The Blueprint To Rebuild The Washington Redskins Through The Draft

Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen, blah, blah, blah.

You know that smokin' hot girl in high school that everyone wanted and there was always that one incredibly average (intelligence and looks) guy who spent his four years fawning over her? Even though he had no chance at a lasting, meaningful relationship with "hot girl" and there was that slightly above average girl, who said guy had been lifelong friends with, and whose families had been lifelong friends, that could have very easily won over by said guy if he had just been smart enough to check out what he had in front of him?

Yeah, that situation is what the Skins are in staring at this year's draft. Bradford and Clausen are that "hot girl." And Russell Okung is the above average girl who you could very easily have 50 years of happy wedded bliss with. Don't tell Russell I said that though.

The Skins need a franchise QB. But, who is going to be tasked with protecting said franchise guy? Will Montgomery? Mike Williams? I think not. The Skins need to bite the bullet THIS year if they want to have a shot at pulling themselves out of this funk. That means taking Okung.

Okung can be the building block of this line for years to come. He can take over at LT for now, and eventually shift to RT in a year or two.

Hello above average girl!

...and take Idaho guard Mike Iupati.

I know dealing a potential HOF tight end like Chris Cooley in the prime of his career doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but consider this. Second-year TE Fred Davis had 48 catches for 509 yards in 2009. Of those 48, only seven came before his week seven outburst ( eight catches for 78 yards and a TD). That week was also the same week that Chris Cooley suffered his season-ending ankle injury. Davis also proved to be vital inside the red-zone, catching six scores.

The decision to deal Cooley is two-fold. One, the Skins would be dealing from a position of strength. Davis is a more than capable replacement for Cooley, as neither is much of a blocker. Two, trading Cooley could net the Skins two, possibly three draft picks, including a second-rounder. With the pick, the Skins could further shore up their offensive line by taking Mike Iupati.

Iupati has dazzled scouts this week at the Senior Bowl, and his stock is clearly on the rise. First-round guards are a rarity, but Iupati seems destined to get there. If the Skins could get an early second-round pick, Iupati would be an excellent choice.

Whether or not the Skins end up with another year or two of Clinton Portis, they need to seriously start thinking about an heir to the throne. Ladell Betts isn't the long term solution, and with a possible uncapped year headed our way, it probably won't be possible to woo away and talented free agents.

That leaves the draft. And Best.

Best has some mad skills, among them 4.4 speed, and shifty hips that almost made Cal fans forget about DeSean Jackson. He was insanely productive as a runner, a legit threat as a receiver, and a dynamo in the return game.

The Redskins happen to be lacking in all of those areas. To get all three in one player is a commodity that the Skins can sorely afford to pass up.

In the backfield, Best can spell Portis or Betts (whichever, if either, is healthy), and provide a great change of pace. His pass catching ability could be crucial on third down.

The Skins would be wise to pick up a seasoned QB with either their fourth or fifth round pick. Somebody in the mold of a Dan LeFevour, or a Max Hall type. A signal caller with experience, and possibly some mobility.

The main reason to use this pick on a QB is to create an insurance policy should Jason Campbell leave OR stay. If Campbell is somehow convinced to stick around, LeFevour (preferably) would make an excellent back-up. If he leaves, however, LeFevour could be a good fill-in for a year or two, until the Skins find a guy more suitable.

In case you missed it, LeFevour had a heck of a career. Almost 13,000 passing yards and 102 TDs as a four-year starter. Toss in another 3000 yards on the ground and another 47 scores and you have the NCAA career TD leader.

He is incredibly tough, wicked smart, and insanely athletic.

A perfect insurance policy.

The Skins would be wise to pick up a seasoned QB with either their fourth or fifth round pick. Somebody in the mold of a Dan LeFevour, or a Max Hall type. A signal caller with experience, and possibly some mobility.

The main reason to use this pick on a QB is to create an insurance policy should Jason Campbell leave OR stay.

The BEST player available. I don't care if he's a punter, or a kicker, or a slovenly nose tackle. The Redskins need help everywhere and anywhere on their roster. Depth is key.

More specifically, and less sarcastically, the positions that the Skins should look to address should be:

A capable blocking fullback who has good hands and can be an added threat in the passing game (someone like BYU's Manase Tonga, who caught 30 passes in 2009 and scored eight touchdowns.)

A capable punter who can give the Skins a stabilizing presence at the position, something they haven't had since Matt Turk left for Miami (possibly a Zoltan Mesko, from Michigan, or Mike Brandtner from ISU.)

A capable kicker who can solve the Skins kicking issues. They've been through four kickers in as many years.

I know this one has nothing to do with the draft, but I don't care.

