NFL Mock Draft Roundup: Last look at Washington’s picks before free agency changes everything

The NFL’s legal tampering period begins at 12 pm today, and there will be a lot of deals announced that can’t be finalized until the start of the new league year on Wednesday at 4pm. Mock drafts for this year have been going on since before last season ended. Today marks the next phase as we get closer to the actual draft on April 29th. Free agency helps teams fill immediate needs that won’t have to be addressed with draft picks next month.

There’s still a pretty big selection of players and positions being mocked to the Washington Football Team as we head into free agency. Wide receiver, offensive tackle, quarterback, cornerback, and linebacker all get some love in this week’s roundup. We’ve got some players dropping that likely won’t be available at #19, but we say that every year. There are also a few mocks where we will get a look at the 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th round projections for Washington.

Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida

E$PN+(McShay)

Toney still needs some refining, but his versatility, explosiveness and nose for the end zone would immediately help an offense that registered the second-fewest yards per play and eighth-fewest points scored in 2020. His skill set will be effective in the quick game, as Washington finds ways to get the ball in his hands.

John Keim on his fit with Washington: Toney would fit well with offensive coordinator Scott Turner, who likes versatility. He can be moved around and even align in the backfield on occasion. Washington might add a free-agent receiver too. After all, Terry McLaurin was targeted 83 more times than the next highest receiver in 2020.

The Athletic(Burke)

“If Toney lands in Ashburn, the 5-foot-11, 195-pounder would provide offensive coordinator Scott Turner with the type of versatile piece his movement system desires.” That’s beat writer Ben Standig in his WFT-only mock from late January — he made this same selection at No. 19.

Toney could have a wide range of outcomes on Day 1. Putting him in a group with Terry McLaurin and a TBD free-agent receiver, though, would make the Washington passing game extremely difficult to defend, on all levels.

CBS Sports(Trapasso)

Toney is a gadget-type speedster who’ll flourish opposite Terry McLaurin.

Round 2: Wyatt Davis, G, Ohio State

Even with Brandon Scherff franchise tagged again, the Football Team fortifies the future of the guard position.

Round 3: Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington

Tryon is a big, linear rusher who never quits on a play and does have a nice inside move.

Aaron Robinson, DB, UCF

Robinson is a speedy, twitched-up nickel corner who could flex to the outside against smaller wideouts.

Round 4: Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis

Another multi-dimensional Memphis running back into the fold for the Football Team.

Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

Pro Football Network(Hodgkinson)

The Washington Football Team, simply put, is preparing for the quarterback market. Picking at No. 19, it’s unlikely they have the capital to contend for one of the “top four”. As a result, they could look to add a later-round option. Finding another pass-catching threat or two in the form of a wide receiver and tight end is high on the agenda. Although they have one of the NFL’s strongest defensive lines, they should look to add support behind it in the form of a linebacker and safety.

Despite splitting targets with Tyler Johnson in 2019, Rashod Bateman still managed to break a 1,000+ yard season. Although his opportunity to shine as the true WR1 at Minnesota has gone with his opt-out and subsequent suspension of the BIG Ten season, Bateman has already shown that he can possesses the hand skills, contested-catch ability, and route running skills to be a threat in the NFL.

Round 2: Richie Grant, S, Central Florida

Round 3: Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami

Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina

Round 4: Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A & M

Pro Football Focus(Spielberger)

It remains to be seen who will lead the Washington offense next season, but one thing is for certain: The team needs another wide receiver to pair with 2019 third-rounder Terry McLaurin. Bateman is a true X wide receiver who would pair perfectly with an explosive after-the-catch threat like McLaurin. Any quarterback would be excited to work with this hypothetical young duo.

Bateman had a dominant 2019 season at Minnesota, eclipsing 20 yards per reception and earning PFF’s 14th-best receiving grade in the nation, at 89.0. According to Bateman himself on Twitter, he ran a sub-4.40 40-yard dash at the Exos combine. He has the makings of a tried and true No. 1 wideout.

Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

NFL.com(Reuter)

TRADE: Washington gets Patriots #15 pick, Patriots get #19 and Washington’s 2022 3rd round pick

In this scenario, Washington finds a new quarterback among the veteran ranks. The team would then need to add another playmaker on offense to complement Terry McLaurin, and only Waddle’s size and 2020 injury allows for him to still be available here. The Football Team sends the Patriots their 2022 third-round selection in this trade.

Round 2: Wyatt Davis, G, Ohio State

Round 3: Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia

Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami

Round 4: Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, Oklahoma

Arrowhead Pride

The fall for Waddle ends at Washington; pairing him across Terry McLaurin will be a welcome sight for whoever is throwing passes in Washington.

The Ringer(Kelly)

It’s unclear who will be throwing passes for Washington in 2021, but there’s little doubt the team needs to add more talent to its offense. Waddle would be the perfect complement to the team’s budding nucleus in Terry McLaurin and Antonio Gibson, adding more game-breaking speed to an already fast group, plus giving the team a dangerous run-after-the-catch weapon in the passing game.

Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue

CBS Sports(Prisco)

They need to get more explosive on offense, and this kid can provide that. Moore didn’t play a lot of games at Purdue, but he is the real deal. Think a lesser Tyreek Hill.

Mac Jones, QB, Alabama

NFL.com(Jones-Drew)

After releasing Comeback Player of the Year Alex Smith, Washington takes Mac Jones, a great decision-maker with experience in a pro-style system. Jones will improve as the Football Team builds around him.

USA Today(Davis)

The WFT certainly doesn’t boast the relative offensive weaponry Jones enjoyed while playing point guard for the Crimson Tide. But beef up the offensive line a bit and get another receiver, and he might just be capable of stopping the revolving door behind center in the nation’s capital.

Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State

Sharp Football(McCrystal)

With a good defense and an acceptable offense, Washington is unlikely to be drafting near the top of the draft in 2022. So while they need a quarterback of the future, their path to landing one isn’t clear. As a result, they’re probably among the teams who will be willing to gamble on Trey Lance’s upside, even though he’s inexperienced and untested against high-level competition.

CBS Sports(Fornelli)

TRADE: Washington trades up to #14(Minnesota Vikings), no trade info given

Washington makes its move to get a QB with Trey Lance sliding down the board. Lance is a difficult player to project. He has drool-worthy tools (trools?), but he spent his college career playing at the Alabama of the FCS level. The step up to the NFL will likely require time to adjust, and not just because Lance didn’t have a 2020 season.

Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech

Walter Football(Cambell)

Ron Rivera could use a replacement for Trent Williams.

The 6-foot-5, 314-pound Darrisaw played well in 2020, creating a buzz. The junior has good size for the NFL and will enter the league as a 2-year starter at left tackle. Team sources have a love/hate responses to Darrisaw. Some see him as worthy of going early in the first round and think he is a legit first-rounder. Other sources, including a director of college scouting, said Darrisaw is a second-round pick, at best. They all agree Darrisaw is a good athlete with length and quickness, but he lacks a mean streak, physicality, and urgency as a blocker. Hence, opinions are divided with some teams being more tolerant of athletic finesse offensive linemen and others wanting to avoid that type of blocker.

Round 2: Kyle Trask, QB, Florida

Ron Rivera takes a potential quarterback of the future.

Trask completed 69 percent of his passes in 2020 for 4,283 yards with 43 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also picked up four rushing touchdowns. Trask had a fabulous season until his bowl game, but Florida was missing a ton of key players to draft prep and COVID-19. Scouts will likely give him a pass on that performance.

Along with good size and a strong arm, Trask (6-5, 239) has definite pocket-passing ability for the NFL. He is accurate in terms of impressive ball placement and makes good decisions. Trask has put on display some natural passing ability and touch throws while doing a phenomenal job of getting the ball to his playmaking receivers and tight end. Multiple team sources have compared Trask to Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl champion quarterback Brad Johnson. The big knock on Trask with team evaluators is that he is a statue in the pocket and does not offer an ability to make plays with his feet.

