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The 2019 season is thankfully almost over. The Washington Redskins were the first team to fire their head coach, with Jay Gruden being let go after an 0-5 start. Things haven’t improved much since then, and they now sit at 3-11. The Redskins would have the #4 overall pick with their current record, but that could go as high as #2 if they lose out. The Washington Post gives them a 15% chance of moving up to #2 by the end of the season.
The Redskins traded away their 2nd round pick earlier this year, along with their 2019 2nd round pick to move up in the draft to select OLB Montez Sweat. They also swapped their 6th round pick next year for the Denver Broncos’ 7th round pick in the Case Keenum trade. So the Redskins currently have a 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and two 7ths.
Washington has a lot of needs, and need to move on from a few high priced players who have overstayed their welcomes here. There will be a new head coach who has hopefully been picked by a new GM. They will also have a lot of money to spend in free agency before the draft. The Redskins having gaping holes at LT, CB, TE, and other areas.
It’s way too early mock draft time, and we’ve got a few players projected to go to Washington in the top 5. The Alabama pipeline continues with the Jerry Jeudy(WR) and Jedrick Wills(OT) picks. There are two more OTs on this list with fan favorite Andrew Thomas, and Tristan Wirfs who could be available in a trade back. We also get one more WR option with CeeDee Lamb, and a top CB, Jeffrey Okudah.
Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
Washington needs an offensive tackle and some cornerback help, but it also has to get more playmakers around rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins. And it would be really hard to pass on adding Jeudy opposite Terry McLaurin. Jeudy is by far the best route runner in the country.
There is no clear-cut path for the Washington Redskins with the No. 3 overall selection. Team needs don’t match value, and there isn’t a foundation in place without a proven general manager and with a current opening at head coach.
Team needs would dictate drafting a left tackle, but the best in this class aren’t a value at No. 3. The same goes for another premium position like pass-rusher, where the team has Ryan Kerrigan and selected Montez Sweat in last year’s first round.
The board meets need at wide receiver. Terry McLaurin has been a very good rookie, but the team needs to continue adding playmakers and depth to support Dwayne Haskins. Jerry Jeudy is an electric route-runner with next-level burst. He has struggled with a few dropped passes because he lets the ball get inside his frame, but what he offers as a playmaker can set this offense over the top.
How the new football people will value a wide receiver this early in Round 1 remains to be seen, but Jeudy is good enough to merit this selection.
The Redskins could really use a new left tackle but I don’t think there are any that warrant this high of a selection. So for that reason, they go with the top WR in the draft to help surround Dwayne Haskins with as many weapons as possible.
Jeudy’s route running ability is some of the best you will ever see from a college player. His separation skills are unreal and he can get open against any type of coverage. He’s a very smart player who knows how to set up his man and find the open areas in zone coverage.
Redskins fans should be ecstatic to have a tandem of Terry McLaurin and Jerry Jeudy at WR for years to come.
The Redskins are 29th in the NFL this season explosive pass rate, a statistic that measures their big play capability, and after a huge win with pick Terry McLaurin in the third round last year, Jeudy is the perfect complement for the rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins.
The San Diego Union~Times(Brown)
The Redskins are the worst team in the NFL in total yardage (269.5 yards per game) and next-to-last in scoring (15.4 points per game). Jeudy’s the crown jewel of what is shaping up to be a special 2020 class of receivers. He’s the best prospect at the position in almost a decade. Top needs: OT, WR, CB
The Redskins need a No. 1 receiver for Dwayne Haskins.
Jeudy has 71 receptions for 959 yards and nine touchdowns this season. In 2018, he totaled 68 receptions for 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns.
NFL scouts who attended Alabama’s practices in the fall of 2017 told me that Jeudy (6-1, 192) was the next great Crimson Tide receiver to keep the tradition going under Nick Saban that has seen elite receivers like Julio Jones, Amari Cooper and Calvin Ridley dominate the competition. As a freshman, Jeudy totaled 14 receptions for 264 yards and two touchdowns. He was just scratching the surface in 2017.
Ceedee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
Andrew Thomas would make a lot of sense here, but it is not flashy enough for Dan Snyder and Bill Callahan won’t be their coach, so Lamb is the pick.
Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
Thomas’ career grading profile is about as impressive as we’ve seen from an offensive lineman in our six years of analyzing college (that is until Oregon’s Penei Sewell next year). He’s allowed all of 35 pressures in three years as a starter in his career, and he is currently the highest graded draft-eligible Power-5 offensive lineman. Not a bad replacement for Trent Williams.
Thomas is the best left tackle in this draft class and if the plan is to stick with Dwayne Haskins -- and that appears to be the case -- the Redskins will have to protect him in a post-Trent Williams world.
In a time filled with dysfunction and turmoil, the rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins has shown promise since officially taking over as the team’s starter. The situation with Trent Williams seems to be a marriage headed towards divorce come offseason and as a result, the team’s search for offensive line help will be a high priority on top of the team’s positional needs.
Thomas gives the team a young option and heir apparent to Williams to protect their young signal caller for the foreseeable future.
