Offensive Linemen that are probably on the Redskins' Draft Boards

Let me start off by saying that I think it is unlikely that the Redskins do pick a Right Tackle in the early rounds of the draft unless they absolutely fall in a love with one of their prospects. However, if there is nobody else available worthy of a 2nd round pick (which I think there will be) then the Redskins could pick a Right Tackle. It all depends on who else is available by the time they pick in the 2nd round. There are some very nice looking prospects at Right Tackle in the 2nd this year and I can't say I would be upset if they did end up picking up a Right Tackle. After what happened to RG3 this year the Redskins are going to do everything in their power to help protect their franchise Quarterback. The only position on the O-Line that could use an upgrade is Right Tackle so maybe they will address that where we don't expect it. Lets take a look at some of the guys that have a chance to be on the team next year.

Lane Johnson - Oklahoma - 6'6" - 303 lbs. - In Johnson's Senior year he played 11 games starting at Left Tackle but in his Junior year he started 12 of 13 games at Right Tackle. So he can play either position. Obviously we would be using our other Oklahoma star Trent Williams to start at Left Tackle. Johnson hasn't always played on the Offensive Line. He actually played Tight End at the beginning of his Sophomore season and then was switched to Defensive End. He even played Quarterback at Kilgore College before transferring to Oklahoma. He seems like a pretty versatile player just like our very own one-man-gang Lorenzo Alexander. Johnson would be a nice pick-up and could really help protect RG3.

Oday Aboushi - Virginia - 6'6" - 310 lbs. - Aboushi has great size and could be a great addition to the Offensive Line. I have a feeling that he could come right in and play at a high level. He wouldn't have to travel far to play with the Washington Redskins either. Aboushi was an early selection to go to the Senior Bowl which means he is playing at the highest level at his position. I wouldn't mind having a guy like this on our team. He also played defense in High School and recorded 70 tackles and 7 sacks. So if needed in an emergency, he could play on defense. I have even seen some people have the Redskins taking Aboushi in the 2nd round. It isn't likely but they just might do it. It wouldn't be the first time the Redskins have done something we weren't expecting. Remember when we drafted Kirk Cousins?

Ricky Wagner - Wisconsin - 6'6" - 320 lbs. - Another prospect with good size and talent. In his Junior season Wagner started every game at Left Tackle but he is listed as a Right Tackle. He can play either Left Tackle or Right Tackle but we will be using him as a Right Tackle if we draft him. I think he is another guy that can come in and contribute right away.

In my opinion there will be guys at other positions available when we draft. We will most likely be looking for Cornerbacks and Safeties. We are lucky because the pool goes pretty deep for defensive backs this year. If all of them are taken, however, then we just might end up drafting a Right Tackle in the 2nd round.

Cornerbacks Who Will Be Available in the 2nd Round

Jordan Poyer - Oregon State - 5'11" - 190 lbs. - Poyer is probably my favorite Cornerback prospect going into the draft. He is a playmaker and is a big utility player. He can play as a return man and he can light it up on defense. He has pretty decent size and can start in the NFL right away. Lets take a look at his stats. In his Senior year at Oregon State he made 51 tackles, 2 sacks, 5 tackles for a loss, 1 forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He also made 7 pass deflections and 7 interceptions. He didn't play as a return man much during his Senior year but before that when he returned kick he averaged around 25 yards which is pretty good. We probably wouldn't be using him as a return man if we drafted him. Crawford is set to be the guy returning punts and Niles Paul has done a pretty good job of returning kicks. Poyer is also majoring in elementary education and that makes me think that he is a guy with pretty good character. There is definitely a ton of upside in drafting Jordan Poyer with our 2nd round pick if he is still available.

David Amerson - North Carolina State - 6'2" - 193 lbs. - Amerson is one heck of a prospect. If he was selected by the Redskins in the 2nd round I don't think you would hear a complaint anywhere. The guy has tremendous size so he is able to go up and snatch the ball out of the air, making him a good matchup for any big receiver. If you don't believe me when I say he can go up and get the ball, then check out his stats from 2011. To start off he made 59 tackles which is a good amount. He also made 1.5 tackles for a loss and a fumble recovery but his number of interceptions in 2011 is what really impressed me. In 2011 Amerson hauled in 13 interception for the season. That is averaging 1 interception every single game. If you have a guy on your team that can create that many turnovers then you have struck gold. Due to his size and performance, Amerson could very well be gone before the Redskins pick in the 2nd round but if he is still there, then it would be an amazing pick-up for the Skins.

