ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. loves what the Washington Redskins did with their draft class.
Noting there was some speculation about major trades in the draft to compensate for Alex Smith’s injury, Kiper wrote the following after assigning an A- to the Redskins:
…As I wrote on Thursday night, I love the fit here. Haskins has a chip in his shoulder, and he’s a gamer. He never wilted under pressure for the Buckeyes, and he was at his best in the biggest games. I’m excited to see what coach Jay Gruden and new offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell can do with him.
The Redskins then traded back into Round 1, surrendering the No. 46 pick and a second-round pick in next year’s draft to move up to No. 26 for pass-rusher Montez Sweat, who was ranked No. 12 overall on my board. Yes, that’s a lot to give up, but I really like Sweat, who could have been a top-10 pick if not for a heart condition that caused him to drop. I spoke to people from teams that had removed him entirely from their draft boards, and I spoke to other team representatives who had him in the top 10.
After that, Washington focused on depth, and there were some names that popped for me. Terry McLaurin (No. 76) is a speed demon who I thought could go early in the second round. And he already has experience with his Buckeyes teammate Haskins. You probably know about Bryce Love’s Heisman runner-up 2018 season, but he had a down 2018 due to injuries and tore his ACL in December. This could be a redshirt year. Still, to get him at No. 112 is decent. Guard Ross Pierschbacher (No. 153) and linebacker Cole Holcomb are solid fifth-round guys who will make the team. Jimmy Moreland (No. 227) has some physical tools to work with, though he’s going to need time to adjust to the speed of the NFL.
After a turbulent end to the season, this team is back on track. Haskins and Sweat, two top-12 prospects on my board, push this class over the top.
The Redskins indeed got to sit still without coughing up any assets and still net one of the draft’s top quarterbacks. The aggressive move then came later via the move up for Montez Sweat near the end of the first round. Provided nothing medical comes up, as Kiper notes, he was a top-10 player for some.
Kiper hits on the big talking points the rest of the way. The Redskins got a Heisman Trophy contender in the fourth round. The other mid-round picks will, at a minimum make the roster, if not shove their way into rotations.
Not bad overall, considering entering the draft it looked like the Redskins could have been one of the more chaotic elements of the process and made some mistakes.
Instead, they walk away with one of the highest grades from Kiper.
