The Washington Redskins are always kind of hard to figure out. It seems the philosophy of the team changes on owner Daniel Snyder’s whim. One year they claim the virtues of the NFL draft, and the next they trade away multiple picks.
One thing that is usually for certain the Redskins are aggressive on draft day, but for some strange reason that didn’t seem to be the case this year. While they have been aggressive in years past this year General Manager Vinny Cerrato usually stands pat with their first selection. For the 2009 draft that was first round 13th overall.
Heading towards draft day the Skins needed a DE or a LB who could blitz from either end to complement Albert Haynesworth’s domination of the middle. Orakpo looks to start in 2009, and gives the Redskins something they have not had in a long while, a young pass rushing end.
The Redskins did not have a second round pick and in the third round, they added depth to their DB situation by taking Kevin Barnes the Cornerback from Maryland.
While the Skins had need at LB and they used both their 5th and 6th round picks on that position both of these players are long term projects. Fifth round pick Cody Glenn from Nebraska is a converted RB who has durability concerns. Sixth round pick Robert Henson from TCU projects at nothing more that a special team’s player.
Based on the available evidence here are the grades for the 2009 Redskins draft, as always subject to change:
Round One- A
Talent- B-
Need- C+
Average- B
With all that being said here is a more complete look at the Redskins 2009 draft:
Round One- 13th overall Brian Orakpo DE Texas
Round Three- 80th overall Kevin Barnes CB Maryland
Round Five- 158th overall Cody Glenn LB Nebraska
Round Six- 186th overall Robert Henson LB TCU
Round Seven- Eddie Williams FB Idaho
Round Seven- Marko Mitchell WR Nevada
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