The Redskins' 2012 Draft Class played a huge part in the teams success this year. I know RG3 is probably the first thing that rings in your head when you think about this draft class but lets take some time to evaluate the rest of the talent that we acquired through this draft.
1st Round - Robert Griffin III - Quarterback- Do I even really have to say it? RG3 was the player behind it all. He brought confidence and emotion to Washington. He brought versatility to the offense with his dual threat Quarterback abilities. RG3 is known for his ability to scramble outside the pocket but he can also stand tall in the pocket and make great throws. It all changed after the Ravens game when his leg almost bent completely in half due to a nasty hit from Haloti Ngata (however you spell it). This injury happened outside the pocket so the offensive line cannot be blamed. Luckily, the injury only turned out to be a grade 1 knee sprain and RG3 only needed to wear a brace for the closing weeks of the regular season and the post season. His playing performance decreased significantly after that injury though. He just wasn't the same player with that knee brace on and he could not run the same. It got a whole lot worse during the Wildcard round of the playoffs. RG3 slipped on the turf after a botched snap and his leg bent in an awkward position. The Redskins nation later found out that he tore his LCL, ACL, and a had a minor medial meniscus tear. RG3 had to undergo total knee reconstruction. We as Redskins fans are just left hoping for the best now but I believe he will be back by the start of next season. Aside from the injuries there were a lot of bright moments during the season for RG3. In his first game against the Eagles he threw for a perfect QB rating. He torched a lot of teams this season and I expect him to do it again next season.
Final Grade: A+
3rd Round - Josh LeRibeus - Guard - LeRibeus really didn't see too much playing time this season. It kind of surprises me that they didn't use him too often. The Redskins had to start LeRibeus for the Wildcard round of the playoffs against the Seahawks because Lichtensteiger suffered an ankle injury. LeRibeus filled in nicely and it was only his first start against a great defense. He played very well and I can see him being the starter at Left Guard for the future. In fact, he could be starting as soon as next year.
Final Grade: B
4th Round - Kirk Cousins - Quarterback - When Washington selected Kirk Cousins everyone was asking the same question. Why would the Redskins draft another Quarterback in the 4th Round if they already sold the farm for RG3? That question was answered in Weeks 14 and 15. Cousins had to come in after RG3 got injured late in the Ravens game. He was within scoring range. He tossed a couple passes and then hit Pierre Garcon in the corner of the end zone for 6 points. The Redskins were still down by 2 points so they were going to have to go for the 2 point conversion to tie the game up and take it into overtime. Kyle Shanahan called for a designed QB run that the Ravens were not expecting and Cousins ran it in for the 2 point conversion, tying the game. The Redskins went on to win that game in overtime. Cousins also started the game in Cleveland. He broke RG3's single game passing record with 329 yards passing with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Not a bad day for the back-up. Here's the thing. Cousins is a starting-caliber Quarterback. He will be starting for a team at some point in his career. I don't think he is going to be a back-up for long and if he shows more great play next year like he did the past year, he could be gone as soon as the 2013 offseason. However, for right now I like him staying with our team. RG3 needs to show that he can avoid big hits before we trade Captain Kirk. When the time comes to trade Cousins though, I think he can fetch a first round pick or two 2nd rounders.
Final Grade: A
4th Round - Keenan Robinson - Middle Linebacker - I liked Keenan Robinson coming to the Redskins. When I saw his gameplay I knew that he could be a great player for this team. It is a shame that he got injured mid-season and was placed on injured reserve. I think this pick marks the beginning of the search for a player to replace London Fletcher when he decides to retire. Don't get me wrong, I think it will be very hard to truly replace London but Keenan is learning and he seems like he has a lot of potential. He is also learning from the best. He could be the starter for the future if he performs well next season and can avoid big injuries. Like I said, he is a good player and I wouldn't mind if he started for us when Fletcher leaves.
Final Grade: B-
5th Round - Adam Gettis - Guard - I don't really know how I feel about this pick. Adam Gettis didn't see any playing time aside from preseason. He will not be a starter any time soon in my opinion. He is backing up Chris Chester and he will be our starter for the next couple of years. I think Shanahan just brought him on the roster for depth. I cant really say anything bad or good about him. Hopefully I get to see more of him next season.
Final Grade: C
6th Round - Alfred Morris - Running Back - We all know how this one is going to go. I don't think many people expected Alfred Morris to have the amazing season that he did. After the draft I went back and watched gameplay videos of all the players that we drafted. I saw that Morris was a very hard runner and didn't go down easily. People knocked him though because they said he was from an easy conference. I didn't believe that talk though. I knew Morris would be a great runner for us. I didn't know that he would rush for over 1,600 yards in a season, trailing only Adrian Peterson. Alfred Morris was a gem that I am so glad we found. He will be our guy at Running Back for a long time. He is also a player with very good character. He has a positive attitude and never stops working. That is what makes him great in my opinion. We may not have achieved all that we did this season if it weren't for Morris.
Final Grade: A+
6th Round - Tom Compton - Tackle - We haven't seen much from Tom Compton this season but I have a feeling he will play a bigger role next season. He spent almost all year on the practice squad then was bumped up to the 53-man roster towards the end of the year. With Tyler Polumbus expected to be replaced for the starting Right Tackle job, Compton could be the guy. Mike Shanahan expressed his confidence in Compton and said that "he will be with us for a long time". Compton will be cheap and he could another 6th round gem for us. After a year of grooming I think Compton could be ready to start. He may not play at a higher caliber than Polumbus in 2013 but he definitely has a higher ceiling of potential. Oh yeah, did I mention that he can squat 700 pounds?
Final Grade: C+
7th Round - Richard Crawford - Cornerback - Richard Crawford showed a lot of promise this season. I think he could be a starter in the NFL. In his rookie year he hauled in an interception and set up an overtime game winning field goal with an incredible punt return against the Baltimore Ravens (shown above). Sure he got beat some of the time but you can expect that from a rookie 7th round pick. The way he played this year with limited time you would think he was a 2nd or 3rd round pick. Like I said, I think he could be a starter and hopefully he starts for us some time in the near future. A lot of people are calling for DeAngelo Hall to be cut and 2013 is Josh Wilson's last contract year. Richard Crawford could be getting his chance as soon as 2014, maybe even 2013 if the Redskins decide to release Hall and Wilson for cap room. I don't see that happening because the Cornerback squad would be very inexperienced if that were to happen but crazier things have happened.
Final Grade: B
7th Round - Jordan Bernstine - Cornerback - Didn't get to see much from Bernstine this season. He was injured very early in the season. I don't know what will happen to him next year. It all depends what Mike Shanahan sees in him. He needs to prove that he can stay on the field long enough to be a contributor. If he can play well in preseason in 2013 then you can expect to see him on the 53-man roster next year. If not, he probably will not make the cut. I am not one to give a bad grade due to injury so he will remain an average pick for me. Hopefully he can come back next season and show what he's got.
Final Grade: C
As you can see, the Redskins had a whole lot of picks this past year and a lot of them turned out to be great. As of right now the Redskins have 7 picks in the 2013 draft. Not as many as last year but still a good amount of picks to be able to fill some holes. The way the Redskins front office is, don't be surprised if we see some trades going on before the draft hits!
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