More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP

7 months ago: Brian Orakpo, right, a defensive end from Texas, holds up a jersey with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, after the Washington Redskins selected him 13th overall in the first round of the NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall Saturday, April 25, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Another draft in the books. The endless debate on how teams did this past weekend begins. The Skins simply had little to work with in this draft, an altogether too common occurrence in recent years. In the second tour of duty for Joe Gibbs, a re-emphasis on the draft--or at least a more serious focus on the kinds of players you bring into town--was seemingly established. This is not to say the Redskins are a team that will rely solely on the draft. They continue to prove that they believe in aggressive free agency activity. But Dan Snyder's word that they would not trade next year's #1 was upheld. And finally, a top pick was used to draft a highly touted defensive lineman. I have been a broken record since the end of Round 2 in last year's draft. Mostly for my own sanity's sake, I agreed to be okay with drafting 2 WR's and a TE all in the 2nd round of one draft as long as in the next draft, they used their highest pick(s) on linemen. Offensive, defensive, don't care. I thought that since it takes receivers longer to adjust to the pros than linemen (especially defensive linemen), why not get at least one or two pass catchers into the program and learning and then bring some OL/DL studs into the fold.

This draft will be judged by the performance of Brian Orakpo on the field. But before we get there, let's celebrate the refreshing nature of identifying an impact defensive lineman, and then when the chance to actually select him fell into our lap, we did not overthink it or get cute.

KevinE thinks we did a B- in this draft. I have a hard time giving the Skins anything worse than that. To me, Cody Glenn, Robert Henson and Eddie Williams are exactly the kinds of players you have to take in the late rounds because everything you read and watch about them suggests they love playing football. They better. Because they won't be getting any mega-deal to sign. They won't be on the cover of any video games. And they won't be on the tips of anyone's tongues in debates leading up to the regular season. But their contribution could be significant. And since Vinny drafted 'em, Vinny ain't cutting them. So they will get a chance.

Let's say Vinny learned his lesson last season and won't keep every single guy he drafted this weekend. For argument's sake, we'll cut Marko Mitchell just because he was the last guy picked. Then let's take a look at the list of current Redskins who were born in 1983 or later (rough cutoff date plucked that keeps the list at or around 25/26 years old).

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The links are from NFLdraftcountdown and are usually pretty good. So, I'll get some info from from NFL.com. The description for Williams is as follows:

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via media.scout.com

Looks like depending on where you look, you might see Eddie Williams listed as a TE, but ESPN has him down as a FB. On NFL.com, his combine stats:

6'1", 239 lbs. He participated in the bench press drill and finished 7th among tight ends with 23 reps---or 2 less than the kicker out of USC that got drafted by Dallas, David Buehler.

Here is what ESPN Scouts, Inc said about Eddie:

Williams has upside playing an H-back role. He is a reliable target in the pass game with soft hands. He has elusiveness to make the first defender miss.

On NFL.com:

Williams looks like a fullback and plays like a wide receiver. His production (54 catches, 687 yards, six touchdowns) and leadership made him the team's 2008 Most Valuable Player. And his versatility put him on the NFL draft map. Whether it's at fullback or H-back, the versatility of the first-team All-WAC pick could make him a tough player to keep off someone's roster next September. Had an arm span of 31 3/4 inches and a hand span of 9 inches at the combine.

Looks like Vinny went and got a pretty decent athlete. Again, you have to hope this guy turns into a special teams contributor in the short-term. The Skins roster going into camp is short a decent amount of bodies. A seemingly throwaway pick like this has a shot to make some noise in training camp. Mike Sellers won't be here forever. A guy like Eddie Williams could earn a living in Washington, D.C. at FB. And 7th rounders don't break the bank either. 

Now comes the mad dash for undrafted free agents. I believe Ian Johnson from Boise State is still out there. I would love to see him get a shot here.

What are the undrafted free agents out there you want to see come to town?

Welcome to the big leagues Robert Henson.

via tcugetwiththeprogram.com

ESPN Scouts Inc. (which means Todd McShay I think), said this about Henson:

Henson has ideal size for the LB position. He displays good fluidity with his play and flashes some explosion. However, he needs to improve his overall footwork and instinct.

