6 2015 NFL Draft Picks Who Could Be Week 1 Starters for Washington Redskins

If you're a Washington Redskins fan, you should know the formula by now. A front office that is rebuilding another losing roster must use the 2015 NFL draft to find immediate help along the offensive line and defensive front seven.

Those are the areas where the 4-12 NFC East club needs opening-game starters. Fortunately, this draft class is filled with prospects at these key positions.

New general manager Scot McCloughan will have his pick of pass-rushers during the top two rounds. He should also find at least one O-lineman who takes his fancy at this stage.

If McCloughan is really smart, he'll also tab an all-action middle linebacker to join budding star Keenan Robinson and supplant the limited Perry Riley Jr.

Find out which six prospects could start Week 1 for the Redskins.

Brandon Scherff, OL, Iowa

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Iowa powerhouse Brandon Scherff is the safest and perhaps the smartest pick McCloughan could make in this draft. An Outland Trophy winner as the nation's best lineman, Scherff would instantly upgrade the interior of Washington's front five.

That's where a line that gave up 58 sacks and became soft against the run in 2014 needs the most help. Specifically, the group needs more size and aggression.

Being downright nasty is a staple of 6'5", 319-pounder Scherff's game. He'd give the Redskins more of a brutal mauler inside than veteran Chris Chester.

The 32-year-old has been routinely pushed around since arriving in Washington in 2011. Chester certainly doesn't fit the power schemes that head coach Jay Gruden and newly arrived line guru Bill Callahan are nudging the offense toward.

Gruden is expecting Callahan to bring a more "physical, downhill approach" to the ground attack, per ESPN.com's John Keim. The shift is perfect for Scherff, whom most pundits believe projects best as a guard at the pro level.

Mark Bullock of The Washington Post noted how the ex-Hawkeye "excels as a run-blocker." His presence would be a major fillip to a rushing attack that slipped to 19th last season.

The obvious question with Scherff, really the only question, is whether Washington could justify using a top-five pick to take him.

No price is too rich for a team that's been blighted by woes up front for so long. McCloughan knows the value of building from the trenches up. That's what he's done with the defense so far this offseason. Re-equipping the offensive front is the next logical step.

There's also the possibility of a trade further back in the opening round to a spot where taking a guard would be more palatable. On the other hand, McCloughan might just want to wait.

Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke

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The Redskins want more beef and more nasty up front. Step forward Laken Tomlinson, one of the most physically imposing blockers in this class.

At 6'3" and 323 pounds, this is a pure power player. Tomlinson is at his best whenever he's obliterating the man over him and creating a hole for a running back to exploit.

He creates constant movement along the line of scrimmage, usually backward motion from overmatched defenders. It's common for Tomlinson to put front-seven would-be tacklers on roller skates and drive them out of a play.

These qualities are perfect for the physical domination Gruden and McCloughan hired Callahan to produce. Gruden knows his new lineman whisperer needs a different type of blocker to make it happen, according to ESPN.com's John Keim: "We have to adjust our running game to the style we want to be, but we have to make sure we have the linemen in the building to do what we want to do."

Tomlinson is certainly the type of lineman this offense needs. Aside from the physical attributes, he also boasts intangibles any team should welcome, per CBS Sports' Dane Brugler: "Senior captain and four-year starter at right guard and very reliable. High character human being who won't take shortcuts and has a proven work ethic."

Brugler projects Tomlinson coming off the board in the second round. If Washington takes him at that stage, Tomlinson will represent one of the best value picks in this year's draft.

Opting for Tomlinson might mean avoiding using a prime first-round pick on a lineman. It would also let 2014 third-rounders, guard Spencer Long and tackle Morgan Moses, continue their development.

Or perhaps, as unlikely as this sounds, Washington's opening-game starting guards could be Scherff on the left and Tomlinson on the right. I know, pie in the sky, right? No harm in wishing, though.

Ereck Flowers, T, Miami

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

Ereck Flowers is gathering some momentum on the Washington draft radar. It makes sense considering the ex-Hurricanes tackle is a true giant with the strength and tenacity to help remake a lightweight line.

Standing 6'6" and tipping the scales at 329 pounds, Flowers is an awesome sight. He's also versatile, having played on both sides of the line at Miami.

It's at right tackle where Flowers would have immediate value in D.C. The Redskins appear content to let Tom Compton and Moses battle for the spot at the moment, per 247Sports' Jamie Oakes. Yet it's hard to believe McCloughan would pass on upgrading the talent at the position if the chance is there.

Real Redskins blogger Rich Tandler believes Flowers' frame will appeal to McCloughan, who prefers larger trench warriors. Tandler also noted the role Callahan could play in turning this raw prospect into an invaluable and accomplished starter:

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There’s no question that his technique needs a lot of work. But that’s not unusual for a player his size. His college position coach isn’t going to spend a whole lot of time coaching up a guy who can get the job done most of the time on his size and strength alone. After a season of polishing with Bill Callahan, Flowers could be a very solid right tackle for years to come.

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Yet NFL.com draft profiler Lance Zierlein raises serious questions about some of Flowers' core issues in pass protection. Specifically, Zierlein cites poor body control and balance, borne from the tendency to lean into pass-rushers and take a deeper, flatter set.

Zierlein feels these issues are so extensive Flowers may be best suited inside at guard. The Redskins will get the chance to make their own decision when they meet with Flowers, per Fox Sports' Alex Marvez.

