Washington Redskins draft: Danny Shelton a good fit

In possession of the fifth overall pick in this year’s selection process, general manager Scot McCloughan will get his first crack at developing these Washington Redskins through the 2015 draft.

McCloughan was hired in January with the intentions of building the Redskins’ franchise the right way — by drafting and developing players instead of trying to buy talent on the free agency market. To do that, the team will have to improve several positions throughout the roster.

More from Washington Commanders

One of the positions that Washington needs to upgrade is defensive tackle, more specifically nose tackle. Barry Cofield is the current starter for the Redskins, but at 306 pounds he lacks the weight that nose tackles typically have. If the Redskins decide to address defensive tackle in the draft, University of Washington’s Danny Shelton is a player that would make sense.

Coming in at 331 pounds, Shelton carries the weight of a prototypical nose tackle. Adding a player with his size and strength would be extremely beneficial to the Redskins’ run defense. Shelton’s ability to move laterally through the trenches is an important part of his game and is a big reason that he finished as the Huskies’ second-leading tackler in 2014.

Shelton certainly isn’t the fastest player, but he has adequate speed given his size, weight, and positional duties. With that being said, Shelton possesses the speed to occasionally chase down runners on the perimeter. His high motor has a lot to do with that.

Shelton rarely gives up on plays and gathers a lot of tackles because of it. The effort he exerts is a big part of his game and it aids to his success against the run. He rarely stays blocked and often causes disruptions in the backfield. His strength allows him to push opposing guards and centers backwards, collapsing the pocket and filling potential holes for runners.

Shelton is certainly a skilled run-stopper. There is no questioning that. However, his pass-rushing skills aren’t quite as great. Shelton recorded nine sacks last season for the Huskies, second-most on the team. But this is an area the he can still vastly improve. I have no doubt that he can. His strength, size, and motor will help a lot.

Though it showed a bit of arrogance, Shelton’s barrel roll sack against Eastern Washington (I included a clip of the barrel roll below for your viewing pleasure) was a perfect example of how his high motor can help him as pass-rusher.

After the admittedly-cool barrel roll, Shelton fought his way across the pocket to reach the quarterback and record a sack. Shelton will have to play with that style of ferocity on a consistent basis if he wants to become a feared pass-rusher at the pro level.

Shelton’s dominance against the run is more than enough to make up for his woes on passing downs. He’s big, strong, and often calls for a double-team. Shelton’s big frame and high motor would make him an instant impact player for the Redskins defense.

The Washington Redskins’ defensive unit sorely needs a true nose tackle.

Danny Shelton fits the bill.

Next: Should the Redskins target Randy Gregory?

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/Washington Commanders