Washington Redskins Mock Draft: Updated Day 2 Predictions
Scot McCloughan as good as won me over when he made Iowa offensive tackle Brandon Scherff the fifth pick in the 2015 NFL draft. It proved the new Washington Redskins general manager isn't about to waver on his commitment to build from the trenches up.
But Scherff's arrival shouldn't signal the end of the makeover along the offensive front. There's still room for a powerhouse road-grader inside.
Defensively, there's also still a space for a dynamic edge-rusher. Fortunately, the way the opening round has played out, McCloughan can score big on Day 2 with several top prospects available at these positions.
Find out who the Redskins will add to Scherff in the second and third rounds.
How Scherff's Arrival Impacts the Rest of Washington's Draft
1 of 7Scherff's arrival needn't rule out any top guard prospect still sitting on the board at the top of the second and third rounds. In fact, head coach Jay Gruden has already declared Scherff will at least start out working at right tackle, per ESPN's John Keim.
That means Shawn Lauvao and Chris Chester are still currently penciled in as starers headed into the new season. Altering that recipe for disaster has to be a priority for McCloughan and the Redskins on Day 2.
You can be sure finding a pass-rusher will still be a feature of his plans as well. McCloughan indicated he hopes to find more than one player able to heat up quarterbacks during this draft, per Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith.
That desire, along with the current absence of a trade to earn extra picks, may prompt a change from previous mocks. It will concern who Washington tabs as a supporting backfield mate for workhorse Alfred Morris.
Right, let's get on with looking at who McCloughan picks up on Day 2 and beyond.
Round 2: Tre' Jackson, G, Florida State
2 of 7Tre' Jackson stays in this mock as one of the headline acts of the second round. He's also the type of thundering interior beefcake McCloughan wants at the heart of a bigger, more aggressive line.
He recently made it clear how much he values strength and dominance inside, per Liz Clarke of The Washington Post: “What our plans are is power . . . in-line power.”
Jackson fits that philosophy like a glove, albeit a 6'4", 330-pound mitt. He's a very effective power blocker. That means Jackson is formidable in one-on-one situations, as well as packing a punch on the hoof.
Jackson could fit brilliantly at right guard. Then he would replace the aging and increasingly ineffective Chris Chester, as well as joining Scherff, to give Washington the solid right side it hoped for when Bruce Allen drafted Morgan Moses and Spencer Long last year.
Obviously, that plan didn't work out, at least initially. But provided he keeps his weight under control, Jackson could be the mountain-sized powerhouse new line coach Bill Callahan needs to kick-start a change in the way this team attacks the trenches.
Other bulky blockers to consider here are A.J. Cann and Donovan Smith.
Round 3: Hau'oli Kikaha, OLB, Washington
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If McCloughan really wants a pass-rusher, how about Hau'oli Kikaha, the edge defender who logged 19 sacks in 2014, per CFBStats.com?
Admittedly, that production was surely influenced by the presence of space-eating monster Danny Shelton in the middle of the Huskies' D. But 19 sacks is still a number to recommend a player's knack for getting to the passer. It's the same quality the Redskins need after waving goodbye to Brian Orakpo in free agency.
Yet even with Orakpo in the lineup for at least part of 2014, Washington only felled quarterbacks 36 times. Most of the burden fell on Ryan Kerrigan, who responded brilliantly to the pressure with 13.5 takedowns.
Kerrigan will need better support in 2015. McCloughan has already ensured the pressure on 2011's first-rounder will be eased somewhat by adding one-gap rusher Stephen Paea during free agency.
However, this front seven still needs another dynamic presence on the edge. Kikaha can be that player, provided McCloughan and company can overlook some health concerns.
Fox Sports' Ross Jones detailed how medical issues are being stacked up against phenomenal production when evaluating this prospect:
"A handful of teams with conservative medical evaluators have been turned off by Kikaha's ACL surgery and the follow-up repair, league sources told FOXSports.com. Other clubs, though, are having a hard time overlooking Kikaha's two-year production.
The 6-foot-2, 253-pound pass rusher racked up a whopping 40.0 tackles for loss, 32.0 sacks and 99 tackles over his final two seasons at Washington.
