Draft Preview: Edge Rushers
February 21, 2019
by Alex Zeese
The Redskins are in an interesting spot when it comes to edge rushers. The team is probably going to move on from Preston Smith, leaving Ryan Anderson as the next man up on the roster. Ryan Kerrigan is still a very good player who probably has another few pro-bowl double digit sack seasons in him. But when a guy hits 30, I think a team must start thinking about the future. There is no question in my mind that the Redskins need to draft an edge rusher.
There are a few questions the Redskins need to ask themselves.
First, do they want to draft a 1st round rusher and plan on him being Kerrigan’s replacement in a few years, or would they rather keep doing what they’ve been doing, grabbing mid-round talents like Ryan Anderson, Preston Smith, and Trent Murphy who can fill the other edge rushing spot as well as be good depth while on affordable rookie contracts? Second, what does the team think they want at the edge position? Lately they have trended towards stronger outside linebackers who can provide more support in stopping the run over the speedy pass rusher types. I think us fans want that speed.
Regardless of what the team decides internally, I expect the Redskins to grab some kind of pass rusher in the first three rounds of the draft, as it’s a position of need. This draft is insanely deep up top with talented pass rushers. I’ve seen mock drafts with five or even six rushers going in the first round. I’d love to see Nick Bosa or Josh Allen on this team; both are surefire, blue chip, pass rushers. If by some miracle they made it to 15, yes, take them. But I’m guessing these guys go in the top five. Not going to happen.
1st round prospects that could actually be there at number 15
Jachai Polite, Florida – stats
Clelin Ferrell, Clemson – stats
Montez Sweat, Mississippi St – stats
There are three other OLB/DE types who will probably go in the 1st round of the draft, Jachai Polite of Florida, Clelin Ferrell of Clemson and Montez Sweat of Mississippi. Each of them looks to be as solid of a prospect as you could want and would be a day one starter for the Redskins. They all bring a few different things to their game, so it is really a dealer’s choice over who you would want to take. Polite looks like the strongest of the three, and has a talent for forcing fumbles, having had 6 last seasons. Ferrell is one of those high motor types who stays with a play & doesn’t let up after the pass. But the one guy who I like of the three is Montez Sweat. He has good speed and a knack for rushing the passer as a hand in the dirt defensive end type. At the same time, he looks athletic enough where he could play some linebacker. Sweat will do a lot of the little things to cause problems for a quarterback, like getting his hands up to block passes or change throwing trajectories. He keeps containment when the play starts going outside. I see in him a prospect who could eventually be a replacement for Kerrigan as the #1 OLB/Pass Rusher.
2nd Round, a guy who could surprise you
Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech – stats
D’Andre Walker, Georgia – stats
If Washington cannot get their guy at the edge rusher in round one, the good news is that there are a number of prospects who should still be on the board in the 2nd round of the draft.
I suspect that Walker will get alot of attention, coming from a big-name school, and his technique is very smooth. He has good quickness and was a very effective run stopper. He’s a stand-up rusher, not a converted DE, which I know is something most fans want to see with the Redskins staying with the 3-4 defense, and the fact that he plays in the SEC means you know he’s performed vs top talent like Alabama.
But for me the guy I would rather see the Redskins take a shot on would be Jaylon Ferguson. Ferguson’s draft stock took a big hit recently when he was uninvited to the combine (and then partially re-invited) as a result of him getting in a fight at a McDonald‘s. From a raw talent perspective I think he’s still a top 100 prospect. You want speed? He has speed. He looks like Junior Galette or Brian Orakpo in how he moves. He either gets right by the tackle tries to put him on his heals quickly. Like Walker, he tends to rush from an OLB stance. He played at a smaller school but had a multi-sack performance against Mississippi State, and has 45 sacks in his college career. The only thing I picked up watching video of him vs Mississippi State was that he had some trouble with RPOs and Read Option plays. I don’t know if he would be a starter right away, but if the Redskins were able to get Ferguson he could be that 3rd & long pass rush trouble maker the team needs next year.
A Late Round Prospect
Porter Gustin, USC – stats
Gustin was a starter for his first two seasons at USC but only played ten games in the last two years due to injuries. In his Junior and Senior years he had suffered from a broken toe, an MCL problem, and a broken ankle. When he was healthy, he was a talented player with a knack for getting in the backfield, racking up 33 tackles for a loss, 21 sacks in about 34 games. Given the team’s history with taking college prospects with injury issues, I wouldn’t want to draft him too high only to watch him get injured in the NFL and never really produce. But if he falls, it may be worth the risk.