Washington Redskins' 2015 Draft Class Increases Pressure on RG3 to Deliver

Robert Griffin III is unique among quarterbacks in the NFL. No other passer could stumble through two diabolical seasons and not only keep his job but also continue enjoying the benefit of having a team built around him.

The Washington Redskins' 2015 NFL draft class reaffirmed the franchise's commitment to getting the most from Griffin. Of the 10 picks expended by new general manager Scot McCloughan, three were offensive linemen, while a running back adept in pass protection and a sure-handed slot receiver joined them.

In case Griffin didn't know it, the pressure on him to deliver has increased. The Redskins have worked to make sure all of the things that have held Griffin back won't hinder him any longer.

It starts with top pick Brandon Scherff. An Outland Trophy winner as a left tackle at Iowa, Scherff will convert to the right side in D.C., according to head coach Jay Gruden, per Mike Jones of The Washington Post.

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The idea is a simple one. By using Scherff as a bookend for a line that only counts left tackle Trent Williams as a quality incumbent, the Redskins hope to give Griffin more time in the pocket.

He'll certainly need it. An inability to make quick reads has been the main failing of 2012's second overall pick. Reading defenses and taking what coverage gives him often seem like alien concepts.

Put that hesitancy and confusion together with a sieve-like O-line, which allowed 58 sacks last season, and you have a passing game destined to remain grounded. Scherff's arrival could quickly change all that.

It would also help if somebody could emerge to take the starting right guard job away from Chris Chester. Gruden has indicated 2014 third-rounder Spencer Long could get the chance, per ESPN's John Keim.

But perhaps 2015 fourth-rounder Arie Kouandjio will also feature. He plays with a mean streak and the power to quickly bolster the interior. Pass protection on the inside has been a major issue during recent seasons.

Of course, even if Scherff solidifies things out on the edge and changes are made along the interior, the onus remains on Griffin to do his part.

ESPN's Jason Reid, who believes Griffin is out of excuses thanks to McCloughan's line-heavy draft, sums it up perfectly: "Considering what McCloughan has done to help Griffin, the Redskins should expect much better results from a player who has delivered more catchy slogans than victories recently. Here's one that seems fitting: No more excuses."

The key to Griffin living up to his end will be the work the player himself does to correct his (many) fundamental flaws. According to Gruden, that has to start at the mental level, per Tom Schad of The Washington Times:

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Every quarterback in the National Football League, whether you’re 39 years old or 24 years old or 25, you have to continue to work on your fundamentals every offseason. He’s got to do that. Then, from the Xs and Os part of it, you know, that’s just something he’s going to have to work through and figure out how to do it.

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Yet as much film study as Griffin needs to do, Gruden has to meet him halfway. That was a major problem last season. And if Gruden expects rapid growth from the quarterback he inherited, he must make changes to his playbook.

Making quicker, safer throws from the pocket usually demands plays designed to target receivers in space via short throws. It's the easiest way to build confidence and establish rhythm under center.

In this context, it's easy to explain the decision to take diminutive wide receiver Jamison Crowder off the board in Round 4. McCloughan emphasized the former Duke star's route-running ability and his potential fit in the offense, per Tom Schad of The Washington Times:

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Excellent. Excellent. For an undersized guy he has a chip on his shoulder. He’s a really good punt returner and he is a receiver first, punt returner second. He’s going to come in here and you put him in the slot and he’ll be tough to cover. He’s a football player.

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A small and slight speedster from the slot can often be a quarterback's best friend. Players such as Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Lance Moore and Tavon Austin have helped define and reshape this vital role during recent years.

Receivers who consistently escape coverage underneath are natural get-out-of-trouble and beat-the-pressure outlets. But their ability to outrun coverage is just as important. It's a quality that often turns those short and safe passes into big gains—welcome news for any quarterback.

Crowder offers all of these key talents. They are skills Gruden has to make a feature of the playbook. In fact, Mark Bullock of The Washington Post has described how the coach might do it:

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Crowder has incredibly quick feet. He doesn’t have blazing deep speed, but has an outstanding burst to get off the snap and can cut on a dime. He’s the type of wide receiver that you run bubble and tunnel screens for, getting the ball in his hands quickly and allowing him to make defenders miss.

