Washington selects 3 in round 7
May 1, 2021
by Steve Thomas
Washington traded a 2022 5th round pick to NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles for the 41st pick in round 6 (225th overall) and the 12th pick in round 7 (240th overall) in the 2021 draft, which gave them three seventh round picks this year, including number 19 (246th overall) and the second to last pick in the draft, number 31, which is 258th overall. With those three picks, the team drafted Baylor defensive end William Bradley-King, Penn St. defensive end Shaka Toney, and BYU wide receiver Dax Milne.
The Redskins Washington used the 12th pick on Bradley-King. Bradley-King is 6’3”, weighs 252 pounds, and is from Kansas City, Missouri. He began his college career at Arkansas St, where he redshirted his freshman year in 2016. Bradley-King played for Arkansas St. through 2019, then transferred to Baylor as a graduate student for the 2020 season. In total, he played 39 games, with 24 starts, making 119 tackles, including 64 solo and 29.5 for loss, and 18 sacks. In 2020, Bradley-King played 9 games and made 31 tackles, including 20 solo and 5.5 for loss, and 3.5 sacks.
At Baylor’s pro day, Bradley-King ran the 40 yard dash in 4.79 seconds, and jumped 34.5” in the vertical leap and 9’11” in the standing broad jump. He is viewed as having average athleticism by NFL edge rusher standards, but is intelligent and known as a “high motor” player. He is a bit small for a traditional base 4 – 3 NFL defensive end, so it’s probable that Washington may view him as more of a linebacker.
If the team uses Bradley-King is a linebacker, he will be join a position group that includes first round pick Jamin Davis, 2020 starting middle linebacker Jonathan Bostic, 2019 fifth round draft pick and strong-side starter Cole Holcomb, veteran David Mayo, 2020 rookie Khaleke Hudson, 2017 seventh round pick Josh Harvey-Clemons, Jordan Kunasyk, Jared Norris, and Justin Phillips. Bradley-King will need to compete for a roster spot and will be expected to compete on special teams.
Washington drafted Toney with the 19th pick in round 7. Toney is 6’2” and 242 pounds and is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He played in a total of 47 games between 2017 and 2020, with 22 starts, and also had a redshirt freshman year in 2016. During that time, he made 111 tackles, including 57 solo and 28.5 for loss, plus 20 sacks. He earned Second Team All-Big 10 honors in 2019 and First Team All-Big 10 honors in 2020, and was a team captain in 2020.
At Penn St.’s pro day, Toney ran the 40 yard dash in an unofficial 4.51 seconds, which is an outstanding time for an edge rusher, and did 24 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press. Unlike Bradley-King, Toney is viewed by draft evaluators as a defensive end and pass rushing specialist. As his 40 time suggests, he is known to have speed and agility, and the ability to move laterally. According to scouts, his negatives are below average physicality and play strength.
Toney joins a high powered defensive line group that includes four first round picks, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Montez Sweat, and 2020 defensive rookie of the year Chase Young, as well as starter-level talents Matthew Ioannidis and Tim Settle, plus 2020 rookie draft pick James Smith-Williams and a number of other practice squad-level players. Toney will have to fight for a roster spot in 2021, but absent him outplaying his draft status, his destiny this season may be the practice squad. Long term, he could carve out a role as a third down pass rusher.
Washington drafted Milne with its final pick, number 31 in round 7, which was the second-to-last pick in the draft. He hails from South Jordan, Utah, stands 6’1”, and weighs 193 pounds. Milne is a junior who was one of #2 overall pick Zach Wilson’s favorite targets in 2020. He played in a total of 35 games between 2018 and 2020, and was a full-time starter in 2020. In his collegiate career, he caught 101 passes for 1,542 yards, 15.3 yards per reception, and 11 touchdowns. In 2020, Milne played 12 games and had 70 receptions for 1,188 yards, 17.0 yards per reception, and 8 touchdowns.
At his pro day, Milne ran the 40 yard dash in unofficial times of 4.54 and 4.57 seconds. He’s known as a precise route runner who lacks elite speed and burst, and is a competitive player who gained first downs on 73% of his receptions. Scouts see him as having good footwork and ability to track the ball in the air. Milne’s downside, beyond his lack of speed, is that his smallish frame and lack of play strength may inhibit his ability to separate.
Milne joins a very crowded and competitive receiver group that includes third round pick Dyami Brown. The team has made major improvements since the end of last season, starting with the addition of former Carolina Panther Curtis Samuel. Washington also added former Tennessee Titan Adam Humphries. Samuel will pair with star receiver Terry McLaurin on the outside, with Humphries in the slot. Last year’s “Z” starter, Cam Sims, returns, as does Kelvin Harmon and 2020 draft choice Antonio Gandy-Golden. 2019 undrafted free agent Steven Sims Jr, and 2020 undrafted free agent Isaiah Wright are both slot-only players and thus will play behind Humphries. Milne has the raw skills to play in any receiver role, although his physical attributes may limit his ability to compete at the NFL level. He will have to battle for a roster spot in 2021 and absent a surprise will probably end up on the practice squad this year.