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An established flair for playmaking is a key asset—at least it should be—in judging defensive prospects. With 2014 second-rounder Trent Murphy still in the fold, the Redskins can afford to roll the dice on some of those health concerns and get a potential steal in Kikaha.
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Round 4: Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan State
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Gruden knows his offense needs a running back that is capable of taking some carries away from Morris, as well as offering a credible threat as a receiver. Step forward, Jeremy Langford, a true sleeper at his position in this year's draft.
It's easy to love the way Langford runs. He knows how to let his blocks develop, but has also mastered the art of making multiple cuts inside the hole.
Yet one of Langford's best qualities is how shifty he is when lugging the rock. He rarely fails to make the first would-be tackler snatch air, regularly helping turn minimal gains into positive ones.
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein also detailed some key flexibility that should really make Langford appeal to folks in Washington: "Effective with chip blocks and will square up blitzers and take them on in pass protection. Has blocking and pass-catching talent to play on third downs."
A true third-down weapon out of the backfield is something the Redskins have missed for too long. The team shouldn't count on fragile Chris Thompson and unproven Silas Redd suddenly emerging to fill that void.
But Langford certainly could. Perhaps Gruden will take the recommendation of his older brother Jon, a current ESPN analyst, per Matt Charboneau of The Detroit News:
"Langford is a guy I really like. I don't understand why we don't hear his name more. He ran a 4.4. He gained 100 or more yards in every Big Ten film I watched. He breaks tackles, he picks up blitzes and he looks like an NFL back for sure. He is tough, he can catch, he has home run speed.
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By adding Langford, Washington will enter the season with a true complement to Morris who could share the workload and open up another level of the offense.
Round 5: Craig Mager, CB, Texas State
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Another cornerback would certainly be useful considering how many question marks there are surrounding some of Washington's incumbents at the position.
DeAngelo Hall is now 31 and is coming off two Achilles injuries. Meanwhile, fellow vet Tracy Porter rarely saw the field in 2014.
David Amerson did, but that's just where his problems began. Washington's top pick in 2013, Amerson was routinely burned by opposing quarterbacks and receivers.
Like last season's fourth-round steal at corner, Bashaud Breeland, Mager is a scrapper. He rarely gives his receiver much chance to pause for breath.
Put that tenacity together with his 5'11", 201-pound frame, and the Redskins can come away from Round 5 with a strong candidate to play the slot in sub-package situations.
Round 6: Kyle Emanuel, OLB, North Dakota State
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McCloughan can take another edge player to boost Washington's rotation of pass-rushers. Small-school pressure specialist Kyle Emanuel is certainly worth a late-round flier.
He boasts excellent size for the edges of a 3-4 scheme, standing 6'3" and tipping the scales at 255 pounds. He also has a sterling record of top-notch production at the collegiate level.
CBS Sports' Dane Brugler detailed how Emanuel logged a whopping 19.5 sacks and 32.5 tackles for loss as a senior. Brugler also commended the player's "high FBI (football intelligence)."
There are better athletes who may be available at this stage—prospects such as Geneo Grissom and Corey Crawford spring to mind—but Emanuel is a savvy grafter who won't ever go missing in either practice or game situations.
He'd be a good depth and special teams player while competing with raw but promising Jackson Jeffcoat for some sub-package pass-rushing opportunities.
Round 7: Jeff Luc, MLB, Cincinnati
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McCloughan can leave it late and still get another option at inside linebacker by taking Jeff Luc with his final pick. That will earn him a bulky bruiser for the middle who is never shy about doing the dirty work in the tackle box.
He also has a real nose for the ball, as Tom Groeschen of The Cincinnati Enquirer detailed: "As a senior last year, Luc led UC with 134 tackles and was second on the team with 6 ½ sacks. During the regular season, Luc's six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries tied for the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision lead."
Groeschen suggested many pro teams are considering making Luc a fullback. That would be the same conversion current Washington blocking back Darrel Young made.
But Luc would fit best in D.C. as a potential special teams demon and an enthusiastic thumper at the heart of the team's linebacker-led defensive scheme. He'd be a good bet to make an impact at a relatively weak inside linebacker rotation where Keenan Robinson is the only player close to a sure thing.
McCloughan kicked off his first draft in charge in fine style by sticking to the plan to pick up solid, bigger road-graders for the line of scrimmage. Expect that approach to continue on Day 2.
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