for a decade.

11 – Dolphins: Vita Vea, DT Washington

Skinny: Here is another crucial pick to what the Redskins do at #13. The Dolphins are a mess. They could go WR here with the departure of Landry. Or they could linebacker because they still don’t know what they have in last years injured 1st round LB Mcmillan.  Hell, they could even go QB here if they’re sick of Tannehill. I believe they take Vea from Washington to replace the departed Suh and look to address their needs later in the draft.

12 – Bills: Lamar Jackson QB Louisville

Skinny: The Bills have been vocal about their QB needs and they have the best QB in the draft land right in their laps.

13 – Redskins: Tremaine Edmunds LB VT 

Skinny: Tremaine Edmunds stands 6’5″ and is 250lbs – built more like a defensive end build than an inside linebacker. But make no mistake, he is a middle linebacker and a damn good one. Edmunds is arguably the hardest hitting player in this years draft and is incredibly athletic for his size (4.54 40 at the combine).  He led the Hookies last year with 109 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 14 TFLs. He was a Buktus Award finalist (runner up to Roquon Smith). The knock on Edmunds is that he’s instinctual linebacker which can get him out of position sometimes. That’s about it. When his instincts are right, he creates havoc. He can blitz the passer, stuff running lanes, cover tight ends, bat down balls, play special teams, you name it. He is the perfect compliment to Zack Brown and should start immediately beside him. Also, he’s only 19 years old. Give him a few years of NFL coaching and some weight training and he should grow into a behemoth of a linebacker. Long story short, the Redskins do the right thing and draft arguably the best linebacker in the class and continue to sure up a defense that ranked almost dead last in the every statistical category last year.  Edmunds highlights

14 – Packers: Joshua Jackson CB Iowa

Skinny: Packers need a decent corner and they land the most dynamic corner in the draft.

15 – Cardinals: Mason Rudolph QB OK ST

Skinny: Cardinals shock the world and take their future Qb at #15. They must have liked what they saw on film (like I did).

16 – Ravens: Calvin Ridley WR Alabama

Skinny: Ravens have to settle for Ridley since all their QBs are gone. Ridley will start immediately for the Ravens.

17 – Chargers: Derwin James SS FSU

Skinny: James’s free-fall is stopped by the Chargers who run to the podium to select one of the best DBs in the class.

18 – Seahawks: Mike Mcglichley OT ND

Skinny: Seahawks offensive line almost got Wilson killed last year. Mcglichley will help alleviate that.

19 – Cowboys: Courtland Sutton WR SMU

Skinny: The Cowboys showed their hand by releasing Dez and reports are they like Sutton. We’ll see if he has better chemistry from Dak than Dez did.

20 – Lions: Mike Geisickie TE Penn ST

Skinny: Lions get a mammoth of a TE to become the safety net for Stafford. He should become an instant starter in Detroit

21 – Bengals: Harold Landry Edge BC

Skinny: Bengals get the best speed rusher in in the class with Landry.  This should help free up Geno Atkins inside.

22 – Bills: DJ Moore WR MD

Skinny: Bills got their QB of the future so why not draft their future WR too? Moore will quickly become a Bills mafia favorite.

23 – Patriots: Kolton Miller OT UCLA

Skinny: Lots of reports linking Miller to the Patriots to help sure-up an old depleted offensive line.

24 – Panthers: Marcus Davenport DE UTSA

Skinny: Panthers run to the podium to get what was thought to be a top 10 talent in Davenport. They fill a need and get a stud.

25 – Titans:  Leighton Vander Esch LB Boise St

Skinny: Titans could’ve used Davenport but are content with Esch who should start for them right away.

26 – Falcons: Da-Ron Payne DT Alabama

Skinny: Falcons stop Payne’s free fall and get an instant starter.

27 – Saints: Hayden Hurst TE SC

Skinny: Hurst is widely considered to be the best TE in the draft and is absolutely the most pro-ready. The saints offense loves their weapons and now they finally get a TE who is of the same caliber as Jimmy Graham.

