NFL Mock Draft Roundup: Daniel Jones is the top pick for the Redskins

We are less than a week away from the start NFL Scouting Combine week and 9 weeks away from the start of the NFL draft. Most people have the Redskins taking a QB this year, and some even have them trading up for one. Alex Smith is likely to miss the 2019 season, and is possibly done playing in the NFL(Don’t tell Bruce Allen that, he’ll deny anything).

Duke QB Daniel Jones is the current favorite from this year’s underwhelming class. There is also some Drew Lock, and Kyler Murray love in this week’s roundup. And CBS’s Will Brinson has the the Redskins trading their first round pick to the Cardinals for QB Josh Rosen and Arizona taking Murray #1 overall. There are also a few trade ups to get Jones, some more expensive than others.

Should the Redskins draft a QB in the 1st round? Should they even consider trading up for any of this year’s QBs? Which non-QB will help the Redskins most this year?

Daniel Jones, QB, Duke

CBS Sports(Trapasso)

I just get this feeling that Jones’ time with David Cutcliffe will play a major role in him going in the first round. Jones lacks polish but would fit well in Jay Gruden’s West Coast offense.

CBS Sports(Fornelli)

With Alex Smith’s future looking murky, the Redskins go for Jones here. He’s not perfect, and he has some development left, but I think his skill set is suited for what Jay Gruden looks for in a QB.

CBS Sports(Wilson)

The Redskins have needs at every offensive skill position but with Alex Smith still recovering from a broken leg and backup Colt McCoy with a year left on his deal, addressing depth at quarterback is paramount. Jones is a David Cutcliffe product, and he looks the part. There are questions about his accuracy but he played behind a suspect offensive line at Duke and didn’t have the downfield playmakers of, say, Haskins, Lock and Murray.

NFL.com(Casserly)

Excellent field vision, anticipation and accuracy. The future is now in Washington!

For the Win

The Redskins are in desperate need of a cheap quarterback after Alex Smith’s devastating injury. They don’t necessarily need to address the issue in the draft, but it will be much cheaper than doing it in free agency.

MMQB

There were reports that Washington was also interested in trading for Joe Flacco. That obviously didn’t happen, and the team may be without Alex Smith for the 2019 season, so quarterback is a big need here. I polled scouts about Jones vs. Lock, and for most part, it’s a toss-up. Lock had a stronger week of Senior Bowl practices, but Jones played better in the Senior Bowl game, winning the MVP award. One scout said the two quarterbacks are 2a and 2b in this draft, and it will just depend on what a team is looking for in their quarterback. Jones was coached at Duke by David Cutcliffe, who is known for his work with both Peyton and Eli Manning in college, and teams will expect to be able to throw more at Jones than your average rookie QB.

DraftWire(Trade up to #12)

It’s hard to imagine Alex Smith being ready to play at any point in 2019, and there’s nothing currently on the roster that screams starting-caliber NFL quarterback. Don’t be surprised if Washington sees the early run on quarterbacks and makes somewhat of a panic move, even just a few slots in return for a third-round pick, to secure a raw but promising passer like Jones to build around.

2nd Round: Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina

Walter Football(Trade up to #5)

TRADE!!! I projected this one last week, and I’m going to keep it in this update. The Redskins have nothing at quarterback in the wake of Alex Smith’s injury. Drafting at No. 15, they may miss out on all the first-round signal-callers. They have to move up, and it makes sense to move past the Giants so they can get their guy. The Buccaneers, meanwhile, aren’t in a great spot at No. 5, as it’s a bit too early for Jawaan Taylor. A trade between the two teams could happen, and I imagine the Redskins would surrender their 2020 first-round pick, their 2019 second-rounder and maybe something else.

So, which quarterback will it be? Based on Charlie Campbell’s reporting in the Senior Bowl Rumors page, it sounds like Washington prefers Daniel Jones over the other quarterbacks at this time, but fears that he’ll be off the board by No. 15.

Daniel Jones has positive arm strength and athleticism, and he could be the second quarterback off the board because of his upside. In fact, Charlie Campbell reported that three NFL general managers believe he’ll be the first quarterback taken in the 2019 NFL Draft. Some are comparing him to Carson Wentz.

Bleacher Report(Knox)

Draft Site

Drew Lock, QB, Missouri

Mel Kiper, Jr.(E$PN IN$IDER)

Welcome to the first round, Drew Lock. He was the best quarterback at the Senior Bowl, and he might have the most arm talent of any passer in this class. Now, he’s inconsistent. He misses throws and needs a lot of work on his footwork. He put some bad performances on tape in 2018, though he finished the season strongly. You can see on that tape, though, why a team could fall in love and take the 6-4, 228-pound Lock early. That could be Jay Gruden’s team, which might not have Alex Smith this season.

Walter Football(Campbell)

The Joe Flacco trade helps Washington, and Nick Foles signing with a team like the Jaguars could make it even safer for the Redskins to land a quarterback in the 2019 NFL Draft. As WalterFootball.com reported first, the Redskins are getting a third-round compensation pick, so they will have extra ammo if they want to move up slightly to get a quarterback of the future.

