2020 Re-Draft?

[Boone]

If you're the GM, with a year of data behind you, who do you select with the #2 overall pick of the 2020 draft?

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I still take Chase Young. The guy made a huge impact in his first year and the sky is the limit for this guy. Herbert had a good year as well, but there is no guarantee he has that same type of year in DC. But we know Young could do it and fit well in this scheme. So yes, I would still take Chase Young 2nd overall.

 

[Boone]

In truth, it's too early to know the 'right' answer - and it's also possible they both have great careers (ala Clinton Portis vs. Champ Bailey). You are correct that there are a lot of factors that help determine how successful a player is, including landing spots. But I don't see anything special about Los Angeles that would propel a rookie QB to OPOY honors in and of itself. Their OL was a mess, HC and OC on the way out the door. Good weapons at WR and RB - that was about it. I think it's an open question whether any QB (so far) would look great in our offense, but again, who knows? To be fair, Herbert didn't 'have a good year' - he broke NFL rookie records for TD passes, completions, and most 300 yd games. It was one of the all-time great rookie seasons by a QB. Just to put in context how good it was, if he has just two 300 yd games in 2021, he'll pass Patrick Mahommes and Dan Marino for the most 300 yard games in the first 2 seasons. Chase Young's great 1st season is pretty pedestrian by comparison.

All that being said, who has the greatest career from here? Impossible to say.

 

[Canadian Hog]

I am going to say Herbert here if he maintains that rate of production - and that in no way is saying I don't think Chase Young is important to the overall success of this franchise.

Let's be honest, if the Bengals left Burrow on the board for us, we all would have been doing cartwheels. We would have had a potential franchise QB and still had Montez Sweat to build around on the defensive line. We would have felt pretty darn good about that.

I am personally of the opinion that we won't be able to retain Young and Sweat down the line if they both turn into the elite pass rushers we think they can become.

It's a QB driven league. The elite ones are always hanging around late in the playoffs and giving your team a chance to get to the dance.

Tom Brady usually had pretty good defensive fronts when amassing Super Bowl titles, there is no doubt about that. My memory isn't the greatest, but I don't think he had two potential superstar edge rushers though.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Boone, I agree it’s too early to know. When I said Herbert had a good rookie year, I wasn’t trying to down play how well he performed. I think they both had great years and deserved the rookie of the year awards they won.

But I do think the landing spot makes a huge difference. It’s one of the things the Redskins specifically have blown throughout the years both in the draft and free agency. They have constantly looked only at the talent and not at the fit. Josh Norman is probably the most recent high profile example of this. So it’s hard to know how Herbert would have done in DC or really with any other team. We just know he was great in LA. (I so wanted to say San Diego so I could make a Ron Burgundy joke).

Also, almost no one had Herbert over Tua last year. I know we are doing a redraft hypothetical, but last year it would have been Tua as the pick as he was the consensus #2 QB. Just one more thing to consider in this discussion.

 

[Chris]

Top notch defensive players are game changers.

Top notch QBs are franchise changers.

 

[Boone]

I get your point on Tua and made the same point myself in my blog entry today. But for this particular hypothetical we are assuming we DO know. No one is ever going to fault a team for not being able to see Herbert coming as few if any did. But the fact remains he has been the more impressive of the two - so far and I’ll say if that continues, we blew the opportunity to get him.

 

[Boone]

Top notch defensive players are game changers.

Top notch QBs are franchise changers.

As usual Chris says in 2 sentences what it takes me 2 pages to argue

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Washington Football Team 2020 NFL Draft re-draft: Which picks change?

If the Washington Football Team could go back and re-do the 2020 NFL Draft once again, what changes would they make and why?

riggosrag.com

 

[Boone]

I wrote an entire blog on why Young might not have been the right choice after Rivera's unsolicited comments yesterday. So if you want credit for your 'Chase Young is as good as advertised' tidbit, I'm happy to give it.

 

[SilentThreat]

I put Chase Young because we still haven't seen enough from Herbert. After 2012, 10/10 fans of the team believed the RG3 pick was the right one. 10 years later and it's arguably one of the most debilitating trades in franchise history. Looking back and you could argue Tannehill, Kuechly, Fletcher Cox, or Melvin Ingram would have been the better pick.

Herbert has flashed, looked like he's got the goods, but injuries and other things are 100% a part of the game. I would lean toward the 'too early to tell' group ultimately, but as of right now... I still take Young. That could change in 3 or 4 years.

Taking a QB no. 2 overall and being wrong is more detrimental than taking arguably the best DE to come out of college since Lawrence Taylor, and being wrong. A QB at no. 2 has a certain level of commitment before you can move on... a DE is a bust at no. 2, you can still take another one next year, or the year after that. If you're not convinced about that QB coming out of college, then you don't do it... because if you're wrong, it hurts that much more.

 

[Boone]

That’s a great take. And guys - please don’t get me wrong. I ****ing love Chase Young. I do think it’s a legit question though. I think Ron Rivera thinks it is too.

 

[SilentThreat]

That’s a great take. And guys - please don’t get me wrong. I ****ing love Chase Young. I do think it’s a legit question though. I think Ron Rivera thinks it is too.

I get it, and the understanding that a HOF QB is 'worth' more than a HOF DE (not saying i'm putting either guy in Canton, just that with 2 players of similar ability, QB's positional value takes precedent).

If Herbert and Young share the same trajectory on their careers, both finishing their careers in 'similar' standing, then the pick is Herbert, and that's got nothing to do with Young vs Herbert... simply QB vs DE.

 

[Boone]

Absolutely - and we just won't know, for quite awhile.

 

[Henry]

In today's NFL the two most important players are the franchise QB, and the guy who can sack the QB at an elite level.

We got one of them. We need the other.

That would be true whether we drafted Young or Herbert last year.

 

[Canadian Hog]

In today's NFL the two most important players are the franchise QB, and the guy who can sack the QB at an elite level.

We got one of them. We need the other.

That would be true whether we drafted Young or Herbert last year.

The one counter argument to that relates to the level of conviction and belief this franchise has in Montez Sweat. If they truly feel he can be a top five pass rusher year in and year out, then QB should have been the pick if we are doing this all over again in theory.

Then, as you eluded to, we would have already had all our bases covered coming into 2021.

 

[Henry]

I like Sweat but I don’t think he’s elite. He’s a good player who plays on a great line … anchored by an elite player.

if anything, the elevation of Sweat’s game is more proof of Young’s value.

 

[DieselPwr44]

I disagree. Think the team actually stumbled into a guy like Sweat who would take off on his own regardless of whether Chase Young was here or not.

 

[Henry]

Well, I certainly hope you are right.

I think fans tend to over-rate their own players and thats the case here, but if not the WFT is in fantastic shape defensively, and after the defense dominates like the ‘85 Bears and takes Washington deep into the playoffs nobody will be giving a second thought to Herbert.

 

[DieselPwr44]

Well, a 6'6 280lb DE that can run a 4.4 40 is kinda rare.