Commanders drafts

[Eddie]

Interesting, Redskins2008 makes a single post and never responds back.

Typical.

 

[AmishCowboy]

I'll give it a B+, they covered their mistakes from signing Randle-El and Lloyd, could have use a Pass Rushing DE and some O-line depth, but overall not bad.

 

[Luther]

Their draft sure shows that their new head coach is offensive minded.

By focusing on WR, they got more "bang for their draft buck" since they all slid.

I'd have to say that long-term they did pretty good. However, it doesn't look like they helped their 08 team much.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Like most people, I think the players the Skins took were pretty good, but they simply ignored their biggest needs. I have no problem taking Thomas where they did, but they should've went with an OL and a DL with their next two picks rather than another WR and a TE. Just my opinion.

 

[AsthmaField]

You asked:

I wouldn't be too crazy about this draft if I were a Commander fan. There is a chance that you got a good WR out of round 2 and probably you did get at least a servicable TE this year too. However, both WR's could be a miss too because there are significant questions on both Thomas and Kelly... significant enough questions for both to fall well out of the first round.

If things go well for you, Washington could end up with a starting WR and a good 3rd WR as well as a solid backup TE and G.

But... if things don't fall perfectly, you might end up with a backup WR (think 50/50 Rod Gardner), a backup TE and a backup guard that doesn't stick past year 3.

And there is my beef with your draft: You needed closer to a sure thing, IMO. Washington can't afford to miss on a draft. You have too many holes and too many guys who are well into their 30's. You have almost no depth on OL, you do have NO depth on the DL, and your DL starters are questionable at best. Weak on both sides of the trenches is a bad way to be... and Washington is precariously close to being exactly that.

You could have used an influx of OL and DL help (particularly DL) and got next to nothing out of this entire year's draft.

And finally... I'm a big proponent of picking from positions that are good in that particular year's draft. For instance, this was a good year for RB's, CB's, OL, and somewhat DL. I would want to get guys from those positions because it was deeper there this year than most.

On the other hand, WR's was about the worst position for this year... not to mention that WR is a position that happens to bust a lot in the first couple of rounds. You add those two together and I would have been petrified of drafting a WR early... much less two.

So, when the Commanders needed some good solid help on each side of the line of scrimmage... Snyder and Cerrato took some real gambles instead of acquiring some good solid help for their team. They swung for the fence. If they strike out, it is going to cripple what is already a decent sized rebuilding project. If they hit... then you're ok at the WR position but still very weak in the trenches.

Even with a hit in this draft... Washington still is weak at critical positions. With a miss... things are going to get ugly.

I would have gone for more solid players with less glamour but a much better chance of success... and I would have done so at critical positions and not the glitzy position.

just my $0.02

 

[slotshot]

Not a bad draft, but for a team with as many holes as the Commanders, you guys sure didn't draft anyone who will really help for the next couple of years (as WR typically don't).

I agree with another poster who stated that this is boom or bust. If both of those talented but risky receivers pan out you will be able to ride them into the playoffs for several years (once they get seasoned). HOWEVER, if they both take the "dark path" a draft like this can put you back a long time...

 

[Woods]

What I LIKE about the Commanders draft:

I think you guys did a very nice job of trading down and still picking up D Thomas.


What I DISLIKE about the Commanders draft:

I think instead of taking 2 WRs and a TE with the first picks, you should have focused on rebuilding the OL and DL and taken only 1 WR.

 

[Chuck 54]

Best player you took was the TE from USC.

To spend two early picks on this year's crop of WR's seems like overkill, but if it works out for you, cudos. My issue with your draft is that all we've heard for about 3-4 years is how WAshington needs to overhaul the DL and get some pass rushers....yet every year, it never happens.

 

[AsthmaField]

Interesting, Redskins2008 makes a single post and never responds back.

Typical.

He probably just wanted to link this page to ES so they could all talk among themselves about how we don't know squat.

You know he thinks Washington did good. People don't go asking for other's opinions of their picks unless they think they did well.

I hope those at ES don't break their own arms when they're all patting themselves on the back.

 

[dallasfaniac]

Let me reiterate my original post. The only thing I had against your draft was the players you took. Ok, that doesn't sound right but it is. If you had taken two other WRs, I would have been fine with the draft.

