5 NFL Draft Prospects Washington Redskins Should Be Watching at Combine

Sporting a full allotment of draft picks for the first time since the Robert Griffin III trade, the Washington Redskins will look to rebuild their roster through the draft under the direction of new general manager Scot McCloughan.

A keen talent evaluator in his time with the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers, McCloughan will use this week's NFL Scouting Combine to shape Washington's draft board.

With the team knowing that the passing game is a weakness on both sides of the ball, here are five players the Redskins should be watching at the combine.

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon

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Will cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu participate in drills at the combine? No.

After all, he did tear his ACL in mid-December. But let's remember, player workouts are just one part of the evaluating process teams use to vet prospects. Interviews—Jameis Winston, anyone?—and medical reports are of grave importance as well.

In Ekpre-Olomu's case, it's obviously the latter that carries a lot of weight here. While he's slated to be a bubble first-round pick, according to CBSSports.com, this projection could change once teams get an extensive look at his knee and medical history.

Learning from its experience with RG3 III that a full recovery is no certainty, Washington has to be on the lookout for any red flags in Ekpre-Olomu's medical profile.

Lauded by CBSSports.com for the versatility and consistency he displayed at Oregon, Ekpre-Olomu would do wonders for a Redskins secondary that allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 66.5 percent of their throws in 2014—if healthy, of course.

Marcus Peters, CB, Washington

Unlike Ekpre-Olomu, Marcus Peters will get a chance to showcase his talents in Indianapolis. And what a talent he is.

Peters has prototype size (6'0", 198 lbs) and speed for the cornerback position with ball skills to match. An All-Pac-12 performer in 2013, he tallied 11 interceptions in three years at Washington.

ESPN's Kevin Weidl went as far to rate Peters as the draft's top cornerback prospect, with a glowing review to match.

"Peters has the most complete package of any cornerback in the class," he wrote. "He has good size and strength and is loaded with athletic ability. He also shows impressive overall awareness and recognizes route concepts, and he quickly locates and plays the ball."

Aren't you the least bit curious as to why Peters, who was compared to Aqib Talib by NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, is currently projected by CBSSports.com to be selected late in the first round, at best?

Well, as starved as teams are for quality cornerbacks, Peters' off-the-field behavior is a huge turnoff. After repeated run-ins with head coach Chris Peterson and his staff at Washington, he was dismissed from the team in November.

Opening up to USA Today's Tom Pelissero about his past transgressions, Peters tied his downfall to bouts of immaturity.

With a failed drug test and a penchant for arriving late to team meetings also on his rap sheet, Peters will need to ace the interview portion of his workout for Washington to consider selecting him.

Anthony Harris, SS, Virginia

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Not that they were the ideal tandem to pair with two green corners in Bashaud Breeland and David Amerson to begin with, but safeties Ryan Clark and Brandon Meriweather are both free agents.

In light of that, the Skins will need to explore the safety market this offseason. Done in by blown assignments and missed tackles on the back end, the team needs to keep tabs on safety Anthony Harris at the combine.

An All-ACC performer at Virginia, Harris brings the type of balance Washington has long lacked at the safety position.

On the nation's 20th-ranked rushing defense in 2014, Harris was the team's second-leading tackler on rushing plays with 66 tackles, according to the team's official website.

A notable ball hawk, Harris finished his career with 11 interceptions. In 2013, he matched former NFL standout Ronde Barber's mark for interceptions in a season with eight—second all-time in school history.

With NFL.com's Lance Zierlein citing his lack of bulk (6'1", 190 lbs) as a shortcoming, Harris' weight and his performance in strength tests will be something the Skins should monitor at the combine.

Shane Ray, DE, Missouri

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Looking at Washington's pass rush, one notable omission is a speed rusher. While he validated himself as a cornerstone of the team's future, it wasn't speed that netted Ryan Kerrigan 13.5 sacks. 

In fact, going back to his days as a draft prospect, scouts worried that his lack of elite speed would keep him from consistently getting around the edge.

The same can be said about Trent Murphy, who is built in a similar mold. 

Enter Shane Ray. He may be undersized at 6'2" and 240 pounds, but Ray brings explosive athleticism to the table. A player with a nonstop motor, Ray had 14 sacks for Missouri in 2014.

He does have his warts, though. Because Ray has been so reliant on his athleticism, he doesn't yet have the array of pass-rushing moves he'll need to excel at the NFL level. Furthermore, as Rob Rang and Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com note, Ray has his issues getting off blocks in the running game. 

But these are all things you can teach. Provided he tests up to expectations, Ray should be in the mix for Washington's first-round pick.

Cameron Erving, OT, Florida State

Remember the date: The last time an offensive tackle wasn't selected in the top five of the draft  was in 2011. Delve deeper, and you'll find that 2005 was the last time one wasn't selected in the top 10.

In dire need of some help up front, it'd be in the Redskins' best interest for these streaks to continue in the 2015 NFL draft. The team did surrender an NFC-high 58 sacks last season after all. 

As luck would have it, though, there doesn't appear to be a prospect worthy of selecting that high. Brandon Scherff is viewed by CBSSports.com as the draft's top offensive tackle prospect, but there's an open debate on whether or not he's better suited to play guard or tackle. 

Fortunately enough, this year's crop makes up for its dearth of elite talent with outstanding depth. CBSSports.com has nine offensive tackles slated to go in the draft's first two rounds.

Going into the combine, Washington should have its eyes fixated on Cameron Erving.

A former defensive tackle at Florida State, Erving is still learning to play along the offensive line. As a result, his technique and footwork have drawn criticism from analysts like CBSSports.com's Rob Rang and Derek Stephens.

With that said, it's hard to overlook his vast potential. He earned All-American honors at Florida State in his second year on the offensive side of the ball. Additionally, he was praised by Rang and Stephens for his ability to mirror the moves of opposing pass-rushers.

And this came at left tackle and center.

With his combination of strength and agility, he can be an effective run-blocker in both zone-based and power-based rushing offenses, making him an ideal fit for the Redskins offense.