NFC East Uses NFL Draft to Prepare for Robert Griffin III and Redskins

It may sound a little cocky—and probably baseless given the Redskins’ record over the years—but the NFC East is seemingly using the 2012 Draft to beef up their respective defenses in preparedness for the new man in Washington, Robert Griffin III.

Through the first three or four rounds, both the Cowboys and Eagles have upgraded their defenses significantly with pass-rushers and highly-touted corners—guys that could wreak direct havoc on Griffin.

Using only one of their first four picks in the draft, the reigning Super Bowl champion Giants elected to go defense. Unfortunately for the Redskins, that one defensive player happens to be a ball-hawking cornerback that is likely to become a starter.

Hailing from Virginia Tech, cornerback Jayron Hosley is a familiar guy in the DMV. He’s a playmaker with the ball in his hands and he showed the ability to cover anything and anyone at the collegiate level. With an already-established front-seven, the Giants addressed their secondary with a guy that can create turnovers and take immediate advantage of them.

The Cowboys seem to address their front-seven every draft using their early picks, and they did so this year with additions like Tyrone Crawford and Kyle Wilbur. But trading up into the top-ten to land Morris Claiborne—the best cover-corner prospect of the past two years—was unexpected and threatening.

It’s tough to watch your biggest rival snag the best non-quarterback prospect in the draft, but having to play them twice a season doesn’t give Redskins Nation a warm feeling either. Claiborne was a strategic counterpart selection.

Tyrone Crawford is a pass-rushing defensive end with raw ability at this point, but a true talent nonetheless. Taken in the third round, the Cowboys have serious plans for him.

Kyle Wilbur is an edge-rushing linebacker that was likely drafted for depth, but note his primary label. Regardless of where these guys fall in the rotation, they’re defenders that go out and earn their paychecks by getting to the passer.

And then there’s the Eagles—who appear to have thought about the potential of Robert Griffin with every draft pick.

Through the second round, Andy Reid and the Eagles drafted a pass-rushing interior lineman in Fletcher Cox, a strong edge-rushing defensive end in Vinny Curry and an overly-athletic inside linebacker in Mychal Kendricks. After snagging quarterback Nick Foles in the third, the Eagles came back in the fourth round and grabbed playmaking cornerback Brandon Boykin.

Perhaps I’m too confident in a guy that has yet to take a professional snap, but it’s hard to imagine coaches Tom Coughlin, Jason Garrett and Andy Reid ignoring the immense asset the Redskins added in this draft and what Robert Griffin could become in just a short time.

Hail.

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