The Washington Redskins currently possess the 21st overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. General manager Scot McCloughan opted to improve the offensive line with the team’s first round choice in 2015, selecting Brandon Scherff. The 24-year-old guard played well during his rookie campaign, and will likely improve as time goes on. With the offensive line seemingly taken care of, I believe that the Redskins should look to better their defensive line in the first round of this year’s draft.
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Washington’s current starters are aging and, with the exception of Chris Baker, have likely played their best ball. Terrance Knighton will be 30 at the start of the season, and while he’s certainly still capable of stuffing the run, his ability to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks is limited. In addition to an aging and possibly departing Knighton, the Redskins also have to take Jason Hatcher and his possible retirement into consideration.
Coming in at an average age of 29, the Redskins’ defensive line is far from a youthful unit. Seeing as how the players will just get older and slower, I believe that the team should make a concerted effort to get younger along the defensive line. Luckily for Washington, a handful of talented defensive linemen should be available in the mid-late portion of the first round.
Joey Bosa, Shaq Lawson, and A’Shawn Robinson, the top-tier of defensive linemen in the 2016 draft class, will likely be off the board by the time the Redskins find themselves on the clock. Washington, in my opinion, would then select between DeForest Buckner, Andrew Billings, Jonathan Bullard, Robert Nkemdiche, and Emmanuel Ogbah.
Perhaps the most intriguing prospect out of the players I named is Nkemdiche. I say this because he possesses the size and skill set that many NFL teams crave, but has also raised some red flags with his recent arrest for marijuana possession. If the 6-4, 296 pound defensive lineman slides to number 21 because of his recent incidents, it will likely be hard for McCloughan and company to pass him up.
I say this because to me, Nkemdiche is everything that McCloughan looks for in a football player. He has a big frame, great speed, and is an absolute menace to deal with in the trenches. Nkemdiche’s ability to fight through blocks and wreak havoc in the backfield is truly impressive, and I think that it’s a part of his game that will only improve with time.
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While his statistics in college don’t match up very well with his physical ability, I firmly believe that with the right coaching staff and adequate time to develop, Nkemdiche can be a quality player at the NFL level. His strength and agility alone will provide him with the ability to compete at a high level while he develops his skills.
If Robert Nkemdiche is still on the board when the Washington Redskins find themselves on the clock, McCloughan and company will have to strongly consider drafting the Mississippi product. If teams decide that his recent marijuana charge isn’t a big deal, it’s likely that he goes much earlier in the first round. On the flip side of things, if teams decide that his recent troubles are a problem, the Burgundy and Gold might find themselves in a position to land one of the steals of the 2016 NFL draft.