Washington Redskins Mock Draft: Final 7 Round Predictions

By the time Scot McCloughan wraps up his first draft as general manager of the Washington Redskins, the NFC East club will be bigger along the trenches on both sides of the ball.

Adding bulk will be the key theme for a team-builder who, according to Stephen Czarda of the team's website, believes football is a "big man's game." But McCloughan will only begin the process after executing a trade in the opening round.

He'll take advantage of the depth of pass-rushers at the top of this year's class, along with the need for more pressure on other teams. Once he's secured a few extra picks, McCloughan will delve into building the beefier offensive line this offseason's change in ground schemes will demand.

This draft won't be a glamorous one for Washington. Instead, it will be an ode to one of the NFL's oldest axioms: Success starts in the trenches.

Find out whom the Redskins will pick as the countdown to the 2015 NFL draft reaches its final stage.

Round 1: Trade to Move from 5 to 8

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The Deal: Atlanta Falcons trade the eighth overall pick plus third- and fifth-rounders to move up to No. 5.

McCloughan wants extra picks. He made that clear during his most recent predraft presser, even indicating that 10 is the magic number, per CSN Washington's Rich Tandler.

He won't quite reach that figure, but he'll finish awfully close after doing a deal with the Atlanta Falcons. It's the trade pondered by MMQB's Peter King in his latest mock draft:

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On the draft-trade chart that all teams use, the 73rd pick is worth 225 points, and the jump from 8 to 5 should take 300 points. But a sixth- or seventh-round pick likely isn’t going to stop pass-rush-desperate Atlanta from jumping over Chicago to get the best pass-rusher in the draft. However—and this is a big however—I believe if the draft falls the way I have it one through four, Washington GM Scot McCloughan would also be lusting after Fowler. So McCloughan could stay right here and pick Fowler himself. I made the deal because McCloughan badly wants more picks.

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Looking at the Walter Football trade value chart, King's idea fits pretty close to what's required to move three spots in Round 1. This chart puts the cost of Atlanta's third-rounder, the 73rd overall pick, at 230 points, while their fifth-rounder carries a value of 38 points. Let's say that McCloughan gets tough in the negotiations, he could also command a sixth-rounder next year to sweeten the pot. That haul would take likely Atlanta just shy or just over the 300 points needed to make the jump this year.

But why are the Falcons moving up, and whom do they want? NFL Media's Albert Breer has already detailed how an "impact defender" is the object of the NFC South club's affections.

D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is a little more specific, believing the player to be Florida's versatile rush end Dante Fowler Jr. It makes sense given Fowler's connection to new Falcons head coach Dan Quinn.

Fowler detailed how Quinn, who tutored Fowler in college, was a major influence, per Mike Jones of The Washington Post:

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[Quinn] was the type of guy who would sit me down like I was his son and we would go over film. He showed me what I was doing wrong. And he’d show up a clip of how to do it the right way because I’m a visual type learner. He’s a player’s coach type of guy. You couldn’t ask for more.

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Jones also pointed out how Quinn has remained a major fan of the ex-Gators ace who'd be a great fit for a dire defense that registered a pitiful 22 sacks during 2014. Quinn ran a multiple-front scheme for the Seattle Seahawks, a defense based on the movement of a flexible, roving edge-rusher. Fowler will help him re-create that formula in Atlanta. That's why the Falcons, who've rarely been shy about trading up under the current regime, make this deal.

Of course, a lot will depend on how the draft falls during the first four picks, in terms of whether or not Fowler stays on the board. For that to happen you have to make a few assumptions here, but they are safe ones.

The first is that the Tennessee Titans cannot possibly overlook quarterback Marcus Mariota with the No. 2 pick. A team that went 2-14 a year ago, guided by a regime already under intense pressure, surely can't believe that starting Zach Mettenberger under center is a wise policy.

Yet even if the Titans do waver on Mariota, it's reasonable to bet they'll take a deal to move out of the second spot from a team who really wants the ex-Oregon dual-threat signal-caller.

That deal likely comes from the Cleveland Browns. Mark Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain-Dealer has already indicated how GM Ray Farmer would be willing to deal away the 12th and 19th selections for the chance to get Mariota.

