ASHBURN — Every NFL team says taking the best player available is the ideal strategy. But looking over last week’s Redskins picks, it’s clear the organization went into this year’s NFL draft with a couple of objectives: First, upgrade the offense. Second, add speed on defense.
The Redskins drafted 10 new players — six on offense, with five of those coming in their first six picks.
Here’s a breakdown of Washington’s picks, one through 10:
⦁ Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State, quarterback: Quarterback was obviously Washington’s greatest need entering the draft, given Alex Smith’s injury. Haskins, reportedly a favorite of owner Dan Snyder, excels in the pocket and demonstrated the arm strength to make impressive throws at Ohio State. He needs time to develop, but Washington will give him a chance to start.
“I’m gonna be one of the greats,” Haskins said.
⦁ Montez Sweat, Mississippi State, linebacker/defensive end: The Redskins thought about drafting Sweat at No. 15, so when he was still available late in the first round, they traded back up to nab him. An athletic force, Sweat ran a 4.41 40-yard dash at the combine — faster than Odell Beckham Jr. Washington needed a pass rusher after Preston Smith’s departure.
“The measurables are second to none,” coach Jay Gruden said.
Sweat says he is healthy and misdiagnosed after reports leaked about a heart condition.
⦁ Terry McLaurin, Ohio State, receiver: McLaurin, drafted in the third, grew up watching former Redskin DeSean Jackson. With a 4.35 40-yard dash, McLaurin has the speed to match Jackson. He touted himself as a deep burner and his familiarity with Haskins is an added bonus. The Redskins also expect him to be a valuable contributor on special teams.
“I’m not coming here to be DeSean Jackson; I’m coming here to be Terry McLaurin and just try to put my best foot forward,” McLaurin said.
⦁ Bryce Love, Stanford, running back: Taken in the fourth round, Love might be Washington’s most interesting selection. They already have a crowded running back room with Adrian Peterson, Derrius Guice, Chris Thompson and Samaje Perine. But Love’s upside was too hard to ignore. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2017 with 2,118 rushing yards, but tore his ACL last December.
⦁ Wes Martin, Indiana, guard: Left guard has been a glaring weakness the last few years for Washington, and the Redskins addressed it in the middle rounds, starting in the fourth with Martin. The Redskins like Martin’s experience as the 6-foot-3 lineman started 43 games at the position in college. Martin grew up on a dairy farm and credits that as a reason for his “brute strength.”
“It kind of instilled the work ethic, and it makes you not afraid to work extremely hard and put in a lot of hours into what you are doing,” Martin said of working on the farm.
⦁ Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama, center/guard: Pierschbacher, the first of Washington’s two fifth-round picks, is an athletic offensive lineman who has experience playing at both guard and center. The Redskins worked him out solely at guard, but Gruden said “it’s great to have that luxury of versatility.” Oh, and Pierschbacher went to Alabama, so of course, the Redskins had to draft him.
“You know that you can throw me out there and I’m not going to mess up,” Pierschbacher said. “Just going to get the job done.”
⦁ Cole Holcomb, North Carolina, linebacker: A former walk-on, Holcomb became the Tar Heel’s leading tackler in each of the last three seasons. The 2019 fifth-rounder adds speed to the Redskins’ defense with a 4.48 40-yard dash, though Gruden sounded particularly impressed with Holcomb’s coverage skills.
“When you’re looking at linebackers this day in age, you want to make sure they have the ability to cover in space and that’s what his gift is,” Gruden said.
⦁ Kelvin Harmon, North Carolina State, receiver: At 6-foot-2, Harmon was initially seen as a second- or third-round pick by experts, so drafting him in the sixth round seems to be great value. Harmon fell because of his 4.6 40-yard dash. Harmon makes up for his lack of speed by being able to catch 50-50 balls. Harmon says he has an “alpha mentality.”
“It’s just always going hard and just wanting to get the ball away from my opponent,” Harmon said.
⦁ Jimmy Moreland, James Madison, cornerback: If Moreland can produce the way he did in college, the Redskins are getting a playmaker. He recorded 18 career interceptions at JMU — six returned for touchdowns. There are some size concerns with Moreland as he’s just 5-foot-10, but his ability to produce turnovers is intriguing.
“I’m a dog,” Moreland said. “Just coming from where I came from in Florida and the type of player I am, I’m just a ball-hawk player.”
⦁ Jordan Brailford, Oklahoma State, defensive end: A team can never have enough pass rushers. NFL.com says Brailford lacks a “desired length” at the position, but he could be worth taking a flyer on with the second-to-last pick in the entire draft. Brailford impressed scouts at the East-West Shrine Game in January.
“I made some big plays there and got to get a lot more exposure than I would have without it,” Brailford said.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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