Mere moments after the Washington Redskins finalized a deal to trade offensive tackle Trent Williams to the San Francisco 49ers, they restocked at the position.
Washington selected LSU tackle Saahdiq Charles with the 108th overall pick, the second pick of the fourth round to kick off Day 3 of the NFL draft.
Charles was part of an undefeated national champion at LSU in 2019, where he protected Joe Burrow’s blind side. But he was suspended for six of the Tigers’ 15 games for positive drug tests. One report called Charles “a follower, not a leader.”
Charles could be in the running for a starting job on the Redskins’ offensive line now that Williams is gone. But 2018 third-round selection Geron Christian is likely the favorite to start at left tackle; veteran Donald Penn, signed in training camp while Williams was holding out, played there in 2019 but has not re-signed with Washington.
On a conference call with reporters, the 6-foot-4, 295-pound tackle said he knows he made his mistakes at school.
“I know that moving forward, I learn from my mistakes,” Charles said. “I was just truthful with the organization and they ended up picking me.”
Charles also gave his thoughts about being selected right after the Williams’ trade.
“Growing up as an offensive (lineman), I watched Trent film all the time and I had a lot of respect for his game,” Charles said. “They traded him and picked me, so it just shows what they might have in mind for me. So I’mma come in there and hard work and do my thing, man.”
Redskins running back Derrius Guice was teammates with Charles at LSU and celebrated the pick:
My boy coming block for me @saahdiq hell yeah
— 2️⃣9️⃣ (@DhaSickest) April 25, 2020
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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