Here's my thinking here. Signing Campbell to a three-year deal in 2010 will allow the Skins to give J-Cam one final shot at proving he is THE guy. He has all of 2010 to prove that to you. If he does, great. If he doesn't, the Skins go a different route and take the top signal caller in the 2011 draft, let him sit for a year, and then have said QB and Campbell compete for the job throughout 2012.

Here's the deal. TO ME, it makes more sense to draft an offensive lineman, let him learn on the job for a year, and THEN throw a rookie QB into the fire, then to reverse that and take the QB first, let him get pummeled for a year and then take a lineman. It seems logical.

No doubt, the Skins will not improve vastly enough in 2010 to weasel their way out of the bottom 15 teams in the NFL. That means another top ten pick. Which is GREAT! That means the Skins will have a chance to pick up a true franchise QB in Ryan Mallett.

Mallett has the one unmistakable tool that neither Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen possesses. A HUUUUGE arm! Like Brett Favre or John Elway huge. And while I dig Bradford's accuracy, arm strength is something that just simply cannot be taught. Mallett has it in spades.

The Arkansas junior made a very wise decision to go back to play for Bobby Petrino for his junior year. Had he come out in 2010, he would have been probably the third or fourth best QB in the draft. Staying, and getting another year of experience in the brutal SEC should make Mallett this number one or two guy in 2011.

Mallett was a sophomore this past season, but essentially was living his freshman year 2.0 after transferring from Michigan after getting beat up in 2007. The improvements from 2007 to 2009 were remarkable. His completion percentage jumped from 43.3 to 55.8. He set a Arkansas school record with 30 touchdown passes, and limited himself to only seven interceptions, only two more than he had at Michigan in 260 less attempts.

In fact, Mallett finished second in the SEC in passer rating, behind only Tim Tebow. He also had the most passing yards and TDs in the conference.

Mallett would finally give the Skins the franchise QB they thought they were getting in Jason Campbell. Mallett could come in and assuming the Skins still have Campbell (signed to that three year deal), Mallett could sit for a year and learn the mental side of the game. Then in Campbell's last year, hopefully Mallett would play well enough to take the job over.

Now, by 2013, the Skins would have a talented 24-year old QB getting ready to start his first full season as a starter, playing behind a line anchored by Russell Okung, and whichever players the Skins inevitably decide to bring in via free agency.

London Fletcher isn't getting any older, and after finally getting a much deserved Pro Bowl nod, I half expect him to ride off into the sunset.

Fletcher is still a top notch linebacker, but he is getting up there in age, and the Skins need to start grooming a replacement. Someone like Quan Sturdivant, from UNC, could do the job quite well. A product of Butch Davis's lethal NFL prospect churning defense, Sturdivant is a steady tackler who is quick and packs a punch.

Adding Sturdivant, or a Greg Jones or Kelvin Sheppard, would give the Skins a new captain on defense.

James Rodgers from the "Jacquizz and James Show" would be an excellent addition, and his speed and quickness would be a good contrast to the "go up and get it" attitude of Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly. Rodgers has sure hands and can mix it up on reverses and could be a help in the return game.

Another few names to ponder would be Boise State's Titus Young (similar to Rodgers), North Carolina's Greg Little, or Boise State's Austin Pettis, who will be certain to have as sure hands as anyone in the 2011 draft.

It's never too early to start thinking about getting some quality depth players on defense, and after grabbing Mallett, Sturdivant, and possibly James Rodgers, the Skins should spend the rest of the draft adding bit players, like a Chimidi Chekwa or Jai Eugene at cornerback.

Other guys I like would be DTs Lawrence Marsh from UF and Jarvis Jenkins from Clemson, and DEs Jeremy Beal from Oklahoma and Ryan Winterswyk from Boise State.

Behind a fast-pace offense led by Ryan Mallett, the Skins run away with the NFC East. Running back tandem Jahvid Best and Quinton Ganther combine for over 1,600 yards on the ground and 13 scores. Best adds another 450 yards receiving. The wide receivers are led by Devin Thomas (80 receptions, 1100 yards, six TDs), Malcolm Kelly (53 receptions, 650 yards, four TDs), and tight end Fred Davis (64 receptions, 840 yards, nine TDs).

On defense, end Brian Orakpo wins his second defensive player of the year award, leading the NFC with 17.5 sacks. Third-year linebacker Quan Sturdivant leads the defense with 155 tackles, and DeAngelo Hall paces the D with seven picks.

Punter Zoltan Mesko leads the NFL with a Shane Lechler-esque 50.3 yard punting average, and kicker Alex Tejeda finishes in the top five in points.

Skins beat the Colts 24-14 in the Super Bowl.

The end.