Redskins Potential Quarterbacks – Draft Edition

There has been much speculation recently that the Washington Redskins plan to make a push to acquire Josh Rosen from the Arizona Cardinals. As of now, the Redskins’ front office has remained quiet on the issue. The Redskins have also been loosely linked to other trades, such as Derek Carr and Ryan Tannehill. If the Redskins choose to go the free agent route, potential signings include Tyrod Taylor, Teddy Bridgewater, and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Of course, a potential solution to their quarterback quandary, for the upcoming season and for the future, is through the draft. This year’s quarterback class has been criticized as being weak compared to last year’s and what is expected to be available next year. Let’s take a look at their options if the Redskins do choose the draft route.

Kyler Murray, Oklahoma, Round 1. The Redskins’ potential to draft Kyler Murray rests largely on what the Cardinals decide to do with Josh Rosen. If they decide to hang on to Rosen and go defense in round one, Murray is in play for the Redskins, but they will likely need to pull off a trade to make it happen. The logic here would be that the Giants (or another quarterback needy team) value Dwayne Haskins over Murray and trade up to get him. The Redskins would then need to pull off a trade to leapfrog over any other team that they feel will want to draft a quarterback. Depending on the boards of other teams, the Redskins may need to trade all the way up to three to make this happen. If they do pull off a Murray pick, what are they getting?

Murray is a baseball middle infielder and his arm shows that. He has a short delivery that is accurate in his short and mid-field throws. Murray demonstrates patience in the pocket and can scan the field and deliver strikes under pressure. He has great arm strength and can get the ball down field. He can prolong plays with his feet, if necessary. One of the biggest knocks on Murray has been his size. He did, however, measure in taller than expected at the combine. He also lacks experience, having started only 17 games in college.

Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State, Round 1. This is another pick that would likely require Bruce Allen to make a trade to acquire. Haskins is a prototypical pocket passer who has great presence in the pocket and anticipation. He has a big arm and NFL ready size. Haskins has shown struggles with pressure on the edge and will need some work on his deep ball. Haskins will work best on a team that wants to emphasize the short and intermediate passing game. Head Coach Jay Gruden may already feel that he has this skill set on the roster.

Drew Lock, Missouri, Round 1. Lock could potentially fall to the Redskins at 15, but that would be a huge chance to take if they feel that Lock is their guy. If they do, they would likely look to trade up three to five spots. Lock has NFL ready size and strength, standing 6’4, and may have the best arm in the draft. He can make plays all over the field, including the deep pass, and shows aggressiveness with his passes. One issue with Lock is that he struggles with decision making under pressure and tends to leave the pocket before it is necessary. Some scouts feel that Lock should go to a team that can afford to have him sit for a year or two. This would likely eliminate the Redskins.

Daniel Jones, Duke, Round 1. Jones is likely to be available should the Redskins choose to stay put at 15 in the draft. Jones was a walk-on at Duke as a two star recruit out of high school. Jones is quick and accurate in the short game counting on quick throws and tempo. He can throw on the run and make plays with his legs. Jones’ head coach is Davis Cutcliffe who helped develop and recruit Peyton and Eli Manning. Jones’ biggest knock is the deep ball. He simply does not have the arm strength to stretch the field, though, with his size, Coach Gruden may feel that he can teach that.

Will Grier, West Virginia, Round 2-3. Grier has good size and has shown himself to be accurate. He has a quick setup and delivery and can throw the ball deep with accuracy. Grier is not afraid to stay and step up into the pocket. His biggest takeaway is that he needs to set his feet to be accurate and has trouble throwing on the run. He struggles under pressure in general and sails passes.

Ryan Finley, North Carolina State, Round 3-4. In August, draft expert Todd McShay called Finley the number one quarterback in the 2019 draft. Of course, much has changed since then. Finley is an experienced quarterback and, at age 24 is older than other quarterbacks. Finley is lacking in several areas, however, most notably arm strength. He struggles with decision making, often leading receivers into coverage.

Jarrett Stidham, Auburn, Round 4-5. Stidham had some struggles at Auburn but also came through, at times, in big games. Stidham is a good athlete that can make plays with his feet and throw on the run. He is a touch passer and throws an easy, catch able ball. He has trouble reading the field, often staring down receivers and doesn’t always see the field well. The offense that he played in at Auburn didn’t exactly prepare him well for the NFL.

Clayton Thorson, Northwestern, Round 4-5. Thorson has NFL ready size and a strong arm. He is known as a great, motivational teammate that played hurt. Thorson has good field vision and does not miss open receivers. Thorson has been criticized for not going down field often enough and suffered an ACL injury during his junior year.

Coming tomorrow, seven end of draft and undrafted free agent options.