28 – Steelers: Derrius Guice RB LSU

Skinny: Steelers surprise everyone with an RB here at #28 to send a message to their estranged star RB Le’Von Bell.

29 – Jaguars: DJ Chark WR LSU

Skinny: Jaguars need a WR in a bad way and will have to reach here a little get one here.

30 – Vikings: Will Hernandez G UTEP

Skinny: Vikings have their QB, RB, and WRs. Time to start stock-piling offensive line.

31 – Patriots: Mike Hughes CB UCF

Skinny: Mike Hughes is considered to be the best kick returner in the class and was such a good lock-down corner that teams hardly threw to his side. The pats will enjoy having him in the building.

32 – Eagles: Dallas Goedert TE SDST

Skinny: Zack Ertz was so vital to their success that they draft some insurance to finish off the round.

 

Notable available prospects for round 2:

• Rashaan Evans, LB Alabama
• Sony Michel RB Georgia
• Nick Chubb RB Geogia
• Billy Price, C OSU
• Carlton Davis, CB Auburn
• Jaire Alexander, CB Lousiville
• Isiah Oliver, CB Colorado
• Justin Reid, S Stanford
• James Daniels, C Iowa
• Ronnie Harrison, S Alabama

 

 

Mock drafts are fun but what about mock trades? This off-season has been riddled with  trades that have already seen the Colts/ Jets swap their 3rd and 6th picks and the Bills and Bengals swap their 12th and 21st picks and Patriots acquired the Rams #23 pick for Brandon Cooks (has anyone woken him up yet from that hit in the Super Bowl?).  You can be sure that Thursday will be no different. Here are some trades that I could see the Redskins making in the 1st round.

Colts get Rd 1#13, Rd 2 #44/ Redskins get Rd 1#6 and select Saquon Barkley: The Redskins seem poised to trade back considering they have glaring needs all over the roster and no depth to boot. A few things would have to happen here. First, Barkley would have to fall out of the top 5 meaning QBs would have to be taken with 4 out of the top 5 picks. Not impossible but unlikely. Also, the Colts would have to be going into this thinking of picking only defense and value 2nd round talent.  Yet, the Colts have expressed interest in moving back in the draft (already doing so once). If the stars aligned, why not move up here and take the best RB prospect since Adrian Peterson? I’m sure the Colts will want more (maybe a 5th/6th round pick) but if the skins could pull this off, they will have drafted a sure-fire superstar that will help us punch through on all short-down and goal line situations that we have struggled so mightily with in Gruden’s time here.

Redskins get Rd1#16, Rd2#52, Rd6#190/ Ravens get Rd1#13 and Select QB Lamar Jackson:  Here is a scenario that I came see coming true. The Ravens sit one selection behind the Cardinals, a Cardinals team who just gave old injury-prone Sam Bradford a year “show me” deal. The Ravens have expressed interest in Lamar Jackson and Ozzie Newsome, Ravens GM, is not scared to pull the trigger on players he likes. Also, if he’s anything like me, he probably has Jackson ranked higher than all the other QBs available. He would have to make a move with either the Redskins or the Packers in order to leap frog the Cardinals. I could see a small bidding war for #13 between the Cards and Ravens where the Ravens give up one of their 6th round picks to sweeten the deal and Skins happily accept. Again, this would be a day of deal and the only way I see this happening is if some of the blue chip defenders (i.e. Chubb, Fitzpatrick, James, Smith, Edmunds) were all gone.  The Ravens would get their heir apparent to Flacco and the Redskins could still land one of their highly ranked DTs (Vea, Payne) seeing as the Cardinals will most likely reach on a QB at #15 or trade back.  Then, the skins could use that 2nd round pick on whatever RB falls in to their lap (Chubb, Penny).

