Breaking Down the Options and Impact of Washington's 1st-Round Pick
With this draft, the Washington Redskins take the next step in the era of Scot McCloughan's revitalization of a tarnished franchise. McCloughan has 2015 as well as the future in mind with his scouting and crafting of his team's big board.
There are very few wrong moves the Redskins can make with the fifth overall pick, but that doesn't mean the outcomes are all going to be positive.
With pass-rushers and offensive and defensive linemen available, Washington could play it safe with the proven talent or take a chance on a raw prospect with a higher ceiling. So long as the team gets a game-changer with its first pick, it shouldn't be a problem.
Here is a look at the options and impact of Washington's first-round pick.
Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
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Brian Orakpo is gone, and plenty has been said about the void he leaves at outside linebacker opposite Ryan Kerrigan. Trent Murphy is good, but he's not the type of impact player the Redskins need out of a starter.
Vic Beasley is a pure edge-rusher, arguably the best in this draft class, and would be an excellent pick for the Redskins at No. 5.
Where Orakpo relied on his strength and a bull-rush approach, Beasley is explosive with his rush and has an underutilized spin move that could make him a menace with the right coaching to smooth out the rough edges in his game.
Impact
Beasley presents the risk of being great on tape, having a great combine but failing to meet or exceed expectations. He was viewed as undersized before the combine but managed to add 11 pounds to his frame and still run a 4.53 40-yard dash, as well as turn in top performances in the bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle.
The Redskins would add another piece to their improving defense with Beasley, potentially improving it in the long term over retaining Orakpo.
Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
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If best player available is truly the approach the Redskins are following in this draft, it may not be a surprise to see them take Amari Cooper with their first pick.
Cooper is a complete receiver and has all the qualities you want out of a go-to target on the outside or underneath. He would round out a dangerous trio of receivers with DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon.
Impact
The best player approach has to give somewhere, and there are more pressing needs than receiver. Unless the Redskins intend to move Garcon at some point this offseason, drafting Cooper does nothing more than create the need to utilize him in packages where Jordan Reed acted as the third receiver.
In McCloughan we trust, but the talent on the board elsewhere combined with needs that could be filled would make drafting Cooper a mistake, at least until further review.
Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri
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Where Beasley is intriguing and Fowler is solid as far as potential goes, Shane Ray may be the scariest pass-rusher in this class. He is explosive and relentless when rushing the passer and plays with bad intentions.
What he lacks in length, he makes up for in having more than just a power or speed rush in his repertoire.
The appeal Ray brings is the intensity of his play. It makes it easier to overlook his solid, albeit unimpressive pro-day numbers.
Impact
Ray would be an instant replacement for Orakpo. He plays with power and has all the technique that most of the other prospects seem to still be working on. If the Redskins want a talented, polished pass-rusher, Ray is their best option.
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Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
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Let’s put it out there. The Redskins may, potentially, possibly, consider drafting Marcus Mariota if he falls past the more quarterback-needy teams ahead of them.
He isn’t the pocket passer that Jameis Winston can boast being, but he is a rare athlete at his position who excelled at Oregon.
Mariota is good at sensing trouble and making sure he doesn’t throw into impossible situations. He doesn’t have the arm strength or documented ability to read a defense, but he’s talented and better now than any of the quarterbacks drafted in 2014.
Impact
Drafting Mariota would mean the Redskins have no faith in Griffin or intend to give him a fair shake in 2015. They could set the stage for Griffin’s exit while still giving him the season to prove he’s franchise quarterback material, but you don’t draft a quarterback in the first round just in case Plan A doesn’t work out.
Most view the Redskins' interest in Mariota as a means of baiting the hook for a trade. If teams believe they’ll draft Mariota, they have to move up in order to get him, which means the Redskins get to stockpile picks.
Trade Back
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Someone is bound to be willing to pay a hefty sum for the right to draft Marcus Mariota, assuming he isn’t snapped up by either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Tennessee Titans.
Perhaps no one is as foolish as the Redskins were in giving up two future first-round picks for a quarterback, but Washington could easily net a second- or third-round pick in this year’s draft and a decent pick next year.
The Redskins can easily fill a need, as well as adhere to the best player available approach, in the middle of the first round while also acquiring extra picks.
Impact
More picks mean more opportunities for general manager Scot McCloughan to work his magic. He drafts for the future as much as the present, so it is likely that he would draft an instant starter in the first round and then a rawer prospect with the potential to blossom into a starter with the pick(s) gained.
Dante Fowler Jr., OLB, Florida
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In a draft with several top pass-rushing talents, Dante Fowler Jr. seems to be forgotten in favor of Beasley and Randy Gregory. Make no mistake about it, he’s as good as any of them and may be underrated because of the hype surrounding so many of his draft classmates.
Considering the transformation his body has undergone since he arrived at Florida, it is possible that the best is yet to come for Fowler. He can focus on refining his technique and learning the position as opposed to being a jack-of-all-trades as he was for the Gators.
Impact
The Redskins can’t really go wrong with Fowler. The knock right now would be that he relies on athleticism more than technique, but he has shown he can be coached. He is versatile and still learning his position.
If he can elevate his technique to match his athleticism, explosiveness and tenacity, he will be a dangerous pass-rusher for the Redskins.
Leonard Williams, DE, USC
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However unlikely it is that Leonard Williams will be available for the Redskins with the fifth overall pick, they would be foolish to have him fall into their lap only to pass him up.
Williams is viewed by many as the best player in this year’s draft, which could put him atop some boards that may need a quarterback more than a defensive lineman. A lineman like Williams is a rare talent who cannot be passed up under most circumstances.
Impact
If Williams happens to fall to the Redskins, they would have a raw but freakishly gifted player to mold into their Joe Barry-coached 3-4 scheme. Williams brings a different sort of versatility than veteran Jason Hatcher, but he could be used in a similar fashion to take advantage of matchups along the line.
Williams might be a redundant selection given the upgrades the Redskins have made on the defensive line this offseason. Though Barry Cofield, Stephen Bowen and Jarvis Jenkins are gone, Terrance Knighton and Ricky Jean Francois have been added, making Williams a luxury pick at this point.
Brandon Scherff, OL, Iowa
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Aside from left tackle Trent Williams, there are no unquestioned starters on the offensive line. The right side of the line in particular has been a weak spot for the Redskins for several years.
While not the sexy pick, Brandon Scherff may be the smartest pick the Redskins could make.
Scherff has the capacity to play right tackle but may be a better fit as a guard, which still works with the need on the right side of the line. With Morgan Moses and Tom Compton in line to duke it out for the starting right tackle spot, Scherff may be a better fit at right guard.
That is, unless he proves have can hack it as a right tackle, contrary to what many scouts believe.
Impact
Scherff fills a need and is the best player available at his position. He’s the best offensive lineman on the board and may not be around should the Redskins decide to trade back rather than reach for him with the fifth overall pick.
With all of the improvements made to the defense in free agency, Scherff may be the safest pick for Washington. If he doesn’t work at right tackle, it gives the team flexibility to part with Chris Chester and start Scherff.
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