Ideal First-Round Fits for Washington Redskins in 2017 NFL Draft
The 2017 NFL Draft's first round is going to be loaded with ideal fits for the Washington Redskins' primary areas of need. It means there is no way team president Bruce Allen will have an excuse for not landing a first-day starter at either running back, safety, inside linebacker, pass-rusher or along the defensive line.
Fortunately, Allen's job will be made easier by the rewards Washington reaped in free agency. Those rewards included already bolstering the defensive front with two new starters.
A playmaker was also added at wide receiver, while a veteran presence will help shore up the safety spots. The Redskins even managed to boost their depth at both outside linebacker and wideout thanks to a pair of recent additions.
These moves mean Allen's best bet would be to use the 17th-overall pick in the first round on a running back or a middle linebacker. Choosing either makes the most sense, but Allen may not be able to resist loading up in the trenches and on the edges.
Find out which eight draft prospects represent ideal fits for Washington in the first round.
Christian McCaffrey, RB. Stanford
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It's no secret the Redskins need a running back. Actually, it's more accurate to say Washington needs a credible running game, the kind of ground attack that can only be legitimized by landing a true feature back.
Stanford's Christian McCaffrey fits the bill as an every down bell-cow, provided he's put into the right system at the pro level. The right system for McCaffrey is one tailored to letting him run on designed zone plays to take advantage of his cutback skills.
However, McCaffrey's optimum pro offense must also make room for his flair as a pass-catcher. He recently displayed his niche ability in the passing game during Stanford's pro day, per Bleacher Report's Matt Miller: "McCaffrey did work at both running back and wide receiver, showing off his hands and route-running ability."
Fortunately, the Redskins are already an ideal fit for McCaffrey at the conceptual level. Specifically, head coach Jay Gruden's offense is loaded with concepts sure to maximize a pass-catching back in space.
Yet for all his affinity with the pass, Gruden is never afraid to keep the chains moving on the ground if the situation demands it. What he needs to make the latter predilection work is a genuine mudder in the running game, a tireless workhorse who can run inside and keep defenses honest.
McCaffrey proved he had those abilities during his years with the Cardinal. The proof is in the 253 times he lugged the rock for Stanford in 2016, per cfbstats.com. McCaffrey turned those rushing attempts into 1,603 yards, with an average of 6.34 yards a carry, along with 13 touchdowns.
There are those concerned about McCaffrey's lack of elite size, though. Among them, Adam Uribes of Scout.com's Mile High Huddle isn't sure McCaffrey would stay on the field for all three downs in the NFL:
"McCaffrey's size is a concern. Coming in at just under 6 feet tall and weighing 202 pounds at the Combine, McCaffrey doesn’t project as a bell-cow type back at the pro level. Keeping that in mind, while McCaffrey did post respectable numbers in his 40-yard dash time and vertical leap, he was only able to bench press 225 pounds 10 times.
For anyone who counters that point, saying that he won’t be used as traditional running back in the pros — and should be used more in line with how a James White is in New England, that’s a given. McCaffrey has shown great skill in catching the ball and his acceleration, quickness and overall vision has the potential of making him a commodity in the slot.
That being said, is it wise to draft a player who will only see the field 25 percent of the time during his rookie season?
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Uribes' point is well taken, but McCaffrey spent his collegiate career showing how he can stand up to a heavy and demanding workload. He has the right mix of toughness and intelligence to quickly become a lead runner in the pros.
McCaffrey to the Broncos has been a popular pre-draft notion since the runner is the son of former Denver receiver Ed McCaffrey, who won two Super Bowls in Mile High country. However, the Redskins could undercut the Broncos by snatching McCaffrey three picks earlier.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. (h/t Adam Schefter of ESPN) believes it's a move the Burgundy and Gold will make at the end of April.
It wouldn't be a flashy selection to get pulses racing, but picking McCaffrey would give Washington a dependable and versatile back to build a new-look running game around.
Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
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If the Redskins don't believe McCaffrey has the "it" factor to make an instant impact, the team may take a chance on Florida State's Dalvin Cook. Picking Cook at 17 would be a gamble, not because of his talent, which is considerable, but his work during the pre-draft process has been shaky at best.
Cook's issues began with a lackluster performance at the Scouting Combine. Cook posted meagre numbers during workouts in Indianapolis, per Safid Deen of the Orlando Sentinel: "Cook, who is widely considered a first-round pick for the draft, ran a 4.50 unofficial time in both of his attempts, which came after relatively underwhelming measurements in the vertical leap (30.5") and broad jump (9’8")."
