Draft Strategy after the first round

I would have no objection to LaMichael James with our 3rd round pick.

I would. We have a lot of other needs that are much more pressing than RB where we are pretty well off.

^ Playmaker, he is one and would be great value in the 3rd round.

I would have no objection to LaMichael James with our 3rd round pick.

I bet he goes to Detroit in the second round. They've been looking for a back like him for a while. Jahvid Best hasn't worked out because of concussions. LaMichael has already been there for a workout. They'll reach for him come draft day. Could you imagine that offense with him? Quite a check down for Stafford.

He'd be our 3rd down RB, Kick Returner and Punt Returner. I love Helu and Royster but wouldn't cry at James being a Redskin.

I bet he goes to Detroit in the second round. They've been looking for a back like him for a while. Jahvid Best hasn't worked out because of concussions. LaMichael has already been there for a workout. They'll reach for him come draft day. Could you imagine that offense with him? Quite a check down for Stafford.



Imagine him rounding out our RB by committee.

i think a rb w our 3rd is a poor use of the pick. if a rb is chosen, i'd rather it be w the last pick we have. but i don't want any to be drafted.

i wouldn't mind if we only drafted ol and db, wouldn't mind at all

[QUOTE=CultBrennan59;899861]Our needs are CB, FS, RT, G depth, ILB depth, Slot WR, 3 string RB, Backup QB[/QUOTE

I think the order of teams for the Skins are S, RT, G, Depth at LB, CB. We can get a RB off the scrap heap and if all else fails sign Hightower to a one year deal and the cut him if he does look good in the preseason.

I really don't see what everyone sees in him. Yes he was good in the preseason but he only average 64.2 yards a game in 5 regular season starts. The young guns can do that.

Imagine him rounding out our RB by committee.

Like I said before, I think him and Helu are comparable. Sure, LaMichael James was more electric in college, but Oregon's offense would spread out a DEF so there were always good lanes for him and isn't he smaller too? Not sure he'll be as dynamic without a good OL. I for one, was really tired of our RBs not having any running lanes. Way too many 1 yard carries. Where LaMichael would have to be drafted, if he dropped, would be in the third round and I'd like to see us pick a starting calibre RT, maybe CB if Boykin Drops. Three RBs fighting over touches could render them all pretty ineffective too.

I looked at our situation a little closer and found that my initial assessment of what to do might not be the smartest idea.
Before I say what I am nearly convinced we are going to do (if not trades...but I assume there will be trades....) I want to say some points that lead me to my conclusion.
*Players we unsuccessfully looked to replace this offseason- Brown, Lichtensteiger
*Players that will not be back after this year-Hall, Moss, Fletcher (I know he's not signed yet)
*Players that we are not sold on to start-Merriweather, SS position, Barnes
*Our OLB depth is non-existent

-2013 free agency draft class sucks at ILB, G, T, but is decent at S at CB

I say that ILB is our number one priority in this draft, and then any offensive linemen is our number two. CB, S, and OLB are going to bring up the rear.

Our positions of need are not in that priority as we will have brown and if we want him, lichtensteiger next year, but our only corner we are confident in is Wilson, we know we don't like our SS situation, and our FS (Merriweather) is risky at best. But! we will be unable to upgrade at T/G/ILB next offseason while it seems like it should be very attainable to get fillers at DB. Because we have no picks until the 3rd round, I do not think our draft picks will have a big impact this year (with the possibility of an ILB or possibly a SS if we find good value), so this is a draft more for the future than anything.

I'd say we are certainly drafting an ILB with one of our first two picks this year, and with the other pick I'd guess a lineman but am leaving open the possibility of a Safety because although I want to draft for the future, Shanny might want Safety help now.

I'd guess that with our first 4 picks 4/5 of the positions I am going to mention will be picked. ILB, G/T, S, CB, versatile/athletic LB who we are going to switch between two positions.

There are only three ways (assuming no trades) I see me getting this wrong. Those are if we draft 2 O-linemen in the first 4 picks, if Shanny decides to draft a RB (he loves that...but I have a feeling he won't this draft), or if Fred Davis doesn't seem to want to sign an extension with us (but I think he wants to) we could very likely get a TE.

Really to sum all this up. I see the positions in free agency that we signed players to long term deals on as us crossing that position off the draft board. The positions that we looked to attain anyone but didn't land anyone long term (ILB, DB, OL) are the positions I think we will draft. Our non-existant OLB depth just means that we almost have to draft someone. I normally do not like targeting positions in the draft, but when you have as little talent and few draft picks as we do, you need to pick your picks based off of what we are not able to get in free agency.

I believe that we will work the board in this draft. I say the plan going in will be to trade down. Probably from our top pick in the 3rd to the middle of the 3rd for a 5th.

That being said, Shanny seems to covet players that he wants. If someone that he thinks is amazing value at a position of need value slips, I see shanny deviating from his original plan and trading up to get that player.

I'd say odds are 60% we work the board down in the beginning and/or up later; 20% we move up past our first pick, 20% we move down and then stay put.