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2015 NFL Draft grades: Washington Redskins

By Patrick Schmidt

Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Brandon Scherff (Iowa) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number fifth overall pick to the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Brandon Scherff (Iowa) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number fifth overall pick to the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /
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How well did the Washington Redskins do in the 2015 NFL Draft?

First-year general manager for the Washington Redskins, Scot McCloughan went into the 2015 NFL Draft holding the No. 5 overall pick and wanted to come out of it with a bounty of picks to rebuild the roster.

He had 10 picks in total by the end of the draft and his first one came as a surprise to some when he took Iowa offensive tackle Brandon Scherff with Leonard Williams on the board, but the more you think about it, I think it’s a wise decision.

Sure, Williams may turn out to be a great player, but if Washington is going to be successful they need better play from the quarterback position, specifically Robert Griffin III who has battled injuries and inconsistency in the nation’s capital. With the drafting of Scherff, he gets a nasty mauler who can play right tackle opposite Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams and has the versatility to play left or right guard.

With their second round pick they took Mississippi State defensive end who I thought had a chance to be a first round pick. He’s going to be a real player in the NFL with his ability to line up all over the defensive line.

Third round pick Matt Jones was a surprise to me that he would be drafted that high. I didn’t think he was even the best running back at Florida, but when he was healthy he flashed some nice skills. Best-case scenario he can be a quality backup to Alfred Morris.

Fourth round pick Jamison Crowder was a productive receiver and return man at Duke and has some upside. I like his make up and think he can be a slot receiver and contribute on special teams.

They backed that pick up with Arie Kouandjio who can play guard or tackle and comes from an Alabama background where he was well coached. Washington wasn’t done drafting offensive line help when they took South Florida center Austin Reiter in the seventh round.

Washington added a pair of defenders from Arkansas in Martrell Spaight who is an undersized linebacker who finished strong with the Hogs but likely has to make an impact on special teams to make a contribution in the NFL. With back-to-back picks in the sixth round they took Virginia Tech safety Kyshoen Jarrett and Spaight’s Arkansas teammate, outside linebacker Tevin Mitchell. Again, looking at special teams players here but they come from good programs and could provide quality depth.

Their third pick in the sixth round was my favorite. Ohio State wide receiver Evan Spencer is going to make this team and in time will make his presence known on offense. He has 4.45 speed in the 40 but needs work to polish his route running. He and Crowder could be real sleepers for this offense in the coming years.

Grade: B

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