From a pure power standpoint though, Flowers would have little trouble leapfrogging Compton and Moses on the depth chart to start Day 1 and bookend left tackle Trent Williams.

Having the patience to let Callahan develop Flowers' game is a price worth paying considering how bad this position has been since 2010.

Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska

Randy Gregory's stock may have taken a tumble in recent weeks, but there's little doubt he is a pass-rushing natural and perhaps the most classic fit for the edge of a 3-4 in this draft.

Gregory has the core physical dimensions and athletic flexibility every top edge-rusher needs. Early in the predraft process, before the bad press on Gregory went into overdrive, Bleacher Report draft pundit Matt Miller even compared him to San Francisco 49ers' rush end Aldon Smith.

It's an apt comparison given Gregory's explosion and length. He also boasts the bend, agility and coordination at speed to be a nightmare for offensive tackles.

But as B/R Analyst Michael Felder also noted, there are legitimate health concerns with Gregory. He missed extensive time at Nebraska, most notably the whole of the 2012 season while he nursed a broken leg.

What has really hurt Gregory's case is the failed drug test at the combine. It was the third time he's tested positive for marijuana use, according to NFL Media reporter Kimberly Jones.

Yet McCloughan has rolled the dice on prospects with question marks in the past. As general manager of the San Francisco 49ers, he took Frank Gore despite major concerns regarding the state of the running back's knees. This offseason, McCloughan brought cornerback Chris Culliver to Redskins Park, despite a host of off-field incidents.

Gregory's stock has dipped, but it's too soon and too easy to simply assume McCloughan will be deterred. It's certainly easier believing that if he did arrive in D.C., Gregory would be starting Week 1 for the burgundy and gold.

His skill at rushing the passer is on a different level to 2014 second-rounder Trent Murphy, as well as the raw and untested Jackson Jeffcoat.

Stephone Anthony, ILB, Clemson

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McCloughan has spent his first offseason in charge building a bigger, meaner defensive front seven. Adding former Clemson hitting machine Stephone Anthony would complete this malevolent remake.

To say Anthony hits for keeps would be an understatement. He packs a real wallop whenever he gets to the ball. He gets there often thanks to his excellent recognition skills, as well as outstanding short-area quickness and closing speed.

At 6'3" and 243 pounds, Anthony is the bigger body inside that McCloughan would likely favor over, say, Miami's 236-pound tackling terror Denzel Perryman. McCloughan was in San Francisco when the 49ers paired Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman, two big guys who can really run and hit, together.

Anthony would be a Day 1 upgrade over Riley, a linebacker who never makes as many plays as he should. Put Anthony alongside Keenan Robinson and McCloughan's new-look defense would be formidable and dynamic in the middle, particularly with massive nose tackle Terrance Knighton keeping the duo free from blockers.

CBS Sports projections put Anthony as a second- or maybe even a third-rounder. Sports Illustrated's Chris Burke has him going at the end of Round 2, 62nd overall to the Green Bay Packers. Burke describes Anthony as a player who "could be a difference-maker immediately."

The Redskins could justify beating the Packers to the punch. Robinson needs a more effective partner, and the quality of depth at inside linebacker is also threadbare.

Nate Orchard, DE, Utah

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Nate Orchard isn't exactly firmly on the Redskins radar, but there are plenty of reasons why he should be. For one thing, you don't register 18.5 sacks by accident. That's the number Orchard led the nation with in 2014, per CFBStats.com.

It's a number indicative of a natural flair for pressuring the pocket. Orchard displays that invaluable trait thanks to an innate group of skills that all quality pass-rushers must have.

CBS Sports' Dane Brugler detailed those attributes:

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Quick first step with long strides to accelerate well, routinely the first Utah lineman off the ball. Natural bend around the edge with closing burst to finish with purpose. High effort player and doesn't give up on plays, showing excellent pursuit from snap-to-snap. Subtle rush movements to set up moves, finding ways to get to the quarterback. Active and rangy for the position.

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Those are skills that playing rush linebacker in a 3-4 demands. Orchard represents a good conversion project, having already switched from wide receiver to defensive end during his collegiate days.

But he still lifted his hand off the ground long enough to wow observers while playing in space at the Senior Bowl. NFL.com College Football 24/7 writer Bryan Fischer recapped some highlights:

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The former All-American in college flashed during Wednesday and Thursday's practices in particular, and memorably snagged a screen pass for an interception during team drills one day that drew plenty of 'oohs' from NFL coaches and fellow players alike. Plays like that are one reason scouts are buzzing, and the hybrid player is earning plenty of praise from those with a close eye on him.

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Orchard also told USA Today Sports' Tom Pelissero how he had met with Pittsburgh Steelers officials, including linebackers coach Joey Porter. When a team with ties to the 3-4 as deep as the Steelers is running the rule over him, Orchard is a good bet to be a success at outside linebacker.

Washington's own 3-4 defense needs a bookend pass-rusher to complement Ryan Kerrigan. Orchard has the explosiveness to come to camp as a second- or third-rounder and beat last year's draftee Murphy to an early start.

Each of the prospects listed here represents immediate impact at core positions. Significantly, they all fit with the theme of McCloughan's first offseason running the show—namely, getting bigger and more dynamic up front.

That was the focus in free agency. Don't expect the draft to be any different.