Yet Cook's college coach, Jimbo Fisher, urged scouts to look past the numbers from Indy, according to another report from Deen. Fisher has a point since his former workhorse often showed up big on the field for the Seminoles.
In fact, it is better to ignore one set of numbers, those at the combine, and instead cast an eye over Cook's statistics from his playing days. CSN Mid-Atlantic's JP Finlay recently outlined Cook's gaudy numbers from his time as the runner of choice at Florida State: "Cook posted nearly 5,400 total yards to go with 48 touchdowns in three seasons as a Seminole."
Numbers like those are no doubt why NFL Media analyst Bucky Brooks thinks Cook is the right fit for Washington at 17. Getting Cook would mean the Redskins starting the new season with a genuine bluechip runner ready to lead the ground game from day one.
Cook would bring punishing power to inside runs, along with the legitimate speed to break big plays on the outside. Those are core skills for NFL-ready backs, but the combination of both is hard to find.
Factor in Cook's talents as a receiver out of the backfield, and the Redskins may get themselves a true feature workhorse for the cost of the 17th-overall pick. It would be a small price to pay for the balance a motivated Cook would bring to an already potent offense.
Budda Baker, S, Washington
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Many may consider Washington ball hawk Budda Baker a reach with the 17th pick. But he might just be the ideal answer as the type of safety the Redskins need to add this offseason.
Specifically, Baker is a true centerfielder who has an opportunistic streak and a knack for playmaking. He displayed the latter skill routinely during his final year with the Huskies.
Baker was in on two interceptions, three sacks, 10 tackles for loss, defended six passes and forced a fumble, according to cfbstats.com. Baker's habit of getting his hands on the ball makes him stand out above some of the more touted prospects at the position.
In particular, Michigan's Jabrill Peppers has been a popular pick for the Redskins in mock drafts. Recently, both Chad Reuter and Daniel Jeremiah of the league's official website sent Peppers to Washington at 17. So did Peter Schrager of Fox Sports.
There is no doubt Peppers is an athletic phenomenon. But he has hardly shown a propensity for making plays, particularly in coverage. Peppers managed just one interception and didn't break up a single pass in 2016, per cfbstats.com.
Of course, Peppers' versatility is what attracts most since he can play a variety of spots on both sides of the ball. He played linebacker and safety for the Wolverines, as well as featuring at running back and wide receiver. Peppers is also adept at playing in the slot.
However, the Redskins are one team who should be put off by the jack of all trades nature of Peppers' game. After all, Washington used a high draft pick on one multi-use hybrid last year when they drafted Su'a Cravens in the second round.
Now the franchise needs a true safety, preferably a free safety with range to complement either Cravens or free-agent signing D.J. Swearinger, one of whom should play more of a box role in 2017.
Since LSU's Jamal Adams and Ohio State's Malik Hooker are both likely to be gone by the time Allen makes his first pick, Baker makes sense as the last remaining true free safety left on the board in the first round.
Baker recently showed off the skills the Redskins have missed at the position for too long. He wowed crowds with his speed and flexibility during Washington's pro day, according to Rob Rang of CBS Sports: "He also made several outstanding catches, catching up to passes that seemed out of his reach due to his rare straight-line speed (4.45 at the combine) for his position. Baker’s quick feet, loose hips and acceleration could earn him late first-round consideration as teams feel that he can play both nickel cornerback and safety."
Baker will enter this draft boasting the core attributes Washington's secondary needs at the heart of its last line in the upcoming season.
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Haason Reddick, DE/OLB, Temple
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There is usually a late riser on boards when the draft gets nearer. This year it's Haason Reddick. The versatile former Temple defender is now firmly in the first-round conversation, something that should please the Redskins.
Reddick fits for Washington at 17 because of his natural rush skills. He was a prolific destroyer of quarterbacks during his collegiate days, logging 10.5 sacks in 2016, per cfbstats.com. Frankly, scouts should be just as impressed by Reddick's 22.5 tackles for loss, per the same source.
At his base level, Reddick is born to thrive rushing the passer off the edge. It is an innate ability that should make it easier to define Reddick's best position once he reaches the big league.
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has already lauded Reddick's ability to create pressure from both a three-point stance or standing up. Others aren't so sure about Reddick's ability to stand up outside in the pros, though.
