Chase Young, Ohio State Buckeyes. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
The Washington Redskins have seven picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, including the second overall pick. Here is their latest NFL mock draft. Who do they take?
The Washington Redskins had a miserable 2019 NFL campaign. They were the first organization to fire their head coach last season. Poor Jay Gruden only lasted until October and his former offensive line coach Bill Callahan ran this struggling team in the interim. The Redskins finished a dreadful 3-13 and a complete regime change was necessary.
Fortunately for Washington, they were able to hire former Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera this offseason. Washington was able to do this by firing longtime front office executive Bruce Allen, which was required for Rivera to come aboard to reclaim this sunken ship of an NFC East franchise. Kyle Smith is also now the main man in the Washington front office.
2020 will be Smith’s first draft in charge, as well as his first working with Rivera in the war room. Washington has seven picks to get better this spring, including the No. 2 overall pick. The Redskins have primary needs at offensive tackle, wide receiver and out on the edge. Secondary needs include cornerback, tight end and linebacker. Tertiary needs are at center, guard and running back.
With not enough picks to satisfy all nine of their draft needs, Smith needs to best prioritize which positions he’ll address first and which ones he’ll have to do without. Unless they get a Godfather offer for their first-round pick, Washington shouldn’t move back from No. 2. The Redskins must take the best overall player in the draft. Here is Washington’s latest 2020 NFL mock draft.
First Round
2
Chase Young
EDGE Ohio State Buckeyes
This isn’t that hard. Everybody and their brother knows the Cincinnati Bengals will take 2019 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow No. 1 overall out of LSU. They need a quarterback and he gives a downtrodden AFC North franchise hope it hasn’t had since Carson Palmer was still in his 20s. What the Redskins need to do is take the best player available.
That player would be Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Chase Young. Like the Bosa Brothers before him, Young is the best pass rusher of his draft class. He is the ultimate disruptor along the defensive line with great speed, a wide array of moves and an outstanding nose for the football. Rivera has a shot to draft the best defensive player he’s had since Luke Kuechly in Carolina.
Though Washington already has plenty of great players along the defensive line, you can never have too many elite players in the trenches. If you want proof, look at what the San Francisco 49ers had to work with along the defensive line. They had the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, they drafted Nick Bosa out of Ohio State and then they made it the to Super Bowl.
The Redskins may have many other holes on their roster, but they can’t let a generational pass-rushing talent like Young pass them by. If they move back from No. 2, he won’t be available and will land with the Detroit Lions at No 3. Since Dwayne Haskins is already on the roster, there is no need to draft another franchise quarterback this soon. Take the best player available, Washington.