Washington Redskins: Target Michael Thomas in Draft
By Andrew Long
The 2016 NFL Draft will officially kickoff on April 28th in Chicago, Illinois. The Washington Redskins currently hold the 21st overall selection in the first round of the draft, the lowest first round choice the team has possessed since 2002 when they selected quarterback Patrick Ramsey at 32nd overall.
The Washington Redskins, for the second year in a row, will rely on the scouting talent of general manager Scot McCloughan to lead their efforts in the draft. It’s likely that Washington’s GM and team leaders will elect to draft a slew of defensive players come April, but, if either Pierre Garcon or DeSean Jackson leave town, the Redskins will have a glaring need to fill at wide receiver, which may lead to the team significantly changing their draft plans.
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If that is indeed the case, I can envision McCloughan making a play for a big, physical wideout. Washington has lacked such a presence for some time now, which sometimes leads to their wideouts being dwarfed by modern cornerbacks who possess measurables much greater than that of their perimeter pass-catchers.
In today’s NFL, teams target corners that are long and rangy. The length and physical attributes that modern NFL cornerbacks possess make it so that teams have to get bigger and stronger on the offensive side of the ball, often resulting in wide receivers with large frames and impressive ball skills.
The Washington Redskins don’t possess a wideout that measures larger than six feet tall, leaving tight end Jordan Reed as their go-to option in the red zone and in jump ball situations. With the team lacking a true possession receiver on the outside, I believe that they should consider drafting Michael Thomas out of Ohio State University.
The 21-year-old wideout measures in at 6 foot 3 and 209 pounds. His presences on the outside would provide the Redskins with an instant upgrade in terms of size and jump ball ability. Michael Thomas excels at battling for the ball in the air, as he does a fantastic job of locating and attacking the football its highest point.
He won’t blow you away with his speed or deep ball ability, but he offsets his lack of speed by deceiving opposing cornerbacks with his footwork and body language, which allows him to get separation at the top of his routes. In addition to beating corners with his pristine footwork, he also outshines many of his rookie peers when it comes to fighting for the football, with his strength allowing him to rip and tear the ball away from corners at the point of attack.
The young pass-catcher also does a great job of eluding tacklers after the catch, often slowing down and making defenders over pursue. The ability to garner yards after the catch is extremely important, and it’s something that shouldn’t be overlooked when scouting a prospect at the wide receiver position.
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If I’m the Washington Redskins, I have to strongly consider drafting Michael Thomas in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft. There’s no doubt in my mind that Garcon and Jackson are capable of producing in 2016, but their age and cap numbers are something to take into consideration, as you don’t want to overpay players on the tail end of their careers.
The Redskins must begin to groom wideouts for the future, and while Garcon and Jackson are supremely talented players, they won’t be around forever and it would ultimately hurt the team in the long run if they elect not to add some youth to the wide receiver position this offseason.