With mere hours to go speculation is rampant and final mocks have been released. This draft season the Redskins have overwhelmingly been given either Da’ron Payne or Vita Vea by draft experts and pundits. What is the reason?
The Redskins were dead last in run defense last year.
The Redskins must get better against the run I think its safe to say everyone thinks that but are the Redskins brass just as convinced as the mock drafters about these two players? I think it is possible that the team knows what they have in the healthy set of defensive lineman already on the team and that adding a run stuffer with a 1st round pick may not be as big of a priority as us fans or those experts think.
I outlined my doubts about the team selecting either of these two players tonight in a previous article largely because they have been mocked so consistently to the team. Unlike some other teams the Redskins have been pretty hush hush about who they will actually select in recent past years - outside of Scherff did many of us see the Doctson and Allen picks? A lot rides on the front office to get this pick right. Bruce Allen, Doug Williams, Scott Campbell, Jay Gruden are running the show now. However, this offseason the interests and connections to prospects have been explicit most notably with Vita Vea, Da’ron Payne and Derrius Guice. There have even rumors about the teams interest in a few top tier safeties.
With the first round approach there is more and more talk of a flurry of trades being possible. Teams going up and down to get their guys which can change the course and plan of the team.
So as we wait for 8:00pm EST do we already know the pick and are just waiting for confirmation or will the Redskins do something completely different?
Enjoy the draft guys!