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In the early hours of Friday 30th April (UK Time), the Washington Football Team will continue their reformative journey under Head Coach Ron Rivera.
The team exceeded expectation in 2020 with a divisional title, albeit with a losing 7-9 record. A gutsy play-off defeat vs the eventual Superbowl Champions, Tampa Bay, put the WFT ahead of the expected to-be competitive schedule and, for the first time in a while, into the nationwide NFL conversation.
With Chase Young the face of a gifted Defensive Line, it is likely the burgundy & gold will eschew the DL in the early rounds of the Draft and instead look to reinforce the opposite side of the trenches.
There is also an obvious need to recruit talent into the Line backer unit and with a projected deep WR class, the WFT might also look to add a gifted rookie to the talented receiver duo of Terry McLaurin and new recruit Curtis Samuel within the first three rounds.
We posed three Draft 2021 questions to Tony Wheat of Full Press Coverage, James Lowe of Washington FCUK podcast and Christian Burt UKHTTW founder:
1) What would you definitely not do?
2) What would you be tempted to do?
and
3) What will the team most likely do?
First up, it is James of Washington FCUK podcast:
1) What would you definitely not do?
Take a WR in 1st round.
I am still haunted by the Josh Doctson pick and this is one of the deepest WR classes I have seen. The 2020 WR class has been excellent, and it looks like that this year could be even better.
There will be 1st round talent available for us in the 2nd round, whereas line-backer and tackle will have a significant drop-off.
2) What would you be tempted to do?
Trade up to get Trey Lance of North Dakota State. If Lance is not the 49ers pick at #3, I would trade as high as #7 to go and get him. The kids touchdown-to-interception ratio is phenomenal, and I think he would be perfect to sit behind Ryan Fitzpatrick for a year.
He excels at running play action and is not afraid to take shots down the field.
3) What will the team most likely do?
Draft a LT.
Ron has talked about adding all the pieces before inserting the QB. A long-term LT is quite a big piece and, after the Trent Williams new contract in SF, a very expensive one. We are in the range where one of the top tackle prospects will be available to us. If Christian Darrisaw is available at #19 it would be a steal.
There is a big drop off after Tevin Jenkins, Rashawn Slater and Darrisaw.
Next up, Tony Wheat of Full Press Coverage:
1) What would you definitely not do?
I would definitely not pick a WR or RB in the 1st round.
Assuming that the big 3 receivers will have gone by pick #19 (could be a different story if one is still there!), I would not reach for one of the others at that spot. Plenty of WR depth in rounds 2 and beyond.
I also wouldn’t consider a RB in round 1, unlike Peter Schrager from Good Morning Football who mocked Travis Etienne to WFT at pick 18. First round running backs are almost a thing of the past and all the evidence suggests that they’re not a good long-term investment picked so high.
2) What would you be tempted to do?
Ron Rivera and his band of former GM’s will have looked at all the likely scenarios and there is a good argument for moving either up or down. If Lance/Fields slip towards the bottom of the top ten or beyond I would consider trading up.
I think it is unlikely to happen though.
Given the likely preference for a Tackle or LB it could be tempting to trade back if there are still a few good options in the middle of the 1st round to either late 1st or early 2nd for an extra pick.
There should still be good options for those positions late 1st or early 2nd so there could be good value in acquiring another ticket for the draft lottery and still getting someone who was on our board.
3) What will the team most likely do?
The team will have prepared for any number of scenarios and eventualities and will have plans prepared accordingly.
They will see how the early picks pan out and react accordingly. Given that it seems likely that the top QB’s may come off the board very early, they may decide to either stay put or trade back. I think in the end they may stay put and pick the best Tackle or Line backer available depending on who is still on the board. In an ideal world Darrisaw/Jenkins would be available or Jerimiah Owusu-Koramoah.
A wildcard pick could be Trevon Moehrig if they decide to address Free Safety. I think the team will have done all due diligence, made some calls and be ready to act if the board begins to move in a particular direction. They are ready!
And finally, Christian Burt, UKHTTW founder:
1) What would you definitely not do?
Panic.
The Washington Football Team is still on the steep side of the mountain to success, and with an experienced front office trio of Martin Mayhew, Marty Hurney and ultimate decision maker, Head Coach Rivera, there is little reason to believe that the WFT will mortgage the future by packaging up picks/players for a significantly higher draft spot.
The acquisition of Fitzpatrick is also a substantial comfort blanket entering the draft and thus avoiding the giving up of valuable picks to land the QB of the future.
An obvious answer in terms of positional recruitment: I would not take any upfront D-Lineman in rounds 1-3 of the NFL Draft 2021. There is a need for a situational edge rusher to back-up Young and Montez Sweat, but I would be looking at a veteran guy for that role post-Draft.
It might even be opening the door for Ryan Kerrigan to return on a one-year deal.
Other than ignoring the DL, I am pretty much open to all and any position possibilities with the #19 pick.
2) What would you be tempted to do?
Temptation is a word that equates to risk and, whilst I believe the foundations for success are still being laid down in D.C., there is also the Riverboat Ron factor. Sometimes you do need to roll those dice to make a necessary jump.
My own tempted-to-do, however, is less exciting than the deal-making scenarios involving Trey Lance and does not involve a QB. If Micah Parsons, Line Backer Penn State, is still there at #8, a call to the old stomping ground of Carolina would be tempting. I would shake the #19 pick, interior D-Lineman Tim Settle, a 2021 third round pick and the 2022 second round pick to acquire the services of this five-star recruit.
In this scenario, the WFT would be taking a risk on a guy who did have some potential red flags in his teenage years at Penn State. Under the tutelage/grip of DC Jack Del Rio, however, Parsons could shine in the burgundy and gold for many seasons to come with his sideline-to-sideline ability.
3) What will the team most likely do?
In 2020 the first-round pick of Chase Young was as sure as a lock as you could get. In the early hours of Friday morning here in the UK, it is difficult to predict the name on the card turned in by the WFT.
Might there be a QB that inexplicably drops out the top 15 or might teams get hesitant on the smaller frame of Alabama WR DeVonta Smith?
Unless there is a scenario of “too good to turn down regardless of positional need”, my guess is that Rivera & co decide to bolster the OL in Draft 2021. It might even involve a double dip rounds 1&2 given that Brandon Scherff is likely to walk in 2022.
Christian Darrisaw has some concerns around a motor to match his athleticism, so the WFT surprise many by either opting for OL Tevin Jenkins of Oklahoma State or by taking Alabama OT Alex Leatherwood.
Expect Antonio Gibson to benefit from the mauling power of Jenkins to open up those run lanes or for WFT to gamble on the natural athleticism and college experience of Leatherwood to push for starting spot along the line.
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