Washington Redskins 2013 NFL Draft Profile: Alex Okafor

Position: Defensive end, Texas
Measurements: 6-5, 264
Projected Round: 1-2

• Why he would be a good Redskin
The Redskin DBs took a lot of heat last year for the team’s poor pass defense — and justifiably so. But the lack of a pass rush was a huge contributing factor, too, especially after we lost Brian Orakpo. Okafor isn’t your classic speed-rusher, but the Redskins typically prefer bigger DEs anyway, and Okafor has the body type that could bulk up to 285 or 290 without too much trouble. In the meantime, he could start off as a situational guy who could bring more pressure from our front three than we're getting from Adam Carriker.

• Why he won’t be drafted by the Redskins
For one thing, guys with prototypical NFL bodies, experience at a big school and a track record of pressuring quarterbacks don’t often last until the latter half of the second round. It’s not inconceivable some team will fall in love with Okafor and take him long before we have a chance. But even if they don’t, it isn’t clear the Redskins see DE as a weakness at the moment and, with no first-round choice or cap room, this isn’t a best-available-athlete kind of year. Simply put, the Redskins need an immediate starter at either corner or safety, and their second-round choice is their best opportunity to find one.

• Bottom Line: (final comments)
If Okafor falls to the Redskins in the second round, and if we’ve already signed Antoine Winfield and/or DeAngelo Hall, there are worse ideas than adding a guy who found opposing quarterbacks 12.5 times last season. But you could say the same thing about an offensive tackle or tight end, too. A defense featuring a healthy Orakpo along with Ryan Kerrigan and a studly young DE would take a lot of pressure off our marginal safeties, though.