Florida’s offense improved in 2019 when Trask replaced Feleipe Franks. Trask could have beaten out Franks for the job a year earlier if it weren’t for an injury suffered in practice due to a hit from Jabari Zuniga. In 2019, Trask made good decisions as a passer and efficiently distributed the ball to his deep group of receivers. He completed 67 percent of his passes in 2019 for 2,941 yards with 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Trask improved during the course of the season, and as a senior, he showed progress and upside in his ability to speed up his process, get the ball out faster, and play with more confidence.

Round 3: Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri

The Redskins could use more linebacker talent.

Bolton totaled 95 tackles, two sacks and five passes broken up in 2020. The 6-foot, 232-pounder showed some pass-coverage skills as a sophomore with two interceptions and eight passes broken up. In the ground game, he also was a solid tackler with 100 stops.

For the NFL, Bolton looks like a backup middle linebacker who could contribute on special teams. He might develop into a starter eventually, but he lacks speed, explosion, and is just an average athlete in the eyes of pro evaluators. Some team sources have said they graded Bolton in the mid-rounds for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Sage Surratt, WR, Wake Forest

Washington could use a receiver to go with Terry McLaurin.

Surratt decided to sit out the 2020 season because of COVID-19. Team sources say Surratt looked good at the Senior Bowl, showing hands, size, and body control. They believe he will be a solid pro.

Surratt (6-3, 215) is a big receiver who uses his size to make some big catches over defensive backs. He is a good red-zone weapon, but he could have issues separating from NFL cornerbacks. In 2019, Surratt caught 66 passes for 1,001 yards with 11 touchdowns. He had 41 receptions for 581 yards and four scores in 2018.

CBS Sports(Wilson)

The Football Team obviously needs a long-term answer at QB, but after winning the division and making the playoffs they’ll likely have to trade up to get one. For now they’re staying put upgrading the O-line with one one the most athletic lineman in this class.

Round 2: Terrace Marshall, WR, LSU

Round 3: Chazz Surratt, LB, UNC

Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis

The Draft Network(Reid)

After the release of Alex Smith and what we know right now prior to the start of free agency, the Washington Football Team should be circled with a red sharpie as a team looking to trade up for a signal-caller. Taylor Heinicke was signed as high-level insurance, but with no clear QB option here to invest, they attempt to end their search for a long-term option at left tackle. A strong argument can be made that Darrisaw is one of the best blockers in this class.

Round 2: Terrace Marshall, WR, LSU

Round 3: Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State

Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson

Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC

CBS Sports(Edwards)

Alijah Vera-Tucker can be a stop gap at left tackle until a long-term replacement is found. He is best suited to play along the interior offensive line and serve as insurance in the event that a long-term deal is not reached with Brandon Scherff.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame

Pro Football Network(Pauline)

I really wanted to stick an offensive tackle in this slot, but any prospect at that position would be a reach over Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. He’ll be a great fit for Ron Rivera’s defense.

Draft Wire(Easterling)

Similar to the Raiders, Washington has a big need for an athletic, three-down playmaker at the heart of their defense. Also like the Raiders, they land a huge bargain at that position of need in this scenario with Owusu-Koramoah, who is a dynamic, hybrid defender who can line up at either safety or linebacker and have a huge impact on opposing offenses.

Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina

Walter Football

The Redskins have an elite defensive line, which helps the secondary. Can you imagine how potent the defense would be with superior cornerback play?

Jaycee Horn is a fast, fluid athlete. Team sources have told Charlie Campbell that Horn is a better prospect than his teammate, Israel Mukuamu.

Round 2: Kyle Trask, QB, Florida

The Redskins may sign a veteran quarterback in free agency, but they could also use a second-day pick on a quarterback if they can’t get one in the opening frame.

Kyle Trask is an accurate passer with a strong arm, but he needs to hasten his decision-making.

Round 3: Trey Smith, OT, Tennessee

The Redskins have a solid offensive line, but their left tackle situation needs to be upgraded.

Despite being a freshman, Trey Smith was arguably Tennessee’s best player in 2017. Unfortunately, injuries have ruined his career.

Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

The Redskins have nothing at receiver outside of Terry McLaurin. They could add multiple wideouts in the first few rounds. Rashod Bateman runs routes well, but there’s question about his ability to separate.

Round 4: Garret Wallow, LB, TCU

The Redskins need some help at linebacker to help their struggles in regard to defending the middle of the field.