Redskins 2011 Draft = Big Success

[sportscurmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Hail to the Redskins

OK, look. Yes today's outcome was extremely frustrating... but as some have pointed out... there have been some positives during this terrible 6-game stretch. The biggest of all is that our 2011 Draft is looking like one the team's All-Time Best.

For weeks now, we have been talking about Kerrigan and Helu doing good/great things for the team.

In preseason everyone saw the huge potential in Jarvis Jenkins.

Then Hankerson came on and showed some great potential as well.

Neild had a great 1st game vs Giants, then was quiet for a stretch, then looked good again today (his grade is on a curve too, considering he was one of the last picks in the last round).

Then today, who would argue that DeJon Gomes didn't look tons better than Doughty back there at safety? He ended up with 13 tackles today!

So after 11 weeks, here's the grades by pick/round:

1) Kerrigan - Definite A+
2) Jenkins - I (Incomplete, but looks very good for next year)
3) Hankerson - A (For a 3rd Round pick, he's going to be fine)
4) Helu - A (I think he's going to be a Skin for a while to come)
5) Gomes - B (One game is a small sample set, but hey, pretty good sample)
5) Paul - C+ (I'd grade him higher, but he's not been used as actual WR, just a decoy/run blocker... but hey, been good at that role)
6) Royster - D- (Giving a D because with injuries, etc. he still hasn't shown enough to get a shot before a guy like Choice)
6) A. Robinson - F (May/Probably never play a single snap for the Skins)
7) Thompson - C (Has played sparingly... looked like a 7th round rookie CB... jury is out on him)
7) Hurt - C+/B- (Hey, he didn't stick out like a sore thumb when in there... again, played like a 7th round rookie... needs time)
7) M. White - I (Incomplete, I kinda liked what I saw out of him the preseason... needs time)
7 Neild - A (For a 253rd overall pick, can collapse the pocket like a 53rd pick)

Agree? Disagree?

You can declare the 2011 Draft a Success - - or a Bust - - at the end of 2013 because by then you will have been able to see on-field performance from the guys on the list who are actually good enough to see the field on Sundays. Until then, giving the 2011 Draft a grade is just an exercise in fluffery.

For example, Hankerson played one - - as in ONE - - very good game. For that he gets the grade "A"? Go and Google the career of Clint Longley. He too had one fantastic game - - actually it was a fantastic half of a game to be more precise - - and then he did what...

Jenkins, Royster, Robinson and a couple others have yet to show anything against "real NFL opposition" as opposed to exhibition game opposition where many players are on the field just to prevent the real players from sustaining injuries. How they looked against that competition is not important. Go and Google the career of Babe Laufenberg...

The Redskins drafted one player who has consistently shown in the first 10 games of his career that he can become an excellent player. That is Ryan Kerrigan. No one else.

The Redskins drafted one player, Roy Helu, who has shown some strengths and some weaknesses when he has been given the opportunity to play. My guess is that he can be a good "other running back" for an NFL team but that he will never be a featured back who gets 25-30 touches a game for an entire season. Remember, that is a guess based only on seeing him play sparingly over 10 games.

Judging the abilities and the weaknesses of the rest of the list based on actual performance now is like judging the Miss America contest. If you just sit back and watch with a smile on your face, they all look great...