CSN Mid-Atlantic's Rich Tandler is among the doubters: "]Reddick] doesn’t have the bulk to compete on the edge in the NFL so he will be either an outside linebacker in a 4-3 or an inside backer in a 3-4."
However, Tandler may be paying too much heed to Reddick's physical dimensions. Sure, his 6'1" and 237-pound frame doesn't exactly suggest he could handle the point of attack on the edge. Yet there are notable examples of undersized players flourishing on the outside in the NFL.
Perhaps the best example is Pittsburgh Steelers' veteran James Harrison. He has recorded 81.5 career sacks and won a pair of Super Bowls, despite standing a mere 6'0" and tipping the scales at just 243 pounds.
If you want a more recent example, how about Vic Beasley? The 246-pounder (probably a generous figure) logged 15.5 sacks in his second season with the Atlanta Falcons, usually winning with speed off the edge.
Reddick has displayed similar potential to do the same thing in the right pro defense. He starred off the edge last year, according to Pro Football Focus: "Led all 3-4 OLBs (third among all FBS edge players) in pass-rush productivity from the left side (31 total pressures on 127 rushes with eight sacks)."
Washington and its 3-4 scheme under new coordinator Greg Manusky would be the right defense for Reddick. He would join a rotation of outside pass-rushers littered with question marks, especially those concerning Junior Galette's health, Preston Smith's consistency and Trent Murphy's suspension.
Some quality early showings from Reddick would soon see him overtake the rest and become the bookend edge-rusher the outstanding Ryan Kerrigan has needed for too long.
Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
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The Redskins deserved to score points for the way they went about fortifying a weak as mush defensive line during free agency. Stacy McGee was added as a run-stuffing end, while fellow new arrival Terrell McClain may be the most underrated 0-technique in football.
McClain should play over the ball in Washington after being poached from bitter NFC East rivals the Dallas Cowboys. He can finally give the Redskins what they have missed since switching to the 3-4 back in 2010, namely a competent and disruptive nose tackle.
With McClain in the middle and McGee on one edge, Washington are one more new piece away from fielding a formidable D-line in 2017. Drafting Malik McDowell in the first round would be a good way to complete the picture.
McDowell would give the Redskins a natural five-technique end. In other words, he would two-gap on the edge, taking care of both the B-gap between a tackle and guard as well as the C-gap on the outside shoulder of a tackle.
McDowell can handle this rare skill because of his 6'6" and 295-pound frame. Add in long arms and an innate aggressive streak, and McDowell is an ideal fit for the unfashionable work in the trenches on a 3-4 team.
He would also be a useful weapon in nickel sets when he'd slide inside to play a three-technique role. Such a role may not be ideally suited to a player who didn't put up gaudy numbers with the Spartans in 2016.
In fact, McDowell only registered 1.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss during his final year at Michigan State, per cfbstats.com. Meagre numbers like those may deter many from drafting McDowell, but lack of tangible production wouldn't be a problem if he was asked to play 3-4 end in Washington.
It's a positional switch Lance Zierlein of the league's official website believes McDowell should make at the next level: "McDowell lacked production along the interior and could benefit from a move to a defensive end spot in a 4-3 or 3-4 front."
Ironically, a 4-3 team is already kicking McDowell's tyres, with Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer having worked the player out during his recent pro day, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
However, it's the Redskins who have the greater need for a lineman with McDowell's attributes. Having him and McGee bracket McClain in the base front would soon strengthen what has been a feeble run defense in recent seasons.
Jonathan Allen, DT, Alabama
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It may be the stuff of dreams, but the Redskins landing Jonathan Allen at 17 would be the steal of this year's draft. Washington would get perhaps the most complete D-lineman in his class, a player capable of acting as a cornerstone at the heart of the front seven for the next decade.
None of the above need read as hyperbole in Allen's case, thanks to his mix of highlight-reel playmaking and lunch-pale dirty work up front. Need a two-gapper to lock down the edge of a three-man front? Allen's your man. How about a space-eater to occupy double teams in the middle? Allen can do that, too.
If you need a more disruptive force—a lineman who will split gaps, live in the backfield and create numerous negative plays—you won't find many better than Allen. In short, this former mainstay for the Crimson Tide is the complete defensive lineman, a player who merits comparisons to one-time New England Patriots great Richard Seymour.
Yet the question remains, do the Redskins even have a chance of selecting Allen in the first round? The answer is Washington's chances may be greater than they appear.
