Washington Redskins: Ryan Kerrigan More Culture Change Than Draft Value

When head coach Mike Shanahan and the Washington Redskins selected Purdue pass-rusher Ryan Kerrigan, it wasn't all positive feedback and loads of excitement. Some of Redskins Nation liked the selection, but didn't love it, while others thought it to be entirely too high for a college prospect that didn't necessarily receive the notoriety of being flashy or sexy.

But when the team passed on the over-hyped Blaine Gabbert with their original No. 10 pick and then traded back only to pass on guys like Robert Quinn, Prince Amukamara and Jimmy Smith—Shanahan and the Redskins were making a statement. That the Washington Redskins are under a serious and positive overhaul.

Although the 6'4", 267-pound Kerrigan doesn't have the speed of Aldon Smith or the versatility of Von Miller, he is a complete all-around player. Kerrigan's combination of size, strength, mobility and attitude make him the poster child for football teams looking to change their culture and build in the right direction. Sure, Kerrigan may not be elite at one specific facet of the game, but he's really good at everything.

It wasn't that long ago that Redskins fans were used to Dan Snyder opening up his checkbook every offseason and bringing in the highest-paid bums that money could buy. Fortunately, from the looks of things, Shanahan is on his way to changing that style and Kerrigan is the first step.

While at Purdue, Kerrigan developed as a player with his on-field performance and as a leader with his presence in the locker room and throughout the community.

In his freshman season, Kerrigan racked up 18 tackles and registered just one sack. For his senior season last year, Kerrigan tallied 70 solo tackles and 12.5 sacks, finishing his collegiate career with 210 tackles, 33 sacks and 49 tackles for loss.

Kerrigan's improved performance over his four years in college are a direct result of hard work, dedication and passion—all of which Redskins fans can expect to carry over into the NFL. 

As impressive as Shanahan's 2011 draft class was in terms of character and leadership, it was Kerrigan in the first-round that really laid the foundation. Whether it be Kerrigan's strong work ethic, his down-to-Earth mentality or his simple sort of lifestyle, it's Kerrigan's character that could finally point the Redskins in the right direction.

In an interview with Draft Countdown's Scott Wright, when asked what he liked and what he disliked most about football, Kerrigan responded, "My favorite part is the camaraderie you have with all your teammates. It's a blessing to play with guys you're so close with. My least favorite thing? I don't know. I can't really think of anything [I don't like]."

When's the last time you heard something like that out of a Redskins player? Do you think Jeff George, Dana Stubblefield, Adam Archuleta or Albert Haynesworth's favorite part about football was the camaraderie? Doubtful.

In a pre-draft interview with Complex, Kerrigan was asked what it felt like to know that he'd soon be a millionaire. Once again displaying his humility and maturity, Kerrigan responded by saying, "Well, I don't think of it that way. I just think of it in football terms. I think of it as an opportunity to keep my football playing days going, and I'm really excited about that."

Talk about a breath of fresh air! Obviously Kerrigan is being responsible and answering questions as democratic as possible, but that's impressive for a 22-year-old with nothing less than millions of dollars coming his way.

The point isn't to go overboard with Ryan Kerrigan or hype him up to be some kind of angel on the football field. The point is to take notice of the fact that Mike Shanahan promised a culture change and he took his first step with Kerrigan.

For the first time in a long time, the Washington Redskins appear to be building a football team with a solid foundation and not attempting to do so with free agency. Instead of disgusting Jessie Armstead signings, we're talking about drafting an Indiana kid with Miley Cyrus on his iPod.

Rather than believing that Michael Barrow, Jeremiah Trotter or Deion Sanders is the answer on defense, the Redskins take full advantage of their first-round draft pick and select a blue-collar pass-rusher that prefers GMC Denalis over Ferraris, glasses of chocolate milk over Long Island Iced Teas and his grandmother's condo in St. Petersburg, Florida over Las Vegas or Cancun.

Bear in mind that Shanahan followed up the Kerrigan selection with high-character youngsters like Jarvis Jenkins, Leonard Hankerson, Roy Helu and Aldrick Robinson. Without getting too excited (as most Redskins fans do), this draft class is arguably the team's most promising of the past 15+ years.

Unlike the usual NFL offseason, the Redskins aren't the headliners of sports media. Instead of being called "deep pockets" or being laughed at because of major spending and no results, the Redskins and their fans can look forward to a solid team with eventual success. The culture change currently going on in Washington is the the most exciting and promising time the city has seen in quite some time.

Hail.  

Shae Cronin is a Redskins Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and the founder of Bet Big DC.com, a sports website focusing on the D.C., Maryland and Virginia region. Be sure to check-in frequently and follow @BetBigDC on Twitter for the latest rumors, sports picks, mock drafts and more.