Thomas is an unknown because you have 1 years worth of tape to evaluate. He may be a stud, a long-term project or may never get used to the NFL. We just don't know with this little of evidence.

Kelly reminds me too much of Teyo Johnson, in that I think he will need to be moved to TE. I just do not think he will be able to find any separation in the NFL. He has wonderfull hands and after living with Lloyd last year I can understand wanting to get someone that can actually catch, but Kelly is not a WR in my book.

Davis was your best pick out of the 3. I feel he has some problems blocking on the line, but they can probably be cleared up with further tutelage.

Yes, they were all technically value picks, but I don't think that makes them any better. If you had grabbed Hardy or Sweed or both, I would be extremely jealous right now, but I am not jealous at all over a one year wonder and two TEs.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

 

[Bizwah]

Hello Cowboys fan,

Yes I am Commanders fan.... I want to know how yall feel about the Washington Commanders drafts? What grade would you give us?


Round 2, Devin ThomasWR6'2"215Michigan State
Round 2, Pick 17 (48) Fred DavisTE6'4"248Southern Cal
Round 2, Pick 20 (51)Malcolm KellyWR6'4"
Round 3, Pick 33 (96) \Chad RinehartOT6'5"320Northern Iowa
Round 4, Pick 25 (124) (From Titans)Justin TryonCB5'9"190Arizona State
Round 6, Pick 2 (168) (From Rams )Durant BrooksP6'0"204Georgia Tech
Round 6, Pick 14 (180) (From Broncos through Rams)Kareem MooreDB5'11"213Nicholls State
Round 6, Pick 20 (186)Colt BrennanQB6'3"
Round 7, Pick 35 (242) (Compensatory selection)Rob JacksonDE6'4"257Kansas State
Round 7, Pick 42 (249) (Compensatory selection)Chris HortonFS6'0"212UCLA

I like the first two picks. I think Thomas was a good selection. Usually, I'm very wary of one-year wonders. But he lasted until the second, so drafting him there was a good move. He may pan out. If he does, you may have one of the best young WRs in the game.

Davis was a good pick. Now, there's legitimate depth behind Cooley. I'm not sure of the new scheme you all will run....Neither Cooley nor Davis block very well.

Kelley was supposedly OFF our board entirely due to poor knees (yes, knees..plural). Our doctors questioned whether or not he would even make it through one training camp. I would've taken Sweed instead.

Rinehart was one of my sleeper picks. I like the guy. I'm not sure how to evaluate Brennan. Tough to know exactly how good Run-n-shoot guys translate to the NFL.

Overall, not bad. I don't think it moves you past us....I don't think it really moves you closer to us. I still see us as the most talented team in the division.

 

[Redskins2008]

I certainly think your guys did a much better job than ours in separating ATL from those 2nd rnd picks. This is where the value was for WR and you guys got it, but Kelly may have bad knees already.

A club that knows what it's doing can find good linemen in the later rounds. I don't know a lot of these players, but I don't see any reason to discount them at this point.

I really wonder why Zorn was brought in to develop a WCO when Campbell is not a WCO QB. I thought he was progressing nicely when he got hurt and I think it is a mistake to throw all that away and start over, especially when you make the POs last year...

When you say Campbell is not a WCO QB. Since you not Commanders fan so u might not do Research on Jason Campbell in college, The best year Jason Campbell has in college was in a WCO System. We will see how thing good this year

 

[Skinsmaniac]

It's interesting that many of you don't think that Kelly will be able to get separation. Looking at his highlight videos he has some of the most beautiful hands I've ever seen - he just makes catching the ball look so natural, even in traffic. But I don't know about his route running abilities which could make up for his lack of speed. If he can't get separation, hopefully he could still be useful in the Redzone. I think he has better potential than Thomas, but a lot of worries (knees, speed, etc). The one thing that keeps me hoping is that he and Thomas may be extra motivated by falling to the second round, and for whatever reason lots of receivers need that extra motivation to succeed.

I wonder if we purposely went overboard on receivers because they take time to develop. (more so than Oline or Dline anyway). Perhaps Zorn is looking at three or four years out and wanted receivers this year and Oline and Dline next year, so that in four years everything comes together.

I also think that Campbell will be able to do well in a WCO. That's what he played in at Auburn, where he completed 69.6% of his passes. He does seem to struggle with accuracy in medium range passes, which worries me, and I'm not sure if it's correctable. Zorn has been working on making his release quicker which should help him in the new offense. Overall, I'm optimistic about him.