Redskins get Rd1#19, Rd3#81/ Cowboys get Rd1#13 and select WR Calvin Ridley: I know, I know – boo, hiss trading with the Cowboys yuck. However, this is one of the only scenarios I see in where a team has a need outside of QB could be on the move. The Cowboys showed their hand by releasing Dez Bryan this week and now have a glaring need at wide out. Calvin Ridley has been the odds on favorite since the Super Bowl to be the first WR selected and the Cowboys could absolutely use him. Much like the prior scenario, all the blue chip defenders the skins are eyeing would have to be gone for this to happen. Also, QB-hungry teams must have either accepted their fate or just not want to pay the price to move up. The Redskins would get their 3rd round pick back (something that Bruce Allen has been very vocal about) and the Cowboys would get a potential bust in Calvin Ridley – everyone wins! Also, #19 seems like a hike backwards but once Ridley is gone, the Cardinals/ Ravens at #15/16 would have a hard time passing on a QB and the Packers, Chargers and Seahawks all need offensive line help. The very same d-lineman might just be sitting there for the Redskins at #19. Bruce Allen could then gloat about how he got his QB, his rookie, and his 3rd round pick back when Snyder wants to fire him by week 7.

Redskins get Rd 1#23, Rd1#31, Rd 2#63/ Patriots get Rd1#13, Rd2#44 and Select QB Mason Rudolph: Now would this be an exciting trade! This may be wishful thinking but reports are Tom Brady is still unsettled with Belichick and ownership after their falling out last year over TB12 products in the locker room. There are also reports that Brady has considered retirement (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/tom-brady-surprisingly-hints-that-retirement-could-come-as-soon-as-next-year/).  That means that the Patriots better start grooming a QB now or what their dynasty collapse. Rudolph fits what McDaniels wants to do and might have the best accuracy in the class outside of Mayfield. The Patriots would get their QB of the future and a nice piece of leverage if Brady decides he’s not reporting to camp or retiring after the year.

Still, when I put my redskins GM hat on, I had a hard time accepting this trade. Dropping 10 spots out of the top 15 really hurts our chances at getting a defensive stud but gaining that extra first round pick means we could gather two starters at positional needs. The Redskins need help at interior o-line and any one of the top rated centers should be available at picks #23/#31 and maybe even #65. Arkansas center Frank Ragnow did not give up a sack his entire career at Arkansas and is rated behind OSU center Billy Price and Iowa center James Daniels on nfl.com. Price tore his pec at the combine but was considered to be the best interior o lineman coming into the draft. Daniels is an athletic center that could move to anywhere on the line. I could see the skins using the #23 pick on whatever defensive lineman falls to them (hopefully Payne) and coming back around with a center or interior o-lineman. I’m not as high on Guice as the Redskins brass seems to be, but if they could land Payne at #23 and Guice at #31 that would be a home run even in my book.

 

Please accept my sincerest apologies for not posting in a while.  My day job called and my frustrations with last season caused me to stay up later than anticipated. Combine that with the kick in the pants that was the Alex Smith trade and I knew I needed to take some time off.  But hell it’s the damn best time of year – DRAFT SEASON – and who doesn’t like predicting superstars and busts!

The Redskins come into the draft with the number 13, 44, 109, 142, 163, 188, 231, and 241 picks.  Obviously, the most crucial is the 13th and 44th given the redskins gave away their 3rd rounder.  So after some consideration, here are my top 5 players prospects at each position.  The asterisks are who I believe the redskins should target with their 13th pick.