The Redskins just invested in quarterback Dwayne Haskins and found a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver in Terry McLaurin. They are still at an impasse with stalwart Trent Williams, and they need to land a new rock at left tackle. Thomas matches great size (6-5, 320 pounds) with good hands and footwork. Their new coach also will love what Thomas can do opening holes for explosive running back Derrius Guice, given what he also did for D’Andre Swift in Athens.
Washington’s offseason efforts should focus on improving the supporting cast around rookie QB Dwayne Haskins. Only seven offensive linemen have been drafted with top-five picks over the past decade, and Washington has drafted two of them—Trent Williams (2010) and Brandon Scherff (’15). Even though he didn’t play this season, Williams likely won’t play for the franchise in 2020 either, and the team will need to fill his void at left tackle. Only five teams have allowed more sacks this season than Washington (44).
Andrew Thomas just declared for the 2020 NFL Draft, and is a large and powerful man that is will solidify one piece on the struggling offensive line for the Redskins for the foreseeable future. Thomas can move extremely well for his size, making it difficult for opposing rushers to run around him, and running through hin is no easy task. This pick is not the sexy pick, but it is the right pick in order to keep Haskins’ jersey clean.
This pick has to be about helping Dwayne Haskins reach his lofty potential. While a premier pass-catcher like Jerry Jeudy would be tempting, Haskins already has a stellar rapport with former college teammate Terry McLaurin. The bigger need, and the better pick, is a franchise left tackle like Thomas.
Goal number one for the Redskins this offseason: provide Dwayne Haskins with pieces that he needs to succeed. While another top-notch receiver would certainly be beneficial, I would think the true priority for Washington is to get a shiny new left tackle to protect their young quarterback.
Andrew Thomas is the top offensive line prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft. Like Young on the other side of the ball, Thomas has a tremendous blend of power and speed for a tackle. He is agile as a pass blocker, sliding his feet and staying in front of the speedy pass rushers in the SEC. Where he really excels is in the run game, imposing his will on opposing defenders to open holes for his backs.
Despite their disappointing showing against LSU in the SEC Championship Game, Georgia has been a very solid offense all season long. They boast one of the best run games in the nation and allow very few sacks. Thomas is instrumental in both facets.
Washington has a talented young core on offense. With Haskins, his former Buckeye teammate, receiver Terry McLaurin and running back Derrius Guice, the Skins offense has a lot of potential already. Haskins will need to develop, McLaurin needs to find a bit more consistently and Guice has to stay healthy. But if they want to see that offense progress, Haskins will need time in the pocket and confidence in his offensive line in order to grow as a passer and leader.
Trent Williams is long gone this offseason, so the Redskins will need to find a long term replacement to protect Haskins’ blindside. I don’t see a prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft that is a better bet to fill those shoes than Andrew Thomas.
Trent Williams has vowed never to play for the Redskins again, and he has kept his word thus far. Washington needs a new left tackle to protect Dwayne Haskins.
Andrew Thomas has been very impressive, using his great athleticism and length. NFL personnel believe he has tremendous potential.
With Trent Williams on his way out of town, Washington needs a blindside protector for young quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Thomas is the best tackle in the draft and at 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds, he can be dominant on the left side.
Thomas is a mauling run blocker who has improved the technical elements of his pass blocking this season. Easy choice here for Washington.
Jedrick Wells would be a consideration here too, but as long as the Redskins are selecting fourth, they’re targeting a left tackle to protect Dwayne Haskins. Thomas has been a rock at left tackle for Georgia, where’s he’s been Jake Fromm’s blindside protector for the last two seasons.
The Redskins need serious help on the offensive line after the Trent Williams disaster. Thomas provides that.
Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
Some will want Georgia’s Andrew Thomas here, and that could work, too. Really, everything is on the table for the Redskins, who might move on from personnel honcho Bruce Allen. They tabbed Brandon Scherff from the same Hawkeyes program, however, and could do so again at tackle, which is a major need. Wirfs is a high-floor prospect who has excelled on the left and right sides.
Longtime stalwart Trent Williams will likely never play for the Redskins again, and the team’s backup plan at that spot, Donald Penn, is on a one-year deal. Wirfs would give Washington some stability at that crucial position and could play a key role in quarterback Dwayne Haskins’s ongoing development. The former Iowa lineman (and state champion wrestler) is a mountain of a man with top-tier length, athleticism, and power.
Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
While the first two picks were chalk, this pick might surprise some readers. Entering this season, Wills was known as an explosive run blocker, but he has developed into an above-average pass protector as well. The Alabama right tackle has the talent and upside to be “OT1” in this draft class.
Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State
If Urban Meyer does end up as the next head coach for the Washington Redskins, this pick will become more popular, especially after the promising rookie seasons of former Buckeyes Terry McLaurin and Dwayne Haskins. Jeff Okudah is an elite man coverage cornerback with game-changing ball skills.
Poll
Who should the Redskins draft with their 1st pick?
This poll is closed
-
28%
Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
(259 votes) -
1%
Ceedee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
(15 votes) -
57%
Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
(515 votes) -
3%
Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
(27 votes) -
1%
Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
(13 votes) -
7%
Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State
(68 votes)