Hitting on young talent in the NFL Draft is what every team dreams of. Hitting on a third-round pick who shows the potential ability to be one of the league’s best players in his rookie season is a fantasy scenario.
That’s exactly what the Washington Redskins found in rookie wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who finished 2019 as the No. 2 rookie receiver statistically, despite missing two games. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the No. 51 best player in the entire NFL earlier this week, and now they’re saying he was the most valuable addition to any team at the WR position in 2019, with a 0.60 WAR (Wins Above Replacement.)
A third-round rookie, it was immediately apparent that McLaurin was a steal after flashing his ability to get open at all levels of the field in Week 1. McLaurin finished with the No. 6 receiving grade among wide receivers despite uneven quarterback play from both Case Keenum and Dwayne Haskins. McLaurin’s route-running and big-play ability made him an instant star to build around in Washington.
His talent was obvious to anybody that watched, and the fact that Washington was able to grab him in the third round of the draft is almost too good to be true. If they continue to hit on mid-to-late round draft picks going forward, this team could be very good in the near future.