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Fortunately, Gruden already knows how to utilize this type of receiver the right way. He used a similar template to help Andrew Hawkins develop into an invaluable niche player for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hawkins, a 5'7", 180-pound pint-sized pace merchant, caught 51 passes for 533 yards, including four touchdowns, in Gruden's offense during the 2012 season. Many of his catches came on the short dumpoffs that allowed Hawkins to use his speed in the open field.

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

That can involve screen passes, both those aimed toward the flats and those ones targeting the middle zones, along with quick slants to let Crowder run free behind the linebacker level. Thankfully, Gruden's Redskins are a team well equipped to clear out the underneath so a slot receiver can thrive.

With DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon stretching coverage vertically on the outside, Crowder should find plenty of room over the middle or at least regularly face favorable matchups.

It's a combination that could produce the type of coverage-beating advantage Washington hoped for last season. Then-general manager Bruce Allen added Andre Roberts via free agency and used a fifth-round pick on Ryan Grant.

But Roberts, despite his speed, struggled to make a meaningful impact; he was far from reliable on football's money down. Crowder's arrival puts the former Arizona Cardinals third receiver's place under threat, according to Mike Jones of The Washington Post.

While Grant deserves more opportunities, there's no doubt he lacks the quickness to produce big plays consistently once he gets the ball in his hands. Crowder's addition seems set to change the passing game significantly.

In an ironic twist, Gruden, who's favored attacking defenses deep as a play-caller, needs to shorten the field for Griffin. Crowder will be a key figure in the modified version of the West Coast offense the Redskins will run in the new season.

But perhaps the most notable riff on last season's formula will be the increased reliance on the running game. Getting back to basics on the ground has been one of the dominant themes for Washington throughout this offseason.

Bill Callahan has arrived from the Dallas Cowboys to switch the line schemes from a reliance on zone techniques to power-based principles. The shift in philosophy was no doubt a primary motivation in the decisions to draft Scherff and Kouandjio.

The Redskins are getting bigger up front. They are also adding bulk to the backfield in the form of 6'2", 231-pound bruiser Matt Jones.

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It was significant McCloughan used a third-rounder to take the ex-Florida power back. He's an ideal fit for the new straight-ahead, smashmouth rushing schemes.

The increased emphasis on the ground attack may make it seem as though McCloughan's draft is about easing the pressure on Griffin. After all, quarterbacks who get to lean on a consistent, clock-eating running game are usually more efficient.

The luxury of being able to pick their spots against defenses in run-first mode, as well as putting the ball in the air less, naturally reduces the risk of mistakes. Throwing into undermanned coverage, where linebackers are caught peeking into the backfield, creates open targets and easier throws.

It's the same blueprint McCloughan used to try and get the best out Alex Smith with the San Francisco 49ers. After drafting Smith first overall in 2005, McCloughan also added workhorse runner Frank Gore and began assembling a powerful offensive line, one that eventually counted a high draft pick in left tackle Joe Staley as its cornerstone.

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The run-heavy structure that protected the man under center eventually earned Smith a trip to the NFC title game, albeit after McCloughan had left town. As such, perhaps there's less onus on Griffin in 2015, right?

Well, it's not so simple. In fact, the safer, quarterback-friendly offense McCloughan and Gruden are planning for this season could ultimately serve as the final indictment of Griffin as a pro-worthy starter.

Teams built on stout defense and a strong running game can become winners quickly, but they usually only go so far. When they eventually fail, the first person blamed is the quarterback, apparently limited after spending all season as merely functional rather than decisive in his team's success.

If the once-dynamic, dual-threat sensation who dominated the NFL as a rookie can't make the grade as a game manager, there won't be many options left for fixing him.

In some ways, McCloughan's first draft in charge looks like Washington's last roll of the dice to make Griffin the quarterback they hoped they were getting in 2012. The pieces are in place for him to get better in his fourth season, but if he can't, Griffin won't be able to hide behind a crumbling O-line and unbalanced play-calling too skewed toward the pass.

All statistics via NFL.com.