That's a deal the Redskins might want, according to NFL.com Media Insider Ian Rapoport. But it's more reasonable to suppose that the Browns bypass Washington altogether and move to the prime spot where they know they'll get their man.

There have been conflicting reports that the Browns will do exactly that. ESPN's Pat McManamon says Cleveland has already made the offer, while ESPN's Paul Kuharsky says they haven't.

Either way, it's good news for the Redskins. If the Titans don't make the deal, the chances of the Music City club taking Mariota increase. If they do, there's only one player the Browns are trading up for.

That means Fowler will still be in play for the Falcons. Assuming of course, he gets past the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Fowler himself indicated that he'd be "stunned" if the AFC South outfit didn't call his name third overall, per Hays Carlyon of The Florida Times-Union. It's the same reasoning as Atlanta's interest in Fowler.

Jags boss Gus Bradley, like Quinn, is another former Seahawks defensive coordinator. He also runs a hybrid scheme reliant on multifaceted pass-rushers like Fowler who lined up everywhere in college.

But where these dots don't quite connect is that the Jags actually had a pretty decent pass rush in 2014, logging 45 sacks. Veterans Sen'Derrick Marks and Chris Clemons accounted for 16.5 of those, while Clemons' fellow rush end Ryan Davis showed a lot of promise, collecting 6.5 sacks himself.

Where the Jags really need to get better is at the other defensive tackle spot, next to Marks. Specifically, Bradley's 27th-ranked run defense needs some more bulk.

That's why it's very difficult to believe that Jacksonville passes on D-tackle Leonard Williams. CBS Sports' Rob Rang doesn't think that the Jags can afford to.

Williams has also been linked to the Redskins by the NFL Network's Mike Mayock. But McCloughan has remained tepid on the possibility of adding the one-time USC athletic marvel, per Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith. McCloughan cites the strength of the current D-line rotation, a group amply bolstered by the arrivals of veterans Stephen Paea, Terrance Knighton and Ricky Jean Francois during free agency.

Williams is an incredible talent, but his effort doesn't always correspond with his ability. In particular, lateral pursuit is as good as nonexistent.

Williams has all the natural gifts he's ever going to need to be an NFL great. Whether he makes the grade will depend largely on working with the right coach in the right program from day one.

Considering that Jay Gruden and Joe Barry would be his immediate mentors in D.C., it's tough to argue that Washington represents the best initial landing spot for the former Trojans standout.

Finally, just to complete the picture, the Oakland Raiders are strong candidates to use the fourth pick on wide receiver Amari Cooper, at least if the coaching staff gets its way, according to B/R draft analyst Matt Miller.

So the Redskins and Falcons should be left to complete a very sensible trade. Atlanta gets Fowler, while McCloughan and Washington receive two additional picks, extra choices in the third and fifth rounds.

Phew, glad all that's out the way. Everybody up to speed? Right, let's get into what McCloughan will do with his nine selections.

Round 1, Pick 8: Alvin "Bud" Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky

McCloughan has made finding a pass-rusher his top priority in this draft, per Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith:

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A pass rusher, that’s the most important thing. They’re hard to find. We’re very lucky to have Ryan [Kerrigan] on the team, he’s one of those players, and hopefully not just in the first but throughout this draft we’ll add more pass rushers.

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With Fowler off the board, Alvin "Bud" Dupree best fits the mold for what McCloughan wants at the position. To no great surprise, it's a mold based on one thing: size.

Real Redskins blogger Rich Tandler believes McCloughan's preference for bigger players at the edges of a defense rules out fleet-of-foot, lightweight speed-rusher Vic Beasley, a popular choice in many mock drafts:

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His Redskins stock dropped some on Monday. In order to be a top prospect as a pass rusher, 'You need to have speed and you need to have quickness but you also need to have power,' said McCloughan. 'If you get all three, now you’re talking about a really good prospect.' Beasley lacks the power. There likely is some interest in Beasley but probably not at No. 5.

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Standing 6'4" and weighing 269 pounds, Dupree certainly has the power. He'd naturally bring more bulk to the edges of both the base and sub packages than the 6'3", 246-pound Beasley would.

