As the mock drafts start to come at an increased clip, it’s important for teams and their fans to have a clear idea of what they might be after in that year’s draft. For the Washington Redskins, the 2020 NFL Draft will likely start by trying to acquire the best talent left on the board (ie. Chase Young), followed by an influx of picks centered around positional needs.
So what are those positional needs that the Redskins must address, and where do they rank in the hierarchy? We have a ranking of what the blueprint will likely resemble:
No. 5 — Cornerback
Cornerback was one of the Redskins’ biggest needs entering the offseason, but they did well in free agency to snag some high-profile players that will cover that hole for the time being. Still, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Washington go after a solid CB prospect in the middle rounds of the draft, hoping to find a future asset to build around.
Potential Prospects: Josiah Scott (Michigan State), Bryce Hall (Virginia), Lavert Hill (Michigan), Myles Bryant (Washington).
No. 4 — Linebacker
The linebacking core is pretty solid in Washington, but the Redskins could still use some added depth at the position, hoping to hit on another mid-round player like Cole Holcomb in 2019. While Thomas Davis and Ryan Anderson may be able to hold things down in the present, the need for a young core is prevalent in Washington.
Potential Prospects: Troy Dye (Oregon), Francis Bernard (Utah), David Woodward (Utah State), Evan Weaver (California)
No. 3 — Wide Receiver
The Redskins tried and failed to land a big named wide receiver in free agency, so it seems like they will almost assuredly come away from the draft with at least a mid-round pass-catcher who can add some depth to the receiving corps. The top of the depth chart is pretty solid in Washington, with Terry McLaurin, Steven Sims and Cody Latimer leading the way, but finding another rookie WR to produce on a cheap contract could be hugely beneficial in Washington.
Potential Prospects: K.J. Hill (Ohio State), Chase Claypool (Notre Dame), Antonio Gandy-Golden (Liberty), Donovan Peoples-Jones (Michigan).
No. 2 — Left Tackle
Trent Williams has one foot out of the door, and there’s currently not a great option in-house to replace him in Washington. It’s going to be tough for the Redskins to find a starter-worthy left tackle outside of the first round of the draft, but that doesn’t mean they won’t try to find someone who can learn for a year or two behind whichever stop-gap player they choose, hoping he becomes serviceable in the future.
Potential Prospects: Isaiah Wilson (Georgia), Saahdiq Charles (LSU), Calvin Throckmorton (Oregon), Yasir Durant (Missouri)
No. 1 — Tight End
If the Redskins don’t walk away from the 2020 NFL Draft with a TE prospect who can at the very least play some meaningful minutes in the upcoming season, it will be a failure on their part. While everyone expected them to be major players at that position in free agency this year, Washington avoided big signings like Austin Hooper or Eric Ebron. There are some very solid TE prospects in this draft class, and the Redskins will likely have to use their third-round pick in order to get one. A choice will have to be made between taking an instant-impact TE, or an LT who can serve some time now. I don’t envy whoever makes that decision.
Potential Prospects: Cole Kmet (Notre Dame), Adam Trautman (Dayton), Thaddeus Moss (LSU), Albert Okwuegbunam (Missouri), Hunter Bryant (Washington)
