2011 Washington Redskins NFL Draft Needs
The Washington Redskins are on the clock with the 10th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Let’s take a look at their biggest needs and how head coach Mike Shanahan might choose to address those needs on draft day.
1. Quarterback: Washington needs a quarterback. Shanahan quickly decided Jason Campbell wasn’t the guy and now knows Donovan McNabb and Rex Grossman aren’t either. Unfortunately, the top two quarterback prospects in this class, Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton, are likely to be off the board when the Redskins pick at 10th overall. This means they may be better served to take a signal caller in round two. At that stage of the game, Washington might be able to land a guy like Florida State’s Christian Ponder or Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick. Washington’s Jake Locker would be a reach going 10th overall, but he is likely to go in the first round. While he is still very rough around the edges, he may have the biggest upside of any of this year’s quarterback prospects. If Shanahan sees things that way, the Redskins may be able to work out a deal to move back and get him with a pick where he would show more value.
2. Wide Receiver: If Washington decides to wait until the second round to go after a signal caller, they could target a wide receiver in round one. This move would make sense considering its need for playmakers. With Georgia’s A.J. Green likely to be gone already, the Skins will be hoping that Alabama’s Julio Jones is still in play. Jones, who ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine, would be showing nice value here despite his recent foot surgery. He has the speed to make plays down the field and is a great runner after the catch. He is also a solid blocker. If Jones isn’t available at 10th overall, there is a chance the Redskins could look to address the defensive side of the football first.
3. Defensive Line: Nose tackle is the biggest need area, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Washington took the best available defensive lineman with their top pick. It could serve them well to get North Carolina’s Robert Quinn, Cal’s Cameron Jordan or Wisconsin’s J.J. Watt to pair with Brian Orakpo. Watt can do a little bit of everything and would appear to be the type of low-risk pick that could really benefit a defense that was among the worst in the league last season.
4. Offensive Line: After going a decade without selecting an offensive lineman in the first round, the Skins finally bucked the trend and took Oklahoma’s Trent Williams last year. He turned out to be a strong pick, holding his own at left tackle from day one. It would be nice if the Redskins could nab a right tackle upgrade this year and they would be in position to do so at tenth overall. USC’s Tyron Smith would be a good fit if he falls. Boston’s College’s Anthony Castonzo, or Wisconsin’s Gabe Carimi may be a bit of a reach this high.
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