Washington Redskins: Derrius Guice a steal on Day 2

The Washington Redskins wanted Derrius Guice in the 2018 NFL Draft, and got him at No. 59 overall while also adding a third-round pick.

The Washington Redskins were reportedly considering LSU running back with their first-round pick — No. 13 overall — in the 2018 NFL Draft. Washington traveled to Baton Rouge before Guice’s pro day where team president Bruce Allen had dinner with Guice and also brought him in for a pre-draft visit to Washington.

Wisely, Washington chose to address the defensive side of the ball with the selection of Alabama’s Da’Ron Payne in the first round. However, entering Day 2 of the draft, the Redskins still wanted a running back and, surprisingly, Guice was still on the board.

The Redskins, without a third-round pick due to the Alex Smith trade, chose to move back from No. 44 in a swap with San Francisco, adding that third-round pick. Washington, who moved down 15 spots to pick No. 59, shockingly still landed Guice.

There were lots of rumors about why Guice dropped. Many of those rumors remain unsubstantiated at the moment. But, one thing is certain, if Guice is cleared of any potential wrongdoing, Washington walked out of Dallas with a player who could end up being the steal of the draft.

Even with a possible off-field issue looming, Guice is an absolute home-run pick for the Redskins. He immediately becomes Washington’s every-down back and paired with third-down superstar, Chris Thompson, the Redskins could have one of the better backfields in the league.

The Redskins needed to surround Smith with weapons. The addition of Paul Richardson gave him someone who could stretch the field. Now, Guice gives Smith the perfect complement to Thompson. Washington still must address the left guard position and that help could come on day three of the draft or in free agency.

Every year, a player drops at the last minute for various reasons. Whether it was Laremy Tunsil, La’el Collins or Gareon Conley, we see it every year. Guice is the 2018 version. Guice runs angry with a chip on his shoulder. He brings much-needed toughness to a team that’s lacked it in recent years in the running game.

Next: NFL Draft 2018: Grades for each first-round pick

For the Redskins, getting a first-round talent who plays each snap like it’s his last, will now also want to prove to the rest of the league what a mistake it made passing over him. That’s a scenario that’s too often went against Washington in recent years. Now, the Redskins hope to reap the benefits of Guice’s precipitous fall.