Breaking Down The Redskins Mock Draft

Washington Commanders

Earlier this week I posted a 2012 Mock Draft and in it I fixed a few of the Redskins needs. I wanted to expand upon my reasoning for these picks with this post:

1st Round: QB Robert Griffin, Baylor- It is quite clear that the Redskins need a new signal caller, and Griffin is quickly moving up draft boards, that would make him an excellent top 15 pick. While some might see him as just another ‘running’ quarterback, this isn’t Terrelle Pryor, or Tim Tebow. Griffin is an extremely smart quarterback, who breaks down defenses with relative ease. He is highly accurate, with both his short options, where he hits his receiver in stride, and his deep passing, where he has the ability to put it on the money. His arm strength is impressive, as he can rifle it all around the field. Griffin’s mobility would also be an asset for the Skins, as their offense features a number of rollouts and bootlegs. Not to mention with a weak offensive line he can avoid pressure and turn negative plays, into positive ones.

2nd Round: OT Levy Adcock, Oklahoma State- It is quickly becoming clear that Jamaal Brown is among the worst starting right tackles in the league at this point. Now if the team cuts him they’d have to take a hit against the salary cap (though this would be addition by subtraction), which means his replacement probably won’t be some major free agent signing. Using a 2nd round pick on someone like Adcock would be a smart play. He should be an instant starter at RT, and in a year or two if he elevates his game he could be swapped to LT if Trent Williams doesn’t continue to develop. He’s more advanced as a run blocker right now (another reason to start him on the right side), but he’d be an improvement for Washington in both areas. This is an excellent early-mid 2nd round pick, and exactly the position Washington needs to target if they want to ensure Griffin’s success.

3rd Round: C Michael Brewster, Ohio State- Brewster is a guy who at the end of last season was talked about as a potential late first rounder, but since that time has fallen to more of the late 2nd-early 3rd round range. I think at this point Brewster is more of a 3rd round pick, despite being fairly advanced. If he is still sitting on the board when the Redskins select, it should be an easy pick for them. He’s a very good center prospect, who is considered smart, advanced and plays with good leverage. He might not project to be a Pro Bowler, but he should be a very good starter. If he can start from day one (which is possible), that could allow Montgomery and Lichtensteiger to compete with Chester for the two guard spots. And it would give the Redskins quality depth, with whomever didn’t make the cut.

Note: I haven’t done a full 4th round yet, but these are the players I’m targeting for the Skins

Guard: Lucas Nix, Pittsburgh: Nix was considered a late 2nd to early 3rd round prospect this season, but a knee injury early in the year should derail those chances. He’s probably more of a 4th or even 5th rounder depending on how much he can work out prior to the NFL Draft. With Lichtensteiger himself recovering from a knee injury, and being ineffective prior to this year, and Monty and Chester older players who at best are just solid starters, adding a guy with upside like Nix is a smart play.

Wide Receiver: Juron Criner, Arizona: Criner has been dealing with some injury issues this year, which in conjunction with some questions about his speed will likely cause him to be in that 4th-5th round range. Criner though does everything well, despite not having great speed. He runs clean crisp routes, and constantly finds himself wide open. He changes direction and cuts well, which he uses to create separation. Also he has excellent size and is a pretty good leaper. He’s not a perfect prospect, but seems to have a good work ethic and would be a nice mid-round complement to the Redskins receivers. His size alone would be a welcomed addition, and if he pans out, Washington would have a steal.


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