I have been flipping between ESPN and NFL Network and much to my dismay, there is/was no round table discussion on Robert Henson. This is the second LB the Skins have taken today. I like drafting LB's in these rounds because this is where you find your special teamers. An interesting LB note is Charley Casserly has Fincher starting for us in place of Marcus Washington. Like many of you out there, I love Fincher. I have serious doubts that either Glenn or Henson could push past Fincher or Chris Wilson on the LB depth chart, but if these guys can get serious about wanting to contribute sooner rather than later, our special teams unit might get a real shot in the arm. Henson looks like a player. And TCU typically plays some pretty good defense.

I won't blow sunshine up your five-hole by getting all giddy about a 6th round LB. But with limited selections in this year's draft, paying some attention to our depleted LB corps in the hopes a couple of these guys pan out as long-term depth options for our defense seems pretty smart to me.

Oh Jebus...did we just draft a tight end?

Cody Glenn (RB/LB) | 6'0" 244 lbs. | Nebraska | Hometown: Rusk, TX

Arrived in Lincoln as a highly touted running back and is leaving a linebacker with NFL potential. He switched positions in the spring of 2008 after struggling through leg and foot injuries for 18 months. Despite his lack of experience, he earned the starting nod on the weak side and showed himself to have the mentality to play at a high level on defense. He even played in the middle during the season. His senior season did not go exactly to plan, as he played only nine games due to a suspension for violating team rules (he reportedly sold his team issued tickets). In that time he made 51 tackles, six for loss and had four pass breakups, causing scouts to wonder what he might become with more experience.

More from NFL.com:

Positives: Active linebacker with adequate speed and long arms, which he uses to wrap up ball carriers consistently. ... Attacks downhill, can go through a blocker when blitzing and is willing to throw a shoulder into a blocker to free up teammates. ... Despite his lack of size, he can shed blocks on the edge and find his way through trash to the ball carrier. ... Uses his hands to fight off cut blocks. ... Gives good chase down the line and hustles downfield. ... Physical with running backs coming out on routes and can stay with them in the flat. ... Good drop into coverage, finds the receivers in his area and has the hands to knock away passes.

Negatives: Has a safety build, is short and lacks upper- or lower-body bulk. ... Runs around blocks instead of attacking them. ... Nothing special in his change-of-direction agility -- best when he reacts to plays in front of him. ... Gets engulfed when playing inside the tackles. ... Inexperience at linebacker shows through in his lack of backfield awareness; consistently fooled by misdirection. ... Must make plays on special teams to stick on a roster. ... Durability concerns must be addressed at the NFL Combine.

Hogs Haven thoughts: There has to be some good guards left on the Skins draft board. I'm still baffled that they continue to ignore this position. By the 7th round I imagine the only guards left will be 230 pounds. OK, end of sarcasm.

Height: 6-0^1/4 | Weight: 187 | 40-Time: 4.52 [draft countdown]

Strengths:
Very athletic...Good height with long arms...Quick with good speed and a burst to close...Excellent leaping ability...Terrific instincts and awareness...Good tackler...Can deliver the big hit...Nice range...Above average hands and ball skills...Active  with a good  motor...Has  upside. 

Weaknesses:
Does not have the ideal bulk that you look for...Needs to be more physical...Isn't very strong...Not real smooth or fluid...Too aggressive at times...Unrefined  footwork...Trouble shedding blocks...Durability? 

Notes:
Redshirted in 2004...Played extensively as a backup and on special teams in 2005 and 2006...Took over a starting job in 2007 and had a breakout season...College career ended prematurely in 2008 when he fractured his shoulder blade, which required surgery...Was a member of the Terrapin's leadership committee...Prior to the injury some felt he had legitimate Day One potential...Underrated prospect with nice triangle numbers who could  be available at a value point on Draft Day.

Some highlights from an interview with Kevin Barnes from NFL Draft University:

Scott Porter: What are your biggest strengths as a football player? 
Kevin Barnes: My size I see as a major strength. I have an advantage of being a big cornerback who can move like the little guys can who play the position.

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So SB Nation is having each team website man their team's draft room for a community-wide mock draft. That means that later this week, HogsHaven picks at #13 for our beloved Redskins. This is in addition to (separate from) our HogsHaven community draft, that was officially started today. The Lions (Justin) are on the clock.