Desmond Trufant - Washington - 6'0" - 185 lbs. - Trufant doesn't impress me as much as Poyer and Amerson but he could still end up being a guy that the Redskins pursue in the 2nd round. His stats don't impress me all that much and neither does his game film. He has stayed consistent with interceptions throughout his college career, however, logging at least 1 interception each year. Aside from that in his Senior year he made 36 tackles which isn't too impressive either, 1 sack, 4.5 tackles for a loss, 1 forced fumble and recovery, and 9 passes deflected. He can probably be a pretty good corner with some work. He has two cousins, Isaiah Trufant and Marcus Trufant who also play in the NFL. Like I said, I don't think he has as much star talent as Poyer and Amerson, but to be honest this could be the only guy that falls to the Redskins. Then I think the decision would be, "do we draft Trufant or should we draft the Safety Phillip Thomas?". If it comes down to this I have a firm belief that they will go with Thomas over Trufant. Drafting Trufant wouldn't really be an instant upgrade and that is what we are looking for in this draft.

If the Redskins do plan to draft a corner with their 2nd round pick then this is definitely the year to do so. I think Poyer, Amerson, and Trufant could all come in and instantly contribute. Plus, if they plan on drafting a corner early on then they can think about cutting Hall and using his contract money to sign a different secondary play like a Free Safety or a Right Tackle or maybe even both if they play their cards right. I think 2013 will be a great year for the Redskins. I know they will be bringing in a lot of talent through this Draft. Who is your favorite prospect at Cornerback going into this Draft?

Will London Fletcher be Back Next Year?

 A question that has been on a lot of peoples mind since the start of the offseason is "will London Fletcher be back next season?". Will Fletcher want to play just one last season as a Washington Redskin? I think so. I don't think he was completely satisfied with the way the season ended even though the Redskins went on a 7-game winning streak at the end.

The way the last game went just didn't seem like the last game for him. There were emotions everywhere and Fletcher still looked like he was fired up especially after breaking up the Williams/Sherman "fight". That same fiery attitude will probably carry into the 2013 season where Fletcher will finish his career.

I think London Fletcher will feel a lot more content finishing next year rather than this year too. I believe 2012 was just the start of something great in Washington. It was the start of the RG3 era and everyone was just getting used to everything. Now everybody knows what we are working with and we know for sure what we can do. I mean just go through some of the teams that we've beaten this season. We have beaten the Saints, Buccaneers, Giants, Cowboys, Eagles, Vikings, Ravens, and more. The Redskins are a good team and they know it, the whole NFL knows it. Mark my words, London Fletcher will return for an even bigger 2013 season for the Washington Redskins.

Sebastian Vollmer, Anyone?

So, rumor has it that Sebastian Vollmer could be on his way to Washington. It's nothing legitimate but I have heard and read that there are a lot of Redskins fans that would be excited about him coming to Washington. Sebastian Vollmer is the starting Right Tackle for the New England Patriots and is credited with protecting Tom Brady. That is a pretty huge job, Tom Brady is thought to be the best Quarterback in the league by some. He is an unrestricted Free Agent this offseason and could be on his way out of New England due to some back problems. He is listed at 6'8", 320 lbs. so he is just about as big as our current Right Tackle Tyler Polumbus but with a greater skillset. He is also 28 with 4 years of experience in the NFL so he has plenty of years left in him. However he isn't even making over 1 Million a year in New England. We could offer him a deal that includes around 2.5-3 Million a year for 3 years. It might have to be more than that since New England could still be interested in keeping him. It's not like he is downgrading teams either. The Redskins are on the rise and the Patriots are slowly but surely going into a slump. If he likes the way the Redskins performed in 2012 and thinks there is opportunity here then I think he would make the decision to come here. We would have to offer a good amount of money though and it would have to be played carefully because Right Tackle isn't the only position they have to address in Free Agency. This would be a great investment for the Redskins. What does everyone else think? Do you think the Redskins should pursue Sebastian Vollmer? Is there another Right Tackle in Free Agency better suited for the job?

