Washington Redskins NFL Draft: 5 Options for the No. 10 Overall Pick

The Washington Redskins have a unique position in the upcoming 2011 NFL draft. The No. 10 spot puts the Redskins in a tough spot.

They are too far down to have a shot at one of the top offensive talents and too far up to take a shot on a second-tier quarterback. So the Redskins will have multiple options with their first-round selection and here are a few options open to the team.

Drafting Defense

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PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Defensive lineman J.J. Watt #99 of the Wisconsin Badgers rushes the TCU Horned Frogs in the 97th Rose Bowl game on January 1, 2011 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

The Redskins have holes in more than one position that they need to address in this draft. Defense is a concern that could easily be filled in this spot.

Defensive end J.J. Watt, out of Wisconsin, would fill a need for the Redskins. Watt is a talented front man that would upgrade the front of the Redskins defense. Drafting Watt would help to put the Albert Haynesworth mess behind them.

Watt is not the only option for a defensive pick. Robert Quinn, out of North Carolina, is another option. Quinn is an attractive target for multiple teams and although he sat out last year, this would be a solid selection for the Redskins.

The offensive side of the field is another area of concern for the Redskins.

Tough Spot For Offense

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SEATTLE - SEPTEMBER 11: Quarterback Jake Locker #10 of the Washington Huskies passes against the Syracuse Orange on September 11, 2010 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Drafting offense with the No. 10 pick is not as easy for Washington. The Redskins would love to get their hands on one of the top two quarterbacks in Cam Newton or Blaine Gabbert. It is highly doubtful that those players will be around at the No. 10 pick, making it tough to draft offense.

The Redskins are in the running for a quarterback, but drafting a second-tier quarterback with this pick is a reach. Washington has been linked to wide receiver Julio Jones in this spot, but Jones could easily be off of the board.

This would leave the Redskins with another option: To trade this pick. The question is will they trade up or down?

Best Player Available

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TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 26: Julio Jones #8 of the Alabama Crimson Tide is tackled by Neiko Thorpe #15 and Eltoro Freeman #21 of the Auburn Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 26, 2010 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

This option is hard to gauge because it depends on who will fall into the lap of the Redskins. At one time it seemed like Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones would be that player, but since then other teams have got their eye on Jones and he could go as early as No. 6 to the Cleveland Browns.

This pick really depends on how the top nine picks unfold and who is selected before the Redskins pick.

Trade Up

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ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 19: Quarterback Donovan McNabb #5 of the Washington Redskins on the sidelines against play against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on December 19, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

This may seem far-fetched for any Redskins fan to believe for two reasons.

1) In the past, the Redskins have traded away all of their picks, and it has seemingly never worked and it just leaves the team without any draft picks to build for the future.

2) The Redskins don’t have enough pieces to do it this year. They are missing a third and a fourth-round pick from trades and would sell basically their entire draft for one pick.

However, the Redskins have some players they will be getting rid of once the lockout is over and those players would bring future draft picks. The picks may not be first-round picks, but trading players like Donovan McNabb will help the Redskins with extra picks in the future.

Several teams will be listening like the Denver Broncos, and the Redskins could get a franchise player if they trade up.

Trade Down

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16 Dec 2001: Head coach Bill Belicheck of the New England Patriots observes a meeting of officials during their game against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The New England Patriots won the game in overtime 12-9. DI

Trading down is an option that seems more likely. The No. 10 pick is coveted by teams like the St. Louis Rams and the New England Patriots, who would offer up extra picks. Those extra picks would give the Redskins more room to grow this year or in future drafts.

The Redskins could give away the No. 10 pick and still get the quarterback they want late in the first round.  This would seem like a win-win situation as the Redskins would get the quarterback they want and at the same time build for the future.

It is uncertain what any team will do until the draft begins, but the Redskins would be better off by trading down and building the franchise. This kind of approach could return the Redskins back to the top of the heap in the NFL.

Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews and predictions. Feel free to contact Matt at [e-mail].