Getting bigger at the edges isn't an empty promise in Washington. Why else would 2014's second-round pick Trent Murphy be bulking up? The former Stanford man has been adding pounds to his frame, per Cazarda.

Dupree would be one more beefy bookend for a rotation headlined by the increasingly dominant Ryan Kerrigan. While 2011's first-rounder is the finished product, both Murphy and Dupree still have a ways to go.

As an ex-basketball prospect, Dupree boasts the type of athletic range that makes coaches and scouts drool. He combines his strength with natural flexibility and deceptive first-step quickness.

The 7.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss he accounted for in 2014, per CFBStats.com, are excellent numbers for an athlete still learning the nuances of his position. Then there's the one interception, two forced fumbles and one blocked kick—obvious evidence of the flair for playmaking all defensive prospects should be judged by.

Just imagine what Dupree will do once he really learns the ropes. Yet having to wait for that transition has some believing that Dupree is overvalued. NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah is among them, citing the potential-over-production argument, even though he's convinced that the player will go in the top 10.

But the wait needn't bother the Redskins. Thanks to the presence of Murphy, Washington is one team able to afford some patience for a prospect like Dupree to develop.

This defense needs more pressure after last season's 36 sacks and the decision to let Brian Orakpo walk. Whether that pressure initially comes from an improvement by Murphy, or if Dupree proves a quick study, or both those things happen, it's a win-win-win for Washington.

To those who believe that the eighth pick is too high for a project, that's exactly where the NFL Network's Mike Mayock has Dupree coming off the board. In Mayock's scenario, Dupree goes to, you guessed it, the Falcons.

But Washington's interest in the player is real. It can't be anything else after the team sent the entire defensive staff to meet with Dupree, per Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.

Of course, there are a lot of smokescreens at this point in the pre-draft process. But if the Redskins really wanted to go through the motions, they wouldn't have made the trip, certainly not with a full entourage.

That visit seemed more about earning a full and final breakdown of exactly what the team will be getting when Dupree comes off the board.

Round 2, Pick 38: Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke

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McCloughan isn't even attempting to hide the fact that he wants a bigger offensive line. Specifically, he wants the group to bulk up along the interior, per Liz Clarke of The Washington Post:

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At guard, among Washington’s more pressing needs, he wants size (320 pounds or more), a mauler’s nastiness and consistency. That dovetails nicely with the qualities prized by Bill Callahan, the offensive coordinator who Washington lured away from Dallas this off-season.

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'What our plans are is power . . . in-line power,' McCloughan said, explaining why he likes massive guards. 'We want to be able to run the football; it’s very important. It sets up everything else for us.'

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That puts guard, not right tackle, as more of a pressing need on draft day. It's a need which can be amply answered by the arrival of Laken Tomlinson.

There probably isn't a smarter, more natural power-based blocker in this draft than the ex-Duke behemoth. Tomlinson's 6'3", 323-pound frame fits with McCloughan's grand plan.

So does his talent for knocking defenders off the ball and clearing running lanes you or I could run through. It was not uncommon at Duke to see Tomlinson put a D-lineman on roller skates or splatter a linebacker at the second level, while a grateful running back ran to daylight behind him.

For those wondering exactly where he'd fit, just cast your minds back to any play involving Chris Chester over the last four years. Are you seeing it yet? That's right, Tomlinson would be an instant upgrade on the lightweight 32-year-old set to significantly drain this season's cap.

He might even push last season's free-agent booby prize, Shawn Lauvao out of the lineup on the left side.

Wherever he aligns best, Tomlinson is a steal at this stage and represents a dream fit for the schemes of new O-line coach Bill Callahan.

Round 3, Pick 69: Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska

Yes, it's that time again. Taking Ameer Abdullah off the board in Round 3 would be one of the best moves McCloughan makes on draft day.

It would finally give this offense the one thing that the unit lacks at the skill-position level, namely an explosive and versatile backfield weapon. Abdullah, with his game-breaking speed as a runner, along with his matchup-nightmare-inducing skills as a receiver, is exactly that.

The former Cornhuskers sensation won't just be limited to third-down duty, although he will provide a major fillip on football's money down. Abdullah will also offer the complement that the running game will need to help rebound from last season's dismal 19th-overall ranking.

