2012 NFL Mock Draft: Washington Redskins 7-Round Predictions

This is my third version of the Washington Redskins 2012 Mock Draft and I think it's by far the most entertaining. (See my last version, here.)

Not to sound like I'm boasting--not nearly cool enough to do such a thing--but I feel that this version of the Redskins' potential draft route is the most extreme and unaccustomed.

Not only do the Redskins refute a run at Robert Griffin III, but they somehow find a way to land their playmaker and quarterback of the future. The team then uses their later picks to address depth issues at certain areas of need. 

Warning: If you've been a Redskins fan for more than a decade and you happen to suffer from any heart conditions, please proceed with extreme caution. And please remember--this is only a mock draft. 

Round 1: Justin Blackmon

After Cleveland puts together a trade package for St. Louis that is more enticing than anything Washington was willing to offer, the Browns take over the No. 2 pick and select Robert Griffin III. 

Although the move will hurt the Redskins' morale a little bit, it doesn't hurt their chances of landing one of the best classes in the entire draft. 

The Rams take over the No. 4 pick and have a tough choice between a solid left tackle like Riley Reiff or a play-making receiver like Justin Blackmon. Because Jeff Fisher is attempting to establish a brand new culture in St. Louis, he opts to solidify his offensive line first and selects Riley Reiff out of Iowa. 

Tampa Bay selects LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne with the No. 5 pick and the Redskins are up next, with Justin Blackmon staring them dead in the face and a major need for an offensive playmaker. 

Not only does Blackmon fill a hole on the Redskins roster, but he's arguably the best player available at No. 6 as well. 

Round 1: Ryan Tannehill

Even as AFC Champions, the New England Patriots have some holes on their roster and Bill Belichick may look to trade one of his two first-round selections in order to acquire more total picks. 

Equipped with a non-violent round of trade ammunition, the Redskins make their move and trade their second- and third-rounder to New England in exchange for the No. 27-overall pick. 

According to the draft value chart, the Redskins are slightly overspending in the trade, but landing your quarterback of the future should be worth it. Not to mention, it's really the only package that Belichick and the Patriots would even consider. 

With the No. 27 pick, the Redskins select Ryan Tannehill from Texas A&M. 

Tannehill is a very inexperienced and raw passer who has actually started more games at wide receiver than he has at quarterback, but his potential should really entice Mike Shanahan. 

Shanny will really like Tannehill's athleticism, arm strength, mobility and maturity off the field. And with the way Shanny likes to coach up his guys, Tannehill is the perfect project. 

Round 4: Leonard Johnson

At least for me, nothing was more frustrating than the Redskins secondary last season. By way of default, DeAngelo Hall--who is clearly not a No. 1 cover-corner in the NFL--was the team's best cover option in the secondary. 

The Redskins must add something to the secondary in this draft and there is tremendous value to be had here in the fourth round. 

I can understand people that aren't as high on Iowa State's Leonard Johnson as I am, but he's a very physical corner that has the talent to develop into a reliable cover guy in the NFL. And for me, he's worthy of a first-round pick if a team wants a physical guy with good character in their secondary. 

Round 4: James Michael-Johnson

The ageless London Fletcher won't be able to play football forever, but everyone plans on having him back for at least one more season. 

Why not use this pick to draft--perhaps--Fletcher's understudy?

James Michael-Johnson had a productive career at Nevada, where he served as team captain for two seasons. JMJ is strong, he's a solid tackler and he has good instincts. Under the direction of Fletcher, Michael-Johnson could improve by the time he becomes a full-time starter in Washington. 

Round 5: Andrew Datko

Being one of the Redskins' biggest questions going in to next season, it might come as a bit of shock to see the first offensive lineman prospect selected as late as the fifth round. 

Florida State's Andrew Datko is an athletic tackle prospect that has valuable college experience beginning from his time as a true freshman. Throughout his career at Florida State, Datko demonstrated his versatility by playing at multiple positions along the offensive line and Shanahan will likely take notice of his athleticism and quickness off the line. 

Datko is far from perfect and his injuries are concerning, but he could battle out an injured Jammal Brown to start on the right side in Week 1. 

Round 6: Cyrus Gray

Given Shanahan's track record, I wouldn't be surprised to see him take a late-round fly on a running back prospect. 

Cyrus Gray of Texas A&M is an experienced running back that is a dual-threat out of the backfield. Gray shows a burst of quickness that can get him to the edge in a hurry and make defenders miss. Hovering just around 200 pounds, Gray isn't any sort of bruising runner. However, he is dependable in pass-blocking and he can be used on virtually any down. 

With the zone-blocking scheme in Washington, Gray would be a great fit due to his combination of patience, quickness and one-cut running style. 

Round 7: Eddie Whitley

With the last pick in their draft, Shanahan will likely use this Redskins selection on an offensive lineman. However, from a value standpoint and the possibility of a decent reward, I think a local product like Virginia Tech safety Eddie Whitley could be a good idea. 

Because of an unimpressive senior season, Whitley has seen his stock drop a lot. But after getting a solid view of this guy after being positioned so close, Redskins scouts will have a good idea of what could come about with Whitley.