As for the Redskins selection at #13, in the broader mock draft, it is time to get some feel for what we want. I will make the case for DE/OLB, with possibly an offensive lineman or two that could slip to us for consideration. Fire away with your opinions, commentary and criticisms so we can come to the pick that will best serve the burgundy and gold.

In previous draft posts, we have clamored here for Brian Orakpo in the #13 spot. Thanks to the fact that he has absolutely dominated the offseason workout scene, it is pretty safe to say he will not be around when we are drafting. But the need for his kind of skill set is still there for us. An impact linebacker for us out of the 1st round would be huge for our entire team. I argue that this single addition (after all the other offseason-maneuvering) pushes our defense into some rarified air--a championship-caliber defense. Sure the Skins were 4th overall in team defense last season. But there were things we simply did not do well that ultimately explained how we ended up being the only top 5 defense that did not make the playoffs (I think that is right). We live in an era where pressure on the quarterback is the #1 priority, and the failure to generate this pressure keeps you from being a serious contender. Haynesworth will have an impact on this for sure. But to extract full value from Haynesworth (short of playing him at QB), we need for other guys around him to take advantage of the attention he will attract from opposing offenses. (I am not blaming the defense for us missing the playoffs by the way, just underlining that if we want to beat our chests about a championship-caliber defense, or even a playoff-caliber defense, we simply need to get more pressure on the QB. Period. Don't blame the offense. Don't blame flukey plays. Don't point out high rankings that still weren't enough to get us to the postseason. Get to the QB...and get to the playoffs.)

In short, an impact linebacker for us that can rush the passer from anywhere along the line, drop into coverage, and make sure tackles is going to vault the entire team into a better place. London Fletcher is getting old and Rocky has a lot of mileage on his knees. We need to inject some youth and talent into our linebacking corps. I figure we go Rocky, London, rookie at LB this year, with Blades and Fincher as the main backups. That would be some quality depth at LB, and if Horton and Landry can put together a solid second year together, we would be looking pretty strong up the middle of our defense.

On the flip side, a stud offensive lineman would also do wonders for our team. My fear is that the ones worth drafting in the top 15 will be gone by the time we pick, and the Skins will be left trying to reach for the next best guy, possibly drafting a player way too high. But if one of a couple offensive linemen fall to us on draft day, they must be considered. Since we are not trading our pick in this particular mock draft, we have to live with the fact we get one pick in the first 2 rounds. That means we rank a few of these guys (DE/LB and OL) and take the best guy on the board when we pick.

The group I have is:

1) Brian Cushing: OLB, USC

2) Michael Oher: OT, Ole Miss 

3) Everette Brown: DE, FSU

4) Tyson Jackson: DE, LSU

5) Aaron Maybin: DE/OLB, Penn State

6) Rey Maualuga: ILB, USC

7) Andre Smith: OT, Alabama

I think if Cushing is still there at #13 we take him. The USC defense has yielded some prize players in recent years. It can be hard to tell just how good some of these guys are since the unit as a whole is so good, but Cush's size, speed and strength translate to the NFL. With Curry and Orakpo seemingly out of our reach, Cushing would be the next best thing. Everette Brown would be a close second, and worth the debate, as he has some serious ability. I think I could be happy adding either of them.

If we go the OT route, looks like Oher will/should be the best available. I can live with this pick, as it fills a need on the roster, and has the potential of giving us a starting right tackle for the next 10 years. He has all the tools to succeed at the next level.

My one thought before I turn it over to the shooting gallery is that I think there will be starting quality offensive linemen in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. I don't think there will be a Brian Cushing or Everette Brown type in those rounds. So part of the reason my strategy would be to go defense is because I think the better player available will be defense and I think we can still pick up a quality offensive lineman in the 3rd round.

Have at it.

HogsHaven is currently preparing their first round mock draft, but in the meantime we thought'd it be fun to do a community one. We'd like to do two rounds, so whatever team you select, assume you're in for the 2nd round too. Hopefully we get enough people rolling in this that we can start in the next couple days.

We'll update this list as people comment on this post which team they want to draft for. ...list of draft order after the jump.

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