You may not be a fan of what the Redskins did in the first round of the NFL Draft yesterday, when they moved back from the 10th spot to the 16th spot, received an extra second-round pick, and selected DE/LB Ryan Kerrigan. That's OK. But let's see what some others are saying:
- "As quick as he is, I wonder if Kerrigan's pass-rush style will work right away in the NFL, especially as a lower weight. He has a decent bull-rush and impressive upper-body strength, but his game is built very much on edge speed, and a lot of tackles at the NFL level will be able to work that out. With a new transition to edge rusher/linebacker obviously in the cards (the weight loss sort of gives it away), he'll need to learn a lot about coverage unless his new defensive coordinator just wants him moving forward all the time. Loses his footing on stunts and loops at times because he's going at Tasmanian Devil speed." [Doug Farrar, Shutdown Corner]
- "Scouts Inc. pros: Natural playmaker. Tied FBS record with 14 forced fumbles in his career. Relentless pass rusher and rarely gears down early when chasing the run. Has outstanding technique and is disciplined. Will maintain outside contain. Pursues hard from the backside. Can get under offensive tackles and drive them back into the quarterback's lap. Has a knack for knocking the ball loose when gets to the quarterback.
Scouts Inc. cons: Not an elite athlete. Struggles to quickly change directions and will be limited with outside-in and inside-out moves in the NFL. Powerful tackler and will finish if he approaches point of attack in good position, but the more space he's in the less effective he becomes as a tackler." [Scouts Inc., ESPN NFC East Blog]
- "Anybody who follows the Redskins recognizes this isn’t a team that is one good draft away from being in contention. The Redskins need to find a quarterback now that the Donovan McNabb era has turned disastrous. They have to bolster their defensive interior with Haynesworth’s future in doubt and running back and offensive line are other questionable areas. In a division as competitive as the NFC East, this team won’t be competing for anything for at least another year.
One key reason for those issues is the team’s drafting history. While the Redskins have found gems like Orakpo and left tackle Trent Williams, last year’s top pick, they’ve also had a mediocre track record in this area lately. This is a team that has been far too concerned with big-name coaching hires and high-profile acquisitions. What they ultimately should have learned by now is that there are no quick fixes in the NFL.
The teams that win most consistently are the ones who get it right on draft day. By taking Kerrigan, the Redskins proved that they have a better sense of the value in this philosophy. He isn’t the only thing they need these days, but his arrival is definitely a strong step in the right direction." [Jeffri Chadiha, ESPN NFC East Blog]
- "Gabbert was hyped by the draftniks as a top-five quarterback because he looked the part despite a college career that didn’t blow anyone away. He has plenty of talent and athleticism, but it’s worth noting the following quarterback needy teams passed on him: Buffalo, Cincinnati, Arizona, San Francisco, Tennessee, and finally Washington, who traded their No. 10 pick to Jacksonville.
(Consider it a red flag when Mike Shanahan has no legitimate quarterback and passes on a mobile one.)" [Gregg Rosenthal, Pro Football Talk]
- "Washington wisely traded down from #10 to a QB desperate team in Jacksonville, who saw a run on QBs and decided to go up and get Blaine Gabbert. Washington only moved back six spots and picked up an extra second round pick in the process. When their pick came up at #16, Ryan Kerrigan, who they likely wanted all along was still there. We may be seeing a new Redskins after all. Really nice bit of maneuvering by them.
Even better, they aren't going to have Blaine Gabbert throwing three yard curls for them for the next three years. Who knows who will play QB for them, but either way this was a great first round for the Redskins. They got their man and replaced the picks in this draft that they wasted last year." [Jason Brewer, SB Nation Philly]
- Also, ESPN's Todd McShay is a fan of the pick. Not sure if that's good or bad, though.
-----
As for what the Redskins will do with their two second-round picks, I'd be stunned if they didn't go after a quarterback. They now have the ninth (41st overall) and 17th (49th overall) picks in the second round (but no third-round choices), so if a quarterback, possibly Ryan Mallett, Andy Dalton, or Colin Kaepernick, drops to them, they may decide to pull the trigger. There's no guarantee that happens, though, since there are still a few teams ahead of them that may decide to address their own quarterback deficiencies.
Considering how many holes the Skins currently have, they could certainly choose to go in another direction and select some other players -- maybe an offensive or defensive lineman or two. But still, expect them to pick a quarterback at some point on day two of the NFL Draft.
No comments:
Post a Comment