Breaking Down Every Redskins Pick in the 2020 NFL Draft

I don’t know about you, but I came away very pleased by Washington’s draft this past weekend. The team managed to make the right decision on Day 1, pick up an intriguing playmaker on Day 2 and fill out the roster with a variety of interesting talents that both provided need and versatility on both sides of the ball.

I think Ron Rivera and Kyle Smith did a fine job in their first draft together, and what I loved the most out of this virtual draft experience was just how open both of them were throughout the entire process. It never felt like there was a disconnect on either side, and what we ended up seeing was two guys work together to bring players onto the roster that could contribute in some way almost immediately. Needless to say, if you weren’t already excited about this new beginning in Washington, then you will be now.

So today we will be taking a look at every pick of the team’s draft, seeing where these guys fit, how they might contribute and what I think of the pick overall. I won’t get into undrafted free agents just yet as we’ll save that for another day once those signing start to pile up.

Continue reading “Breaking Down Every Redskins Pick in the 2020 NFL Draft” →

Newman and Fletcher Still Disagree in NFL Mock Draft 2.0

With draft night roughly 24 hours away, Stephen Newman and Robby Fletcher have each unveiled their second mock drafts of the season. It’s taken a lot of time and effort — including ranking our top 10 quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends, as well as additional film study on players at other positions — but we think we’re as prepared as ever for the big night.

While we’ve reached a near-consensus within the top 10 selections, we still have some differences in opinion — some minor and some significant — later in the round. Continue reading “Newman and Fletcher Still Disagree in NFL Mock Draft 2.0” →

Mock Draft 2.0: Linemen, Receivers Overtake First Round in Fletcher’s Final Mock Draft

Guys, we are just a day away from the NFL Draft, how crazy is that? It seems like so long since my last mock draft, but really it’s only been about a month. That, to me, is just crazy. By now, we should have a clearer picture of each team’s needs after free agency, and hopefully these smokescreens don’t impact my assessment too much, but at this point in the offseason, it gets really hard to determine what’s real and what isn’t.

But, let’s kick this mock draft off with two picks that I refuse to change from my last mock because I simply cannot see a possibility of them being anybody else.

NOTE: I decided to go with a trade-less mock and determined the best course of action would be to pick players based on what I think the team will do rather than what I would do. Continue reading “Mock Draft 2.0: Linemen, Receivers Overtake First Round in Fletcher’s Final Mock Draft” →

Wirfs, Terrell Among the Biggest Movers in Newman’s Mock Draft 2.0

Now that the draft is upon us and free agency has — for the most part — played out, we all have a better sense of team needs. With that, I’ve given myself the liberty to add some definition to my original draft predictions. In fact, I surprised myself so much that a decided to develop a rapid-fire second round section at no additional charge to my readers!

Spoiler alert: I made a couple changes within the top five, and one in particular had a significant trickle-down effect. Continue reading “Wirfs, Terrell Among the Biggest Movers in Newman’s Mock Draft 2.0” →

2020 NFL Mock Draft: Redskins Edition

While I’m still hard at work on my next ranking of the ten best tight ends in the 2020 NFL Draft, I thought it’d be the right time to breakdown my thoughts on what the Redskins should do during the three-day event.

What comes with any team picking in the top five of the draft is the most intense form of smokescreens you’ll find. That’s no different for the Redskins, who have been the topic of discussion for months by T.V. pundits and bloggers like myself, particularly in regards to Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who many see as an upgrade over 2019 first-round pick Dwayne Haskins. We’ve also seen a lot of discussion over the trade value the pick holds because of Tagovailoa as well as Chase Young, who has been regarded as the best overall player in the draft. Continue reading “2020 NFL Mock Draft: Redskins Edition” →

Grading the Redskins’ first two weeks of free agency

We’re now two week into free agency, and while the Redskins have yet to make a blockbuster move that this franchise is generally associated with, they have put an emphasis on building depth. The team has particularly shored up the trenches with three moves to build up the offensive line as well as at linebacker, where the team has brought in three players as they transition into a 4-3 defense.

Despite not getting some of the major players they were linked with early in the offseason (See: Austin Hooper, James Bradberry, Amari Cooper), there’s still a lot of time left for them to make some big-time moves in the next few weeks.

Let’s see how newly-hired Ron Rivera has fared so far in his first offseason as head coach.

Continue reading “Grading the Redskins’ first two weeks of free agency” →

An Overview of Newman and Fletcher’s Initial NFL Mock Drafts

We realize that sports are currently on the back burner, but the NFL Draft frenzy stops for no one — even if it becomes more challenging for teams to get their eyes on players.

Stephen Newman and Robby Fletcher have each completed their preliminary mock drafts. No mock draft is perfect, though, and there is never a consensus on which players fit into every single slot. So with that in mind, let’s take a side-by-side look at the selections. Continue reading “An Overview of Newman and Fletcher’s Initial NFL Mock Drafts” →

Mock Draft No. 1: Defense Rules Supreme in Fletcher’s First Mock Draft

Yes, folks, it’s that time of year again. While the NBA and NHL seasons have been put on hold, the NFL is about to be in mid-offseason form. The NFL combine is over, free agency starts on March 18 and smokescreen season is back and better than ever. With all that, comes one of my favorite past times: making NFL Mock Drafts because I have a lot of time on my hands, and my passion for the NFL Draft has yet to wane.

Even though free agency will undoubtedly disprove a lot of my predictions on this particular mock, I think it’s the perfect time to start breaking down team needs and see where some players out of this incredibly loaded draft might end up.

So, let’s kick it off in style with a quarterback prospect that everyone and their grandma has essentially nominated as the golden boy of the 2020 NFL Draft: Joe Burrow.

Continue reading “Mock Draft No. 1: Defense Rules Supreme in Fletcher’s First Mock Draft” →

Quarterbacks and Defense Lead Off Newman’s NFL Mock Draft 1.0

Draft season is upon us, and I have plenty of thoughts. So without further ado, here’s my first attempt at a mock draft.

1. Cincinnati Bengals: QB Joe Burrow (LSU)

Don’t make this harder than it has to be. Burrow isn’t the top player on my unofficial big board, and there are mixed reports on whether he wants to go to Cincinnati, but he had a historic collegiate season and is the top available quarterback for a QB-needy team.

I’ll give the Sean McVay product — Zac Taylor — his likely franchise quarterback, let him take the field with A.J. Green (who is expected to receive the franchise tag), Tyler Boyd, Joe Mixon and company and see if it makes the Bengals competitive in the AFC North again. Continue reading “Quarterbacks and Defense Lead Off Newman’s NFL Mock Draft 1.0” →

Ron Rivera Hire Has a Chance to Change Team Culture for the Better

Ron Rivera gets introduced as head coach of the Washington Redskins. (Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports)

It’s been a rough season all around for the Washington Redskins. The team’s dealt with front office ineptitude, a star player that refused to ever play in a Redskins uniform ever again and, of course, just plain bad on-field performances.

It’s arguable this was the worst season in franchise history, yet this offseason doesn’t feel quite so hopeless.

Continue reading “Ron Rivera Hire Has a Chance to Change Team Culture for the Better” →