QBs:

1. Lamar Jackson, Lousiville
2. Josh Rosen, UCLA
3. Baker Mayfield, OU
4. Mason Rudolph, Ok St
5. Josh Allen, Wyom

 

RBS:

1. Saquon Barkley, Penn ST
2. Rashaad Penny, SDSU
3. Sony Michel, Georgia
4. Nick Chubb, Georgia
5. Derrius Guice, LSU

(Edited 4/23/18)

 

WRs:

1. DJ Moore, MD
2. Calvin Ridley, Ala
3. Courtland Sutton, SMU
4. DJ Chark, LSU
5. Christian Kirk, TAM

 

 

TE:

1. Hayden Hurst, South Carolina
2. Dallas Goedert, SDST
3. Mike Geisickie, Penn ST
4. Mark Andrews, OU
5. Ian Thomas, IU

OL:

1. Quenton Nelson, ND*
2. James Daniels, Iowa
3. Mike Mcglinchley, ND
4. Orlando Brown, OU
5. Kolton Miller, UCLA

 

DT:

1. Da’ron Payne, Ala*
2. Vita Vea, Wash*
3. Tim Settle, VT
4. Maurice Hurst, Mich
5. Harrison Philips, Stanford

DE/ Edge:

1. Nick Chubb, NCST
2. Harold Landry, BC*
3. Marcus Davenport, UTSA
4. Lorenzo Carter, Georgia
5. Sam Hubbard, OSU

 

LB:

1. Roquon Smith, Georgia*
2. Tremaine Edmunds, VT*
3. Leighton Vander Esch, Boise St
4. Rashaan Evans, Ala
5. Uchenna Nwosu, USC

 

CB:

1. Ward, OSU*
2. Josh Jackson, Iowa*
3. Carlton Davis, Auburn
4. Isiah Oliver, Colorado
5. Jaire Alexander, Lousiville

S:

1. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ala*
2. Derwin James, FSU*
3. Justin Reid, Stanford
4. Ronnie Harrison, Alabama
5. Jessie Bates, Wake Forest

 

 

As you can see, most of my asterisks fall on defensive players.  Having the bottom-5 ranked defense in the league for the past 5 years is getting pretty old. We have some nice pieces to build around (Zack Brown, Jon Allen, Preston Smith, Josh Norman, DJ Swearinger, Monte Nicholson – maybe?) but we could us some star power across the board. Here are my takeaways from the film study:

1. This draft class is loaded at running back and tight end but extremely thin at wide out, linebacker, and safety. Lots of different pundits have penciled in the Redskins taking Guice (RB LSU) at #13 which would be a mistake. He certainly could become a great player but the class is so deep at RB that I guarantee you can find a similar player in the 2nd and still get a sure-fire starter on defense with the 1st round pick.
2. Watching the tight ends for the first time had me salivating at the possibility of landing the next Gronk (which any one of the top three could become). However, our needs are too great on defense and the class is just too thin at our most needed positions for a luxury pick. However, I have a feeling the top 3 TEs in the class will become instant stars.
3. The Quarterbacks are a crapshoot. I had to flip my ranking multiple times. Everyone has their flaws. There is not a consensus #1 because none of them stand out from the rest. Lamar Jackson has the best skill set to make an immediate impact in my opinion but that could all come crashing down if he can’t/ won’t throw from the pocket and/ or gets hurt from running around and trying to make plays.  One thing is for certain, every single one of them will need some time to develop which will cause chaos to any QB-hungry team drafting in the top 10.
4. Saw from a few sources that Derwin James is being drafted before Minkah Fitzpatrick and to that I say ‘are you insane?!’ Fitzpatrick is being dubbed much the same way Tyron Mathieu was before he came into the league as a monster man safety that played an unorthodox position that may not translate to the NFL. Right. I’m sure his 5 blocked kicks wont translate to the NFL. Fitzpatrick was the best player on the best defense on the National Champion/ runner-up for the last three years. I hope to God that 12 teams picking before the Redskins believe he will not translate to the NFL. Also, this in no way a knock on Derwin James; I think he would be a fine pick at #13 for us as well.  Just the stupidity of these over-thinking scouts baffles me.

 

Of the asterisked players, here is the order I would take them in: Fitzpatrick, Smith, Edmunds, Ward, James, Payne, Vea, Landry, H Jackson, Nelson. And frankly, I would be psyched for any of them. The more pundits keeps over-hyping these shaky QBs, the more likely one of these top college defenders land right in our laps.