I'm particularly excited about this punter. I never saw him play, but there are a lot of people who seem to think he's the best to come out of college in the last few years. He could add three or four yards to our net punting average. But again, punter is a position where we have to be patient and let him get adjusted to the pressures of the NFL. This draft really feels to me like we aren't trying to make a playoff team better but rather focusing on the fact that we have a new coach and trying to make the team better in the long term.

 

[AtlCB]

When you say Campbell is not a WCO QB. Since you not Commanders fan so u might not do Research on Jason Campbell in college, The best year Jason Campbell has in college was in a WCO System. We will see how thing good this year

I'm a big Auburn fan. The Tigers never ran a WCO system while Campbell was there. His best year was his senior year when the Tigers ran a heavily run oriented offense.

 

[Redskins2008]

I'm a big Auburn fan. The Tigers never ran a WCO system while Campbell was there. His best year was his senior year when the Tigers ran a heavily run oriented offense.

Auburn did run a WCO and u might need to research ur college team

 

[Skinsmaniac]

I'm a big Auburn fan. The Tigers never ran a WCO system while Campbell was there. His best year was his senior year when the Tigers ran a heavily run oriented offense.

"Tigers' new West Coast offense roars in shutout"
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=242480002

 

[Skinsmaniac]

Auburn did run a WCO and u might need to research ur college team

Please stop with the text-typing. It's "you" and "your"
- love, a fellow Commanders fan

 

[Bizwah]

It's interesting that many of you don't think that Kelly will be able to get separation. Looking at his highlight videos he has some of the most beautiful hands I've ever seen - he just makes catching the ball look so natural, even in traffic. But I don't know about his route running abilities which could make up for his lack of speed. If he can't get separation, hopefully he could still be useful in the Redzone. I think he has better potential than Thomas, but a lot of worries (knees, speed, etc). The one thing that keeps me hoping is that he and Thomas may be extra motivated by falling to the second round, and for whatever reason lots of receivers need that extra motivation to succeed.

I'm not one that thinks that way. I'm not crazy about Kelly because of his knees. As I said earlier, he wasn't even on our draft board due to his bad knees. I agree with you somewhat on the development of receivers. It does take two or three years.

But I think a lot of it has to do with our revamped secondary. We go four deep at CB.

I wonder if we purposely went overboard on receivers because they take time to develop. (more so than Oline or Dline anyway). Perhaps Zorn is looking at three or four years out and wanted receivers this year and Oline and Dline next year, so that in four years everything comes together.

I also think that Campbell will be able to do well in a WCO. That's what he played in at Auburn, where he completed 69.6% of his passes. He does seem to struggle with accuracy in medium range passes, which worries me, and I'm not sure if it's correctable. Zorn has been working on making his release quicker which should help him in the new offense. Overall, I'm optimistic about him.

When you guys drafted Campbell I thought I would take several years before he was ready. He looked decent last year, but I never really feared him. Most of his passes were dinks and dunks. Like you said, intermediate passes are not his strong suit. Nice deep ball. I thought it was interesting...He passed for 300 plus yards on us, but had around an 80 QB rating. His YPA was terrible.....He threw the ball on us durn near 60 times.

Who knows how easily he'll pick up the offense. When he does, will he complete the intermediate pass?

I'm particularly excited about this punter. I never saw him play, but there are a lot of people who seem to think he's the best to come out of college in the last few years. He could add three or four yards to our net punting average. But again, punter is a position where we have to be patient and let him get adjusted to the pressures of the NFL. This draft really feels to me like we aren't trying to make a playoff team better but rather focusing on the fact that we have a new coach and trying to make the team better in the long term.

Excited about a punter? Ok....just kidding. McBriar makes a difference for us. Except sometimes he outkicks the coverage.

 

[AtlCB]

Auburn did run a WCO and u might need to research ur college team

Watch the games. You can call it what you want, but the offense was heavily run oriented. A WCO believes in passing much more than running. The Eagles are one of the best examples of a WCO. Their offense is based mostly on a short passing game to the TE's, backs, and receivers. The Auburn Tigers used the run to setup the pass. That offense resembled a lot more of what Pittsburgh does than Philadelphia.