Box Seats: Rooting for the Redskins to Lose is a Terrible Idea

[Rymanofthenorth]

In fairness, it is possible that so much of this draft made the team because so much of the team was bad. But I think it is safe to say that Kerrigan, Jenkins, Hankerson and Helu all look like long term contributors at the least and very likely long term, quality starters. Frankly, I think most teams would take that every year if they could.

Now I can see the possibility of guys like Gnomes and Hurt not being on the team 2 years from now as Shanahan and Allen continue to work the draft and build quality depth but right now, they are nothing to sneeze at.

Jenkins was a solid pick when looked at from a talent standpoint but we needed oline and NT and he fits neither of those spots, so he would have had to play at a probowl level for me to say it was a good pick. LA played at a marginal level last year at OLB he was decent at best, and none of our other guys look to be anything more than fodder at OLB. actually the past couple seasons WR's have come in and started effectively right away, I would love for hank to turn out, and i wont jinx him but really he flashed some talent and other times looked clueless, Helu has performed well about his draft spot, but neild and hurt were low round picks who have been adequate, not special by any stretch and on most teams wouldnt have seen the field. I dont see anything overly special, oyther than Kerrigan and perhaps helu.

 

[Neophyte]

Well, we will have to disagree then. I think we had our NT for the year in Cofield and I don't recall there being any of the top NT prospects left. I was thrilled when they took Jenkins in the second.

I was also thrilled when they took Hankerson in the third. Seemed like they were getting a guy who likely should have gone higher and he might have been a steal. After his last couple of games with us, I feel the same way, assuming he can contribute like that regularly.

Helu is better than a 4th round talent and I think the only reason more folks don't see that is the damn game of musical backs Shanahan has been playing this year. Torain has had one good game and yet for a stretch of several games there Shanahan kept going to him even as Helu was showing him up. I think Helu will be the full time starter next year and get most of the work with Hightower or Royster picking up the few carries Helu doesn't get. Shoot, if we improve the OL he might be one of the top rushers in the league.

 

[Rymanofthenorth]

Well, we will have to disagree then. I think we had our NT for the year in Cofield and I don't recall there being any of the top NT prospects left. I was thrilled when they took Jenkins in the second.

I was also thrilled when they took Hankerson in the third. Seemed like they were getting a guy who likely should have gone higher and he might have been a steal. After his last couple of games with us, I feel the same way, assuming he can contribute like that regularly.

Helu is better than a 4th round talent and I think the only reason more folks don't see that is the damn game of musical backs Shanahan has been playing this year. Torain has had one good game and yet for a stretch of several games there Shanahan kept going to him even as Helu was showing him up. I think Helu will be the full time starter next year and get most of the work with Hightower or Royster picking up the few carries Helu doesn't get. Shoot, if we improve the OL he might be one of the top rushers in the league.

nosetackle wasnt our only huge need Neo, I would have put Oline even higher tbh and Jenkins was a reach, he did flash solid play though. Cofield is decent but he will be better when he has someone to rotate with and he can play more de. Hankerson started off really poorly but when he was forcefed he responded, the knee injury was really crappy.

I agree with you on helu as well, he looks really solid with little oline help and with someone to take goalline and short yards carries he has serious potential I even like his pass pro! lol

It was a solid draft and if kerrigan keeps improving it will be a good draft and if gomez and jenkins pan out with hankerson and helu then a great draft, too soon to tell right now.

 

[Goaldeje]

The other thing to consider Ryman, is these rookies had no adjustment period. Most guys coming out of college get minicamps and training camp and everything else. These guys had very little of that. It shouldn't be surprising that Hank needed a few extra weeks to get going and understand the offense. Once he got acclimated, he started playing well. Very well, actually.

 

[Neophyte]

Well, I thought DL was a bigger need than OL but that is just me. In today's NFL it is an accepted fact that you have to into every game with 2 guys at every spot on your DL, a starter and a backup who is good for 10 to 15 snaps. After parting ways with Kemo and Daniels in the off season, we didn't have that. Especially if we didn't see Golston as a viable option and indications were we really didn't want to bring him back. Frankly, I think he is on the team at this point because of Jenkins injury.

That is not to say that we didn't need OL help but if I had to guess I would say the Skins thought there would be more options on the OL available in FA than for the DL so they drafted what they thought would be harder to get. My guess is that we see a push for OL in this coming draft.

Shoot, just drafting linemen high is such a novelty in Washington that I will take either side of the ball and be excited.