There’s no mystery that the Redskins are the only team without a first round pick in the draft and the likelihood of trading into the first round is slim to none. But hey, the team quote, unquote ‘mortgaged’ the future for last year’s second overall pick.
How’d that end up working out?
Well, the pick paid immediate dividends. It produced the consensus NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, the team’s first NFC East Championship since 1999 and a playoff berth.
Credit the coaching staff and front office for being proactive and making a deal the Rams couldn’t refuse in order to move up and take QB Robert Griffin III. Franchise quarterbacks with Griffin III’s raw talent and ability come around once in a blue moon and the team did what they needed to do to snatch the Heisman trophy winning quarterback.
There’s absolutely no reason to be discouraged that the team’s first selection will come on day two of the draft. And hey, impact players can be found in the second round, especially in a deep draft like this one.
Here’s a list of a few of the players selected in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft who started and produced immediately for their respective teams.
- LB Courtney Upshaw (Baltimore, pick #35)
- DT Derek Wolfe (Denver, pick #36)
- OT Mitchell Schwartz (Cleveland, pick #37)
- CB Janoris Jenkins (St. Louis, pick #39) – Defensive Rookie of the Year Candidate
- OT Cordy Glenn (Buffalo, pick #41)
- OT Jonathan Martin (Miami, pick #42)
- WR Alshon Jeffery (Chicago, pick #45)
- LB Mychal Kendricks (Philadelphia, pick #46)
- LB Bobby Wagner (Seattle, pick #47) – Defensive Rookie of the Year Candidate
- S Tavon Wilson (New England, pick #48)
- DT Kendall Reyes (San Diego, pick #49)
- DT Jerel Worthy (Green Bay, pick #51) – Redskins pick
*In 14 games played, the defensive tackle compiled 14 tackles with 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble.
- LB Zach Brown (Tennessee, pick #52)
- LB Lavonte David (Tampa Bay, pick #58) – Defensive Rookie of the Year Candidate
- CB Casey Hayward (Green Bay, pick #62) – Defensive Rookie of the Year Candidate
In fact, every finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year, with the exception of Panthers LB Luke Kuechly, was drafted in the second round. That’s a good sign that great talent can be found in the second round seeing as the main needs for the Redskins are on the defensive side of the ball.
Furthermore, six of the ten players nominated for Offensive or Defensive Rookie of the Year were selected after the first round. Only Griffin III, QB Andrew Luck, RB Doug Martin and LB Luke Kuechly were picked in the first round.
Moral of the story, there will be talent on the board that can help fill a need when the Redskins pick 51st overall.
Check out yesterday’s Mock Draft Update for more on players who experts expect the Redskins to consider this April.