There are two distinct scenarios that could see Allen make his way to Redskins Park next month. The first involves a trade, one sending quarterback Kirk Cousins to the San Francisco 49ers for the second-overall pick in Round 1.
It's a possible deal mooted by both by ex-Redskins general manager Charley Casserly, now writing for the league's official website, and Will Brinson of CBS Sports. They each see Washington moving up to take Allen.
The idea of sending Cousins to the Bay Area isn't such a stretch. After all, the quarterback has been handed the franchise tag for a second year running while a long-term deal still seems a remote possibility.
Cousins would surely also welcome the chance to join the 49ers and work with rookie head coach Kyle Shanahan, who used to be his offensive coordinator for two seasons in the nation's capital.
This trade makes sense, but the Redskins may not have to deal their starting quarterback to get Allen. They won't if the player slips down the boards, something that may happen due to concerns about his shoulder, according to Lake Lewis Jr. of USA Today's Redskins Wire.
An Allen slip is not so outlandish, with Bleacher Report's Matt Miller sending the multi-talented lineman to Washington with the 17th pick in a recent mock draft.
Allen would immediately become the standout player along a revamped D-line capable and destructive enough to key a quick return to the playoffs for the Redskins in 2017.
Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama
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If Allen would be an instant game-wrecker along the defensive line, his college teammate Reuben Foster would be Washington's best inside linebacker from day one.
Foster would start quickly thanks to his versatile skill set. Unlike last year's Alabama graduate, Reggie Ragland, Foster has legitimate three-down talent.
He's got the same downhill instincts as a thumper Ragland possesses. Foster is not shy about dominating the guard-center-guard box to help take away an opponents' inside running game.
Yet unlike Ragland, Foster is also a useful blitzer, one who can wreck pass protection both through the middle and off the edges. Foster also possesses the fluidity and above-average range to play in space and not get caught out too often in coverage.
Those are all the plus points to recommend this ex-Crimson Tide standout as more than worthy of the 17th-overall pick. However, Foster's pre-draft stock has been weakened by unsettling events and negative chatter this offseason.
He was sent home from the combine after arguing with a hospital worker, an incident he later apologised for. Even so, one NFL team owning a top-15 pick had already soured on Foster amid doubts about his maturity, according to MMQB's Robert Klemko.
Interestingly, Klemko also noted how pro teams have doubts about Foster's football IQ: "The major concern with Foster for NFL teams, beyond the off-field questions, is his ability to absorb a playbook. Foster has struggled in interviews with teams who ask him to draw concepts with X’s and O’s."
It's a surprising critique of a linebacker who played on a Nick Saban-coached defense in Mobile. Saban places the highest importance on sound fundamentals and techniques, specifically players knowing exactly where to be on a given play.
As someone who led the Alabama D' in 2016, Foster has surely proved his intelligence between the hashmarks. The Redskins ought to take the risk on Foster, because he's already more dynamic than incumbents Mason Foster and Will Compton.
Zach Cunningham, ILB, Vanderbilt
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Foster has the greater upside, but Vanderbilt's Zach Cunningham would be the safer option for the Redskins at 17. He wouldn't spend much time on a highlight reel, but the former Commodores tackling machine would quietly succeed at every level of Washington's defense.
Cunningham isn't the same kind of downhill bruiser Foster can be. Instead, his greatest attribute is his sideline-to-sideline quickness. This is a linebacker who closes swiftly on the ball and is always in a position to make plays.
Cunningham is also a highly cerebral linebacker. He can call signals for a defense and understands coverage concepts such as zone drops, pattern reading and playing robber underneath.
He compares well to excellent linebackers who do it all at the pro level. CBS Sports analyst Rob Rang likens the 22-year-old to veteran Kansas City Chiefs 'backer Derrick Johnson.
However, he may compare best to ex-Detroit Lions ace DeAndre Levy, a fleet-footed linebacker who makes plays for fun in every phase of the game when healthy. The Redskins haven't had an inside linebacker who can do it all since London Fletcher was at his peak.
Washington's NFC East rival the New York Giants are already checking on Cunningham ahead of the draft, per ESPN's Jordan Raanan. The Redskins would be wise to gazump Big Blue by taking Cunningham six picks earlier in the opening round.
It should be easy for Washington to come out of Round 1 with a player who can start immediately and offer a rapid upgrade at one of the few obvious holes remaining on the roster. Of those holes, using the 17th pick to cure an anaemic running game or solidify the heart of the linebacker corps represent the smartest choices Allen can make next month.
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