The Washington Redskins will have a lot of holes to fill in the upcoming NFL Draft. Can they do it? Here is their latest 2018 NFL mock draft.
It will be a different year for the Washington Redskins in 2018. That’s for sure, but why is that? Well, Washington decided it wasn’t going to triple-franchise tag starting quarterback Kirk Cousins. He now plays in the NFC North for the Super Bowl contending Minnesota Vikings. To offset that loss, Washington traded for former Kansas City Chiefs starter Alex Smith. It cost Washington promising cornerback Kendall Fuller and a 2018 third-round pick.
Overall, Washington wasn’t good or bad last year. The Redskins struggled at times on both sides of the ball. Cousins lacked the necessary weapons offensively to get Washington back into the NFC playoffs. Defensively, Washington started to give up points in bunches as the season progressed. Washington went a mediocre 7-9 and finished in third place in the NFC East.
Fortunately, the Redskins still have the same coaching staff in place. Head coach Jay Gruden should be happy to have essentially replaced Cousins with Smith. Both are Pro Bowl caliber passers that can lead their team to the playoffs. Though they finished in third place last year, Washington could conceivably win their second division title in four years in a highly contested NFC East for all we know.
The Redskins will have seven picks to get better in the 2018 NFL Draft. Primary needs are at defensive line, running back and guard. Secondary needs include cornerback, center and wide receiver. Safety, edge players and linebackers are considered tertiary needs for Washington. Here is the latest 2018 NFL mock draft for the Redskins.
First Round
Picking at No. 13 should have the Redskins in prime position to take a nose tackle to pair alongside second-year pro defensive lineman Jonathan Allen. Allen showed signs of promise as a rookie before getting hurt, but adding Washington Huskies defensive lineman Vita Vea could make the Redskins very strong in the trenches.
Vea frankly could have gone pro after his sophomore season in Seattle if he was eligible to enter the 2017 NFL Draft. He is 6-foot-4, 347 pounds with 32 5/8 inch arms and 10-inch hands. At the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Vea ran a 5.1 40-yard dash and put up an impressive 41 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press.
In three years with the Huskies, Vea had 99 total tackles (65 solo, 34 assists), 15.0 tackles for a loss of yardage, 9.5 quarterback sacks, five passes defended and two forced fumbles. What really makes Vea a potential Pro Bowl level playmaker at nose tackle is his ability to generate pressure.
Yes, he is a bit of a space eater, but he’s so much more than that. For all we know, he will end up being the most talented player on that 2016 Pac-12 champion Huskies team that made the College Football Playoff two years ago. Taking Vea at No. 13 feels both safe and super exciting, as he could form a monstrous tandem with Allen in Washington for years.
Second Round
Losing Kendall Fuller to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Alex Smith trade can’t be sitting well with some continents of the Washington fan base. Obviously, the Redskins will need to prioritize the secondary in the early rounds of the draft. Look for them to take a guy like cornerback Carlton Davis at No. 44 out of Auburn.
Davis is 6-foot-1, 206 pounds. He has 32 3/4 inch arms and 8 7/8 inch hands. At the scouting combine, Davis ran a 4.53 40-yard dash and put up 16 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press. He had a 34-inch vertical and a 124-inch broad jump. Davis has a solid chance to be a day one starter. Frankly, the Redskins could use that with the departure of Davis. He’d look good next to Josh Norman, too.
In three years with the Tigers, Davis had 136 total tackles (101 solo, 35 assists), 28 pass breakups, four interceptions, 3.5 tackles for a loss of yardage, three forced fumbles, one forced fumble and 0.5 quarterback sacks. His ability to get his hands on the ball cannot be overlooked. Forcing turnovers should be key in harnessing excellence with this inconsistent defense.
While at Auburn, Davis was one of the many players that benefited the last two years playing in Kevin Steele’s defense. If all goes according to plan, Washington defensive coordinator Greg Manusky should be able to have two solid day one starters in Vea and Davis from the top-end of this draft.
*Washington does not have a third-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. This stems from the trade involving cornerback Kendall Fuller going to the Kansas City Chiefs for starting quarterback Alex Smith.
Fourth Round
Chris Thompson is a solid running back, but rarely has his health. Alex Smith is a mobile quarterback, so that helps. However, the Redskins will really need help in the running game to help out Smith in his first year in the nation’s capital. Taking Josh Adams out of Notre Dame at No. 113 could be the move here.
Adams is 6-foot-2, 213 pounds. He has 33 3/4 inch arms and 9 1/4 inch hands. While he didn’t run at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine, Adams was able to put up 18 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press. Adams has the frame and ball-carrying ability to be a workhorse at the next level.
Yes, he will need to improve pass-catching skills at the next level, but his ground game stats in South Bend are impressive. In three years with the Fighting Irish, Adams had 480 carries for 3,201 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. As a pass-catcher, Adams had 41 career grabs for 336 yards and two touchdowns.
Overall, the fourth round looks to be the round to get extreme value out of the running back position in this draft. Adams may not be a superstar in the NFL, but should be solid nonetheless for Washington should he go to them at No. 113 in the fourth round.
Fifth Round
After playing sparingly in his first two years at LSU, wide receiver Trey Quinn transferred to SMU and flourished in then head coach Chad Morris’ offense. As a redshirt junior, Quinn had 114 receptions for 1,236 yards and 13 touchdowns. Quinn could be an excellent get as a possession receiver in the fifth round at No. 149.
Sixth Round
One player that could be a nice value selection in the sixth round would have to be Clemson Tigers safety Van Smith. No doubt Smith has played in a ton of huge games in his three years with Clemson, having reached the College Football Playoff each season as the ACC champion. Smith had 164 total tackles (107 solo, 57 assists), 8.0 for a loss of yardage, four interceptions, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Seventh Round
Jacob Pugh is an interesting late-round prospect for whomever ends up drafting him out of Florida State. While he wasn’t overly productive on the field for the Seminoles in college, Pugh looks to be a workout warrior. Since Manusky does a fine job of generating pressure with guys like Ryan Kerrigan, Pugh could be a sleeper at No. 231 in the seventh round.
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Washington could use a linebacker, so maybe the Redskins end up taking Azeem Victor out of Washington here at No. 241 in the seventh round. In four years with the Huskies, Victor had 198 total tackles (130 solo, 68 assists), 14.0 for a loss of yardage, 10 pass breakups, 3.5 quarterback sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.