Redskins close out 2019 Draft with a strong Day 3

After an impressive first two days of the draft the Redskins entered the 3rd day with 7 draft picks and a chance to really add some depth and future potential. Though there were a few questions with some of the selections, overall this was a really great way to round out their draft class.

Use the NFL Power Rankings tool to set your post Draft NFL Rankings!

4th rd pick: RB Bryce Love, Stanford

-Love entered the season as one of the top running back prospects in the nation, but he slid a bit as his production dipped some this past year. Even with the production dip, Love probably was a 2nd round talent if not for an ACL injury in the final game of the season. That dropped the talented Stanford runner to the 4th round.

Love when healthy is a dynamic playmaker with elite speed and agility. Though he wasn’t used extensively in college as a receiver, his skill set should allow him to become a major weapon out of the backfield in the vein of Alvin Kamara/Christian McCaffery.

He’s expected to miss most-to-all of this season recovering from his injury, so the Redskins will need to wait to see what he can do on the field. When he comes back though he could assume the 3rd down back role from Chris Thompson in 2020. If both are healthy Derrius Guice and Bryce Love have the potential to be an elite backfield in the NFL.

Vote on NFL Top 10 lists!

4th rd pick: G Wes Martin, Indiana

-Martin wasn’t on many people’s draft radar this offseason, but part of that is due to where he played. Indiana isn’t the most heavily recruited team and if a guy isn’t exceptional he can get overlooked at times.

In the limited film I’ve been able to watch of him you can see some real positives in his strength and Football IQ. One thing that I quickly noticed was his ability to recognized stunts and blitzes and pick up the correct guy. That is not easy to do, and speaks volumes about his smarts. His footwork and hand usage seemed solid as well, and should allow him to profile as at least a solid back-up option.

For a 4th round pick you are hoping for a little more and it appears the Redskins will give him a chance to compete for their LG opening. It’s possible he wins the job, but not sure he will be the long term solution most were hoping. That being said this pick fills a need and has a solid enough floor that it brings back value.

5th rd pick: C/G Ross Pierschbacher

-Pierschbacher started and was successful for 3 years at Alabama at both guard and center. He’s matched-up versus a number of top pros both in practice and on game days, and had one of the safer floors in the draft. Bare minimum he should be a back-up interior lineman capable of playing any of the three positions.

Pierschbacher was one of the most technically sound offensive linemen in the draft and that allows him to match-up versus linemen who are more athletically gifted than him. He’s definitely lacking in the power department, but his technique mitigates a lot of the concern. Though it is early, I wouldn’t say it’s out of the question that he competes for the starting LG job as a rookie.

Between his NFL readiness and versatility this is a really good pick-up in the 5th round for the Redskins. Their offensive linemen depth was a huge issue, so grabbing two helps considerably.

5th rd pick: LB Cole Holcomb, North Carolina

-Holcomb really started jumping on people’s radar after an amazing Pro Day. His 3 Cone drill and Broad Jump numbers were better than any linebacker at the Combine. In addition his 40 yard dash time woudl have ranked 5th among combine participants.

Holcomb was also a productive linebacker in college, with over 300 tackles over these past three seasons. On tape you see an athletic guy who does a solid job in coverage and capable of chasing down speedy ball carriers on the backside. He doesn’t make many splash plays and lacks the physicality you’d like, but it’s easy to see him in a back-up role. He should offer a lot of value on special teams as well.

6th rd pick: WR Kelvin Harmon, NC State

-Harmon throughout much of the draft process was considered a top 100 prospect. Even after a poor Combine showing it wasn’t expected to drop him too much. The Redskins land him in the late 6th round making him an intriguing steal.

Harmon does lack speed and quickness as his workout showed, but he still shows okay play speed. He might not torch corners down the field, but he can still win contested catches on vertical routes.

His greatest value will be in the intermediate game where he should be a consistent chain mover. He’s got good size and does a nice job using it to shield away defensive backs. Harmon has really strong hands and can make plays on off target passes. He doesn’t have a huge ceiling due to the lack of athleticism, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a productive player. His total skill set give him a good chance to contribute early in his career and he could potentially earn a larger role.

7th rd pick: CB Jimmy Moreland, James Madison

-Moreland was incredibly productive at JMU with 18 interceptions, including 6 that he returned for touchdowns. He got an invite to the Senior Bowl and preformed well that week in front of scouts. Though he didn’t get invited to the Combine he did showcase well at his Pro Day with with strong jumps and runs.

Moreland profiles as a nickel corner, who is physical in coverage and always making plays. He reminds me some of Charles ‘Peanut’ Tillman in that regard.

At JMU he didn’t need to learn a wide range of coverage techniques and got by mainly on his natural ball skills and athletic ability. So some development needs to be done, but upside is here. He could push for the back-up slot role on the team, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him develop into a starter down the road.

7th rd pick: EDGE Jordan Brailford, Oklahoma State

-Brailford had a strong year this past season and he shows good EDGE burst to get into the backfield and make plays. He tested well at the combine despite adding some weight to bulk up. Brailford wins a lot of his battles with a strong first step, which can be really disruptive to opposing offenses.

The main knock on Brailford is that he played really light in college and will his speed translate as he adds needed bulk. In addition he lacks counter moves when tackles get to him. He’s a solid pick-up late as he can be utilized early in his career as a situational pass rusher on 3rd downs when he can get the most out of his speed and initial first step.