Mel Kiper's Latest Mock: A'Shawn Robinson a Redskin?

Feelings are always a bit mixed when we really get into the heart of mock draft season. (Is there ever an end to mock draft season?) Some people needs mocks like they need oxygen. Others on this site have built doomsday bunkers for no other purpose than to avoid mocks at all costs.

I love a good mock draft discussion myself, and I usually always pay attention to ones put out by guys like Mel Kiper, Todd McShay and Mike Mayock. (As always, and I maintain, Todd McShay is NO Mel Kiper!!!!!)

In this latest Mel Mock, he has us taking the defensive lineman out of Alabama, A'Shawn Robinson.

The Redskins became a more physical team in the 2015 draft, and the addition of Robinson would continue that trend for a general manager who knows great teams are built in the trenches. Washington has an improved pass rush but they need to get younger on the defensive interior, and Robinson comes in ready to contribute.

Before we spend a lot of time talking about this specific player (below in the comments, because I generally don't get hung up on specific players this far out), I think it bears mentioning that this position is continuously being mocked to us.

I think that outsiders look at our team and see that McLovin brought in a wave of fresh faces that play a physical brand of football. They see an offensive line that grew by leaps and bounds with the addition of a brand new right side. On the defensive line, they see Pot Roast hitting free agency, leaving behind a serviceable but aging group of defensive linemen.

We all know that McLovin wants to play a physical brand of football, and adding a young, fiery, athletic defensive lineman would have an immediate impact on our squad. In fact, you could even argue that Terrance Knighton was signed for only one year because McLovin figured he was not going to have the draft resources in 2015 to fill that spot. Going into this draft, plugging a first round talent into the front (and heart) of our defense would be a move that would be extremely difficult to poo-poo.

Last year at this time, I was beating the drum for Brandon Scherff. The offensive line demanded attention, and it got just that. This year, I have no qualms grabbing the most impactful (definitely a word) blue-chipper we can find and putting him in position to do some damage. Imagine that for two years in a row, we add meat and nastiness to the trenches. It's just...crazy...enough...to work.

Whether it is A'Shawn or not, I look forward to seeing this kind of player coming to D.C. For what it is worth, A'Shawn is ranked well above 21st overall on most draft boards, so this would appear to be a simulation where he "fell to us."

I guess I better also begin stumping hard for my guy...as soon as I land on one. I know who I want in the second round: Ryan Kelly, the center from Alabama.