Big Decisions the Redskins Must Make this Offseason

Keep or Cut DeAngelo Hall? - There has been a lot of talk about DeAngelo Hall these past few years. There are big question marks around him whether its about his play or his character. Lets evaluate his play first. I will defend any one of my Redskins players no matter what. DeAngelo Hall is definitely not a bad player. His contract just does not match up with his level of play. He is due 7.5 Million dollars and I can almost guarantee that he will not be getting that much from us next season. Hall had an okay season in 2012. He started to tighten up during our 7-game winning streak. He had 4 interceptions, 68 tackles, and even got the first sack of his career I believe. It would be good for the Redskins to keep Hall for a reduced price. Hall even stated that he is willing to re-work his schedule to be able to stay on the team. Maybe they will re-work his deal somewhere around 3 Million. That would save us about 4.5 Million dollars and that would be a pretty big sum of money considering the cap hit we are taking this offseason. Sure, D-Hall has some character issues but we are just going to have to live with it because one day I think Hall will show us we made the right decision by keeping him. He can create turnovers and is a physical corner so I don't see the problem in keeping him and re-working his deal. On the other hand we could just cut him and save 7.5 Million dollars. Would it be worth it? I think it would only be worth it if we put that money towards another secondary player.

Should We Pursue Rob Jackson? - Rob Jackson took Brian Orakpo's place after he tore a pectoral muscle in week 2. He would be the starter for the rest of the season and boy, did he fill in nicely. He even did some things that I don't think Brian Orakpo could have done. He only had 26 solo tackles but he had 4.5 sacks, 6 passes deflected, 4 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 touchdown. I don't know about anyone else but he is the kind of guy that I would want to have on my team. He is a Free Agent now and the Redskins have to decide if they want to re-sign him or not. He will definitely want more money than he is getting now. I think Jackson wants to start and he will definitely not be starting at Right Outside Linebacker if he comes back, that is Orakpo's job. What if we tried to convert him to a Middle Linebacker though? He could lose some weight and then after Fletcher leaves we could have a legitimate Middle Linebacker ready to take his place. I guess it is a possibility. I just don't want to see a talent like Rob Jackson walk away like that.

Should We Re-sign Fred Davis? - I would love to see the Redskins re-sign Davis and his suspension in 2011 and injury in 2012 should lower his price. He is a great Tight End and I think he can bounce back from all his problems in previous years. We should just go ahead and sign him to a long term deal. Sure, Logan Paulsen performed nicely in Davis' absence but he doesn't play at the same level of Davis. I do, however, think that the Redskins should also re-sign Paulsen. Having two Tight Ends who can catch, run, and block pretty well is great. You cant let talent like Fred Davis just walk away. If we let Davis go we cant just draft another great Tight End. Before Davis went down earlier this season he had 24 receptions for 325 yards and he was RG3's favorite guy to throw to. I don't see the Redskins letting him walk.

Fresno State Star Strong Safety Phillip Thomas Wants to be Drafted by the Redskins

Phillip Thomas played Strong Safety for Fresno State and judging by his stats and game film has been very successful at his position. Growing up as a kid, Thomas liked the Washington Redskins. He wanted to play as them all the time when he played his Nintendo 64. He would even imagine himself on the team while he was playing. I think that he will be available come the time to pick for the Redskins. If he is still available then I have to believe the Skins will pick him up. Thomas seems to be very excited about the idea of coming to Washington and playing for us. Let me tell you why I think it's very possible that Thomas will be on this team next year. In his Senior year he totaled 84 tackles and 12 of them were for a loss. He also had 4 sacks, 8 interceptions, 3 touchdowns, and 4 forced fumbles. It seems to me like this guy can do it all. If you don't believe the stats then you can go right on Youtube and watch him play. Given all of this AND he wants to play for us? He can have an awesome career here in Washington. Will he be a 2nd Round pick or a 3rd Round pick? If he does fall to the 3rd Round, will the Redskins trade up to get him. He could just slip all the way to the time we pick in the 3rd Round. I don't know how it will happen but I do know for sure that the Redskins will have struck gold if they drafted Phillip Thomas.

Wide Receiver Prospects the Redskins are Looking at in the Early Rounds

 

Terrance Williams - Baylor - 6'1" - 190 lbs. - Terrance Williams is the most exciting prospect going into the draft for me right now. He was Robert Griffin III's go to guy at Baylor and he would continue that trend here in Washington. The question is, will he fall to the Redskins? He is a first round talent and could very likely go in the first round long before the Redskins pick which will be late in the second round. Williams is not listed as the number one Wide Receiver in the draft, that title belongs to Keenan Allen. However, Williams could turn out to be a huge playmaker on offense. He has decent size and could play opposite of Pierre Garcon. Plus, he already has that chemistry with RG3 from playing with him at Baylor. Here's another fun fact. In 2012 Williams caught 97 balls for 1,832 yards averaging 18.9 yards per reception. If he falls to the Redskins, you better believe they are going to snatch him right up.

