Lache Seastrunk Will Thrive in Limited Role for Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins scored a tremendous sixth-round steal in running back Lache Seastrunk, who will make a great understudy for Alfred Morris.

This late into the draft, teams are purchasing lottery tickets in hopes of hitting the jackpot. While Washington didn't win the Mega Millions with the Baylor running back, it scored a tremendous value with Seastrunk at pick No. 186.

The numbers speak kindly for the speedster, who collected 1,177 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns for the Bears last season. He did so at an incredibly efficient clip of 7.4 yards car carry, as he only received 20 or more carries in one game of his junior campaign.

He didn't get a chance to shine until late in the 2012 season, when he compiled 831 rushing yards through the final six games. Before that, he was afforded a mere 29 carries in the first seven games.

The Houston Chronicle's John McClain was not pleased to see the Houston Texans pass him up as insurance for the injury-prone Arian Foster.

B/R's Michael Schottey offered high praise to the new pro, who will compete with Roy Helu, Evan Royster and Chris Thompson for touches behind Morris, one of the league's most heavily used backs since entering the league in 2012.

If Washington has learned anything from the long list of worn, belabored running backs who lost a step and succumbed to injures, Jay Gruden won't feed Morris the ball 300 times a season. He slowed down during the 2013 season, averaging 3.8 yards per carry without a single 100-yard effort over the last seven games.

Seastrunk's quick break offers the perfect complement to Morris' power running. At 201 pounds, per NFL.com, he also possesses enough strength to fight through contact, but he offers more breakaway speed than his running mate.

As a runner, Seastrunk looks like the complete package and an above-average No. 2 back. So why was he sitting there in Round 6? 

After failing to catch a single pass last season, he needs to develop that skill, especially since Morris suffers from that same weak spot. While that deficiency torpedoed him into sixth round, very few prospects enter the league as finished products.

Seastrunk told The Washington Post's Mike Jones that he can make a dent in the passing game if given the opportunity.

“I really feel like I can catch the ball very, very well,” Seastrunk said. “I feel like I proved that at the combine and at my pro day. I just feel like given the opportunity and being utilized, I will do everything in my power to make us a better organization.”

If he can become a decent pass-catcher out of the backfield, Seastrunk will eventually morph into a starting back. For now, he'll do just fine keeping Morris fresh in Washington's imposing ground game. If fellow Baylor alum Robert Griffin III returns at full speed, the newcomer will enjoy vast running lanes during his rookie campaign.

Seastrunk presents Washington with a low-risk, high-reward pick during the sixth round. While he won't run for 1,000 yards, he'll carve out a niche in Washington's backfield this season while auditioning for a larger role down the line.