Redskins say Nate Sudfeld playing like first round pick
The Washington Redskins drafted Nate Sudfeld in the sixth round of the 2016 draft, but they may hold him in higher regard than his draft status.
The headlines out of Redskins headquarters mostly surround quarterback Kirk Cousins, and an ongoing back-and-forth regarding the prospect for a long-term deal and how much it will cost. New vice president of player personnel Doug Williams has already said he wants to sign Cousins long-term “in the worst way,” but he is clearly not the only voice on Washington’s side of the room regarding that.
The Redskins drafted Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld in the sixth round (No. 187 overall) of the 2016 draft, with former general manager Scot McCloughan running the show. A best-case scenario for Sudfeld this year looks to be a spot on the 53-man roster as the No. 3 quarterback, and a possible active on game day a few times.
Injuries can change that equation quickly. But if Sudfeld takes any meaningful snaps this coming season, things are not going as planned for the Redskins.
During an appearance on ESPN 980, that did not stop Williams from offering some high praise for Sudfeld.
Doug Williams said on 980 that w/ the way Nate Sudfeld practiced on Tuesday, he woulda been a first- or second-round draft pick this year
— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) June 19, 2017
One way or the other, good or bad, performance in offseason practice always has to be taken with a grain of salt. It’s not that surprising Sudfeld stood out though, with the size (6-foot-6, 234 pounds) and presumably physical tools to do so in a padless setting. But to bump him up to the level Williams did, even as a public declaration possibly meant to give Sudfeld confidence, is incredibly aggressive.
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Three quarterbacks went in the first 12 picks of this year’s draft, after a couple trades, and a fourth signal caller (DeShone Kizer) went in the second round (52nd overall). So there was a theoretical window where Sudfeld could have been a first or second-round pick, but he was never really that highly regarded as a prospect in 2016. Don’t tell Williams though, as he makes the media rounds in his new role.