Washington Redskins 2015 draft targets: Randy Gregory

The Washington Redskins finished the season with a 4-12 record and because of their poor performance, own the 5th overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. In a few of my recent articles, I’ve discussed which players the Redskins should be considering with that pick in the upcoming NFL draft. I’ve stated that the team should target Shane Ray, Brandon Scherff, and Landon Collins; each of those players are worthy of Top 5 consideration. This article will discuss why the Washington Redskins’ draft targets should include Randy Gregory.

For the past two seasons, Randy Gregory has served as the primary pass-rusher for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In his first season with the squad, Gregory led the team in sacks with 9.5. He also accounted for 65 tackles on the season, which was good for 3rd best on the team.

Gregory’s stat-line dipped slightly in 2014, but he still delivered a solid year for the Cornhuskers. His sack total dropped from 9.5 in 2013 to seven in 2014. He also finished the year with 50 tackles, 15 less than his total from the prior season. However, injuries had a lot to do with Gregory’s down year.

The explosive pass-rusher missed two games last season due to leg injuries. Gregory missed one game against McNeese State and another against Iowa. The latter of which was the Cornhuskers’ season finale.

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Missing those games probably did him more good than harm, though. At 6-6, 245 pounds, Gregory’s long-term health is much more important than a few sacks at the collegiate level. His size and abilities make him a near-lock as a Top 10 draft pick.

Gregory has proven to be a disruptive pass-rusher. He possesses great speed, agility, and quickness. These attributes combined with his length allow him to get good jumps off of the edge, which leads to sacks and hurries for the defense. With that being said, Gregory will have to add bulk and muscle to his frame if he truly wants to take advantage of his potential at the next level.

As of now, he is slightly undersized by NFL standards. His lanky build occasionally leads to him getting controlled by opposing offensive linemen. His speed makes up for some of his mistakes in the trenches, but he’ll eventually have to add mass to become the total package.

At his current size and weight, I believe that he is better suited to play within 3-4 schemes. If Gregory is still on the board when the Redskins make their selection, Scot McCloughan and company will have to strongly consider selecting the talented pass-rusher.