Washington Redskins: 7 Prospects to Watch at the 2015 NFL Combine
With the 2014 over and done with, the Washington Redskins can officially look forward to next season. On the horizon is the NFL draft, but before that is the scouting combine set to take place Feb. 17-23.
The Redskins have the fifth overall pick in the draft but will have to scout a number of prospects to get the most out of it and the rest of their picks.
The combine is where teams make decisions and judgments based on players who may not have shown enough on tape or who may have been protected in a scheme or by a system they played in college.
Washington boasts scouting guru Scot McCloughan as its general manager, which makes the process all the more exciting.
Here are some of the prospects the Redskins need to watch during this year's combine.
Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
1 of 7
Right tackle remains a huge concern for the Redskins offense and may be the position of greatest need this offseason.
Brandon Scherff is the top-ranked tackle in the 2015 draft class, but there are issues with his transition to the NFL.
Scherff, without question, is a mauler as a run-blocking lineman. He has great strength and plays mean, but he isn't a superb athlete, which hinders his abilities in pass protection. He can't make up for missteps against speed-rushers and doesn't control defenders, opting to try to simply overpower them.
Washington needs to see an improvement in his quickness if he is to be considered a lock for its first pick in the draft. He also needs to prove his suspect 33-inch arm length doesn't detract from his blocking ability.
The Redskins need a Day 1 starter at right tackle, and it isn't certain if Scherff is cut out for the tackle position at the NFL level.
Kurtis Drummond, FS, Michigan State
2 of 7
Without harping on Ryan Clark’s lacking play in 2014, it still stands that the Redskins need to upgrade their free safety situation. No one currently on the roster is considered to be a solution to the problem.
Kurtis Drummond may not be the best player in the draft, but he’s easily one of the best safeties of his class.
Drummond has the size (6'1", 202 pounds), speed and ball skills of a free safety, which makes him the ideal candidate to step into Washington’s secondary.
However, at the combine, he needs to show he can keep up with the speed at the next level, not physically, but mentally.
He can’t take an extra half second to diagnose a play and react. It led to a lot of busted coverage in 2014 and could be a major concern if he doesn’t improve.
Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska
3 of 7
Washington’s pass rush boasts some talented names in Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan and Jason Hatcher, each of whom has produced at least one season of 10 or more sacks in their career.
But Orakpo finished two of his last three seasons on injured reserve, Hatcher didn’t have the impact that was expected of him, and Kerrigan was largely alone in making plays on the quarterback.
Randy Gregory of Nebraska could be the talented athlete the Redskins need to replace Orakpo and provide a different element to the defense and the pass rush.
However, Gregory does not come without some concerns. Even at 6’6”, he’s only 240 pounds, which means he would need to put on some weight to stand up to the physicality of being a strong-side pass-rusher.
For the Redskins, they need to see if he has added bulk without compromising his speed and his initial burst.
Gregory has the instincts, the motor and the ceiling to be a game-changing player on defense.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa
4 of 7
Running back may not be a position of need for the Redskins, but it never hurts to find a younger back with a variety of skills. Roy Helu will be a free agent, and neither Silas Redd nor Chris Thompson has done enough to define themselves as viable options as third-down backs or any sort of a rotation.
David Johnson of Northern Iowa is an intriguing prospect who should be on Washington’s radar.
While he lacks the chops as a blocker, Johnson is a big back (6'1", 229 pounds) with soft hands and the ability to break away in the open field. He rushed for 1,533 yards and had close to 1,000 all-purpose yards as a senior, which shows how versatile he can be for the Redskins.
Washington should look to see if Johnson can, or has the ability, to improve his smoothness as a runner. He makes good cuts but does so at the loss of speed.
He could stand to improve as a blocker as well as a finisher, but as a third-down or rotational back he’s more than adequate.
Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
5 of 7
David Amerson took a huge step back in 2014 after proving to be a promising cover corner as a rookie in 2013. Rookie Bashaud Breeland, whom most had pegged as a nickel corner at best in his first season, outshined Amerson week in and week out.
With DeAngelo Hall's future as a starter and as a corner in question, the Redskins need to look to the draft for younger talent.
Marcus Peters has everything you want in a corner, from his prototypical size (6'0", 198 pounds), physical play, toughness, instincts. Everything except coachability.
Peters was suspended one game for a sideline tantrum in 2014 and was ultimately dismissed from the University of Washington's football team. It was the straw the broke the camel's back, as Peters had several run-ins with coaches.
For the Redskins, Peters offers a talented corner who could easily go in the first two rounds if he didn't have the character concerns. However, if he's available in the third or fourth rounds, there's no reason to let the risk overwhelm the potential reward Peters would bring to the Redskins secondary.
Ben Koyack, TE, Notre Dame
6 of 7
Jordan Reed is a talented receiving tight end but is lacking in the blocking department. Same with Niles Paul, who is undersized to begin with. Logan Paulsen was once the best blocker of the bunch but fell into some bad habits in 2014, missing assignments and displaying poor discipline.
Notre Dame's Ben Koyack is the sort of prospect who is drafted for one purpose but could very easily become a secret weapon.
Koyack is a good blocking tight end, probably one of the best in the draft. His appeal would be the potential to be a receiving threat in addition to already being a capable blocker. The Redskins need to see if he can be brought in as a blocker but see his role expand as a receiving tight end similar to Paulsen's current role.
Jordan Phillips, NT, Oklahoma
7 of 7
Barry Cofield has been a solid veteran presence at nose tackle—when healthy. Chris Baker has rotated into the position but is best used as a defensive end in the Redskins' three-man front.
Long story short, Washington needs to keep its eyes peeled for a long-term replacement at the position.
Oklahoma's Jordan Phillips is an intriguing prospect, boasting great size for the position. However, he needs to show he has the motor to be a dominant nose tackle. He has the ability to be a run-stuffer with above-average speed for a 6'6", 334-pound prospect.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