 

 

Robert Woods - USC - 6'1" - 184 lbs. - Woods could also be another great addition to the team. He had a productive Sophomore year with 111 receptions for 1,292 yards. Let's be honest too, it would be pretty cool to have Robert throwing Robert the ball. Woods also seems like a good character guy. He spent 5 days in Haiti with 15 of his other teammates building homes for people and helping the locals. He sounds like the kind of guy that you would like to be around. Would the Redskins spend their 2nd round pick on him if he were to fall to them? Maybe. It all depends on who else is available. Robert Woods probably isn't the first guy on their list but he is a talented player who could turn into RG3's go to guy in the future. You can expect that, if most of the talented defensive backs are gone and aren't worth a 2nd round pick and Woods is available, then they will probably be willing to draft him with their 2nd round pick.

 

 

DeAndre Hopkins - Clemson - 6'1" - 200 lbs. - Another great prospect for the Redskins. He is expected to go just a little higher than what the Redskins are hoping for. With all of the guys that are expected to go high in the 2nd, you have to wonder that at least one of them will fall to us. I don't think any of them will disappoint either. Hopkins also had impressive stats in 2012 with 82 receptions for 1,405 yards and 18 touchdowns. He is the kind of productive receiver that teams look for and there just seems to be a lot of them in this draft. Like I said, one or more of them will probably fall to the Redskins in the draft. The only question is, will they be willing to spend a 2nd round pick on a receiver over a defensive back?

 

 

Justin Hunter - Tennessee - 6'4" - 205 lbs. - I can see Justin Hunter being an elite receiver when he comes into the NFL. He definitely has the size to become one. He has dealt with some injuries in his college career but I don't think that takes anything away from his talent. If he were to fall to the Redskins I don't see why they wouldn't take him. He would easily be the biggest receiver in the whole receiving group. Pierre Garcon is only about 6'0" so Hunter would compliment him well. Can Hunter stay healthy though? If yes, he can be a huge contributor on offense. If no, he can be another Jammal Brown situation at a lower scale. The guy definitely has talent though. In 2012 he caught 73 passes for 1,083 yards and 9 touchdowns. He is another productive receiver who I would love to have on the team.

 

 

Aaron Dobson - Marshall - 6'2" - 205 lbs. - Dobson could end up being taken late in the 2nd or early in the 3rd. Dobson has not been as productive as the receivers previously mentioned. He does have elite size though. In his 2012 season he caught 57 passes for 679 yards and 3 touchdowns. He is more of a reach but he can be developed into a nice receiver. It may not be as likely for the Redskins to select him with a 2nd round pick but if he falls in the 3rd then it could be a possibility.

 

 

Quinton Patton - Louisiana Tech - 6'2" - 195 lbs. - Another interesting prospect is Quinton Patton. He is a productive wide receiver with very good size. With all of the other well known wide receivers that play in big conferences, I believe that Patton could drop to the middle of the 3rd round. It is also very possible that he goes as early as the late second also. In 2011 he caught 74 passes for 1,135 yards. Any receiver with over 1,000 yards and a decent amount of catches is good in my book. He could possibly fall to the Redskins in the 3rd round and if he does then I cant help to think that they will draft him at that point.

 

 

Da'Rick Rogers - Tennessee Tech - 6'3" - 215 lbs. - Da'Rick Rogers was kicked off of the Tennessee football team for failed drug tests. He could be a possibility with the Redskins 3rd round pick. He has enough talent to be a first round pick. I think this would be a good pick in the 3rd round. I don't think drugs would be much of a problem for the Redskins locker room. There is just too much of a positive attitude in there to not be able to overcome something like that. Trent Williams apologized for his drug violation in 2011 and looks to be a bigger, better person. I think the same thing can happen for Da'Rick Rogers. Before he was suspended by Tennessee he caught 67 passes for 1,040 yards and 9 touchdowns. That's good production for a projected 3rd round pick.

 

 

Cordarelle Patterson - Tennessee - 6'3" - 205 lbs. - Last but not least is Cordarelle Patterson. That's right, another Tennessee product. They sure are cranking out some good receivers this year. Patterson is no exception. He has great speed, great size, and can catch the ball. What more can you ask from a receiver? In 2012 he caught 46 passes for 778 yards and 5 touchdowns. He may not be as productive as some of the other receivers listed but he would definitely be a great 3rd round pick for the Redskins and would be another great weapon for RG3.

 

I would be happy with the Redskins drafting any of the Receivers listed. My favorite prospect by far is Terrance Williams. I just think it would be awesome if the Redskins could reunite RG3 with his former go-to guy. The Redskins may not take any of these guys. Whatever they decide to do and whoever they pick will benefit the team in some way in 2013.