Defenses worn down by Alfred Morris' brute force won't fancy the challenge of then dragging their bruised bodies to chase blink-of-an-eye-fast Abdullah in space. Once he's stretched and gassed out a front seven, defenders will be calling for mercy when Morris returns to bring more thump.

That's the kind of contrast in styles Gruden favored as offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013. Then it was dynamic rookie Giovani Bernard providing the lightning alongside veteran BenJarvus Green-Ellis' thunder.

But Abdullah's biggest impact could be as a quick and easy outlet for the quarterbacks in D.C. Robert Griffin III can make safer, smarter decisions if he knows that he can simply dump the ball off to a backfield speedster who will turn the play into a big gain.

ESPN Insiders Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. put together a three-round mock which included the former sending Abdullah to Redskins Park. In terms of what it would mean for every level of the offense, this would be one of the best value picks of the entire draft.

Round 3, Pick 73: Tre' Jackson, G/C, Florida State

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Remember what McCloughan said about the need for bigger guards? Don't make me use the Clarke quotes again.

With the pick earned from the trade with Atlanta, McCloughan adds another significant building block to the kind of massive front five Gruden and Callahan want. Significant is indeed the word to describe 6'4", 330-pound Tre' Jackson.

The former Florida State standout can play both center and guard and would give Callahan the option of beefing up both positions. Veteran anchorman Kory Lichtensteiger is effective over the ball but still weighs just 296 pounds. Jackson would provide instant and tough competition for the 30-year-old.

But even if he weren't to become Washington's new man in the middle, Jackson would put Chester and Lauvao's respective statuses under threat. That's another win-win for the Redskins.

Jackson is as adept blocking for the run as he is repelling pressure in pass protection, having spent 2014 protecting prospective first overall pick Jameis Winston.

This is a natural and technically solid interior mauler whom Callahan could soon mold into a starter at any one of three positions. With Tomlinson and Jackson in the fold, Washington's transition to a power-based offense would be a quick one.

Round 4, Pick 105: Daryl Williams, OT, Oklahoma

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McCloughan adds the final piece to his necessary makeover of last season's dire offensive line. In the process, he finally gets a natural right tackle.

That's just what Daryl Williams is, according to Sports Illustrated's Doug Farrar: "At 6'5" and 327 pounds, Williams looks and plays like the right tackle you'd find if you looked the term up in the dictionary."

A natural for the position would certainly be welcome for the Redskins. The franchise has consistently made the mistake of trying to slot conversion projects into the position during the last five years.

But out of Jammal Brown, Tyler Polumbus, Tom Compton and Morgan Moses, none has made the grade. That the latter pair are currently set to compete for the starting job, per 247Sports.com's Jamie Oakes, shows bad history repeating itself once again.

At least with Williams, Washington would get an aggressive blocker comfortable on the right. He'd blow the battle between Compton and Moses wide open. With Williams around, one of that duo would become the obvious and necessary backup to Trent Williams on the left side.

Adding a third man-mountain in four picks wouldn't necessarily guarantee an improvement to the line that gave up 58 sacks last season. But 2015's front would certainly be bigger, something that the running game would surely benefit from.

Round 5, Pick 141: Durell Eskridge, FS, Syracuse

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McCloughan wisely adds a true free safety with the first of his two fifth-round selections. He opts for Durell Eskridge here, once again because of those familiar themes: size and physicality.

This 6'3" 208-pounder offers both. NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein commends Eskridge for playing with "enough desire as a tackler."

That's likely to be an important consideration for McCloughan, given his history of helping construct physically punishing defensive backfields with both the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks.

Eskridge would be the junior thumper in waiting behind newly acquired veteran Dashon Goldson, another free safety who likes to pack a wallop. This pick would ensure solid depth at a position short on numbers, in stark contrast to that of strong safety.

Round 5, Pick 146: Craig Mager, CB, Texas State

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McCloughan uses the final pick he earned in trade to get a cornerback with some potential to crossover to safety. Craig Mager fits the bill nicely as a 5'11" 201-pounder who plays with a tenacious streak.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein quoted an unnamed NFC director of player personnel detailing what recommends Mager: 

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I wanted to make him a safety because of how physical he is, but after seeing him in person, he may not be big enough. He's not as fast as you want, but he's a player and he's really, really tough.