Lock completed 63 percent of his passes in 2018 for 3,498 yards with 28 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He set an SEC record with 44 touchdown passes as a junior while completing 58 percent of his passes for 3,964 yards and 13 touchdowns.

There is no doubt that Lock (6-3, 223) has a powerful arm and can pick apart a defense. He wisely returned to school for the 2018 season because he needed to improve his accuracy and footwork before going pro. He showed some strides there but still has room for growth. Sources have told me that Lock has a quiet personality similar to Eli Manning and is not a vocal team leader. That could hurt him with some pro evaluators who want their quarterback to provide a commanding leadership presence. Some scouts have said that Lock has the physical skill set of Jay Cutler.

Sporting News

The Redskins no longer can consider anything other than a long-term replacement for Alex Smith now that the QB’s playing future is in serious doubt after his major leg injury. Lock, a four-year starter, is becoming a better value at No. 15 now that Haskins, Murray and Jones have entered the draft. Lock has the arm to go with ideal size (6-4, 225 pounds), along with the fearlessness and elusiveness NFL teams like in an aggressive passer.

Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma

SB Nation

Offseason needs: Quarterback, wide receiver, safety, guard

If Alex Smith misses out on the 2019 season, quarterback becomes Washington’s top need this offseason. The next two months of the draft process regarding Murray will be fascinating. The takes are already coming. Some think Murray is too small for an NFL quarterback, at a listed 5’10. Some think his size isn’t an issue.

Fansided

The Washington Redskins had an up-and-down season to say the least in 2018, as they led the NFC East for half the season, but ended up missing out on the playoffs. The biggest reason for their fall was the injury to quarterback Alex Smith, who not only missed the rest of the 2018 season, but has been ruled out for 2019.

With the No. 15 overall selection in April, the Redskins may decide it is time to bring in a new franchise quarterback, and Kyler Murray from Oklahoma could be available in the middle of round one. Despite his lack of size, Murray dominated the college football landscape in 2018, becoming the second consecutive Oklahoma quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy.

In Washington, he would slide right in as the starting quarterback, and could learn the ins and outs of the pro game from Smith, as Smith rehabs his injury. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes benefited from learning from Smith in 2017, and Murray could do the same in 2019, though differently because he will be on the field.

Washington has some nice pieces moving forward, but they are only going to go as far as their quarterback will take them. The jury is still out on whether or not Murray is going to be big enough to be a franchise quarterback at the NFL level, but we have seen short quarterbacks dominate before, and Murray is a special talent.

No First Round Pick(Trade for QB Josh Rosen)

CBS Sports(Brinson)

So let’s see what the Cardinals would look like if they did decide to deal Rosen and go with Murray and a prospect later in the first round. In my mind, it’s extremely viable -- and I talked about this on the latest Pick Six Podcast, listen below and subscribe for daily NFL goodness right here -- for the Cards to deal Rosen to either the Dolphins (13) or Redskins (15) for a first-round pick and then to snag Murray with the top spot.

A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss

The Big Lead

The Ole Miss receivers go first and second among those at their position. While Metcalf was out with an injury, Brown was terrific with 85 receptions for 1,320 yards and six touchdowns. The Redskins have attempted to fill out their receiver position with Josh Doctson, Paul Richardson and Michael Floyd. None of those acquisitions have worked out. Brown could help them reverse that trend, and should be an aid to whoever is the starting quarterback for Washington in 2019.

D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss

The Ringer

Devin White, LB, LSU

CBS Sports(White)

This certainly isn’t the biggest need for Washington, but White is the best player available on my board here, and I love the idea of pairing him with Zach Brown at linebacker and feeling confident about the second level of your defense on all three downs.

DraftTek

2nd Round: Daniel Jones, QB, Duke

As discussed in the Redskins’ First Round pick, I don’t believe the team will reach for a QB this year. The front office believes this team is ‘close’ and that a few more pieces on both sides of the ball will mean a playoff season in 2019. I don’t think Bruce Allen believes he MUST find an answer at QB. Realistically, the team is in dire need of one, but maybe losing a few more games-and being able to blame those losses on the crippling Alex Smith injury-could actually be a good thing for the Burgundy and Gold, as a high pick in next year’s supposedly stronger QB Draft could prove a more effective plan than rolling with a rookie signal-caller in ‘19.

Having said all that, if Daniel Jones falls to them in the Second Round, this is a sprint-to-the-podium pick for the Redskins. Jones is more advanced mentally than the other top QB prospects, as he has called protections and audibles at the line, as well as played in a pro-style offense under the tutelage of the great Manning-Mentor, David Cutcliffe. Jones doesn’t have the strongest arm, but he can make all of the throws and does so with a smooth, consistent delivery. While his ceiling certainly isn’t the highest of this group, his floor seems to be the highest by a wide margin.

3rd Round: Darnell Savage, Jr., S, Maryland