Redskins vs. Ravens: Ranking the Two Teams' 2011 Draft Picks

Tonight, the Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens face off in their Week 3 preseason game.

This means we are getting closer to determining who among each teams' 2011 NFL Draft picks will remain on the 53-man roster, who will be relegated to the practice squad and who will be unceremoniously cut from the team altogether.

But who are their notable 2011 draft picks, and which team fared better in their draft strategy?

In the first round, the Ravens chose cornerback Jimmy Smith, while the Redskins nabbed linebacker Ryan Kerrigan.

Smith is an excellent pickup for a Ravens' secondary that is trying to skew younger; he has the size to match up with larger receivers and has great tackling.

His only caveat is a litany of off-field issues that plagued him throughout his college career. If he can stay straight while with Baltimore, he should have a long and successful stay with the team.

The Redskins' Kerrigan holds the record for most all-time forced fumbles in Big Ten history, and put up extremely impressive numbers for both tackles and sacks during his time with Purdue. He is a guaranteed starter for Washington, and should have no issues translating his skills to the pro game.

A slight edge on first rounders has to go to the Redskins, as Kerrigan is a more well-developed player than Smith, and has had no issues off the field. Both, however, will find success in the league.

The Redskins hit the jackpot with running backs in the 2011 draft, picking Roy Helu and Evan Royster with their fourth and sixth-round picks, respectively. Both have already made an impact in the preseason, with Helu especially impressive.

Helu will easily make it into the starting running back rotation for Washington; Royster, however, remains on the bubble and his ability to make the starting 53 is hindered by the Redskins' considerable running back depth. Both, however, were wise draft choices for the run-happy 'Skins.

The Ravens chose to go a different route with their offensive draft picks, looking to expand their wide receiver corps. They used their second-round pick on Torrey Smith and their fourth on Tandon Doss.

Smith, who was once a quarterback, was a standout for Maryland as both a wide receiver and a kick returner, racking up ACC awards despite being part of a program that struggled to win games.

His versatility is a major asset for the Ravens, and should serve as one of quarterback Joe Flacco's favorite targets in the seasons to come.

Also a kick returner and a wide receiver in college, Tandon Doss brings both speed and versatility to the wide receiver position. He was named to the All-Big Ten first team offense in 2009 and 2010, and looks to have a role supporting the other receivers in the Ravens stable.

In terms of offense, the Redskins' two running backs are more likely to have an immediate impact, whereas the Ravens' wide receivers will have more success in the longer term. For both teams, however, the picks signal significant improvements to their respective offenses.

Another notable draft pick for the Redskins is their second-round selection, defensive end Jarvis Jenkins. He too received All-ACC honors as a defensive tackle for Clemson and had 51 tackles and one sack in the 11 games he started in 2010. He is going to be extremely useful for the Redskins' defense, which is not known for having a dominant pass rush.

The Ravens, on the other hand, have their pass rush issues locked down. However, quarterback protection is something they've needed to improve on in recent seasons. To help alleviate their problems, they used their third-round draft pick on offensive tackle Jah Reid, from the University of South Florida.

He is still quite raw, and relied mainly on his size and athletic ability while in college rather than improving his technique. If he can get the mechanics of the game down, he will be of great value to the Ravens in the future.

The only draft selection between these two teams that seems to have been a mistake was the Ravens' use of their sixth-round pick on quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

Taylor, who is second on the depth chart behind Flacco, has struggled in the preseason. In his first game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he managed 19 completions in 28 attempts for 179 yards and was sacked five times and intercepted twice.

His second game against Kansas City did not go much better, completing five of his 11 passes for 88 yards, with a single rushing touchdown.

Unless he drastically improves, and quickly, his presence under center should not engender any confidence in his performance should Flacco miss games due to injury.

All in all, it appears that the Redskins fared better in their bigger-name draft picks than the Ravens; however, both teams addressed pressing issues and filled important holes.

Tonight's matchup between the two should provide more opportunities for each team to see how these men will fit into their teams in the future.