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The Redskins may disagree with the assessment about Mager not being bulky enough to play safety. Unless, of course, the unnamed director works in Washington.

But the former Texas State star seems like a good fit as a sub-package corner who could maybe work the slot. He's got excellent ball skills, with CBS Sports' Dane Brugler noting Mager's numbers at the collegiate level: "47 passes defended, eight interceptions in his career."

Cornerback isn't the pressing need that it appeared to be before McCloughan signed Chris Culliver and kept DeAngelo Hall in town. But depth is still questionable.

David Amerson and Tracy Porter hardly inspire confidence, so adding a potential late-round gem like Mager makes a lot of sense.

Round 6, Pick 182: Jeff Luc, ILB, Cincinnati

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Speaking of late-round potential, Jeff Luc just might be a sleeper. A beefy thumper out of Cincinnati, Luc has the size to work well at the heart of a 3-4 front.

The 6'1" 256-pounder has the size of a classic middle linebacker. He can be a force between the A-gaps as a fierce hitter running backs would want to avoid.

But Luc isn't just about sticking his head into the trenches. He can also play in space. Sports Illustrated's Chris Burke noted as much when he identified Luc as a standout at the Senior Bowl

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Despite looking every little bit of that 263, the Cincinnati linebacker still flashed impressive movement during practice. Luc was able to turn and run with the North's running backs, save for one takedown of Ameer Abdullah during a pass route.

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Luc would bring some much-needed physicality to the middle of Washington's defense. Perry Riley Jr. certainly didn't offer the same quality last season. The veteran would be wise to expect a fierce challenge for playing time from Luc, should McCloughan make this call.

Round 7, Pick 228: A.J. Tarpley, ILB, Stanford

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The Redskins hoped for a special teams bonanza and strong inside linebacker depth when they added veterans Akeem Jordan, Darryl Sharpton and Adam Hayward last offseason.

Sadly, things didn't work out that way. Both Jordan and Sharpton are no longer with the team.

McCloughan can get things right in this area and finally give football's third phase the boost it needs in Washington if he follows the selection of Luc by taking A.J. Tarpley to close out his draft.

The Redskins showed interest in the savvy and versatile linebacker at his pro day, per DraftInsider.net's Tony Pauline, writing for Walter Football. Following up on that interest would upgrade the team's depth, currently only offered by uninspiring pair Will Compton and Steve Beauharnais.

But Tarpley's arrival would also help a special teams unit that only managed a marginal improvement in 2014.

This is a smart pick to conclude a draft.

No Stars, Just a Solid First Step Toward a Winning Foundation

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This draft wouldn't stand out for its marquee studs or star power. But it would represent a positive first step toward building a winner the right way, namely, from the trenches up.

It may not sound particularly exciting, but that's how the best team-builders do it. McCloughan has already been doing just that, according to former NFL GM and current ESPN analyst Bill Polian, via Liz Clarke of The Washington Post:

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You’ll have a better understanding and feel for it when we see what they [do] in the draft. But it’s going to be meat and potatoes, which is the right way to go about it.

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The only ode to the spectacular McCloughan may make is in the opening round. He could easily justify taking Brandon Scherff off the board, particularly if he trades away from No. 5. That would satisfy the desire for bigger guards to underpin a power-based blocking scheme.

But the need for more sacks and greater pressure up front defensively will likely trump that with McCloughan's first pick. As this mock shows, he can also count on finding the mammoth road-graders he needs a little later on.

While this mock relies on a trade with Atlanta, it's important to note that the Falcons represent just one of many potential deal-seeking suitors. That could be significant, since the NFC South outfit is reportedly working on a trade for Seattle rush linebacker Bruce Irvin, per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.

Yet it's not as simple as assuming that Irvin's arrival means the end of Atlanta's interest in Fowler.

But whatever deal McCloughan does or doesn't work for extra picks, his first draft for the Burgundy and Gold has to be about installing the right building blocks along the fronts on both sides of the ball.

It's a strategy that probably won't wow pundits or fans, but their tune will change once a stronger, more solid team sees the benefits on the field.