Redskins Add Talent on Both Sides of the Ball on Day Three of the Draft
By Steve Thomas
The third and final day of the 2017 NFL draft was a busy one for the Redskins, who made 7 picks and a trade with the Minnesota Vikings. They drafted a running back, a tight end, a wide receiver, a center, a corner, and two safeties.
The Redskins selected Samaje Perine, the running back from the University of Oklahoma, with the first of their two 4th round pics. Perine is 5’10”, 235 lbs, and hails from Jackson, Alabama. He posted outstanding numbers in three years for the Sooners, playing in 36 games, gaining 4122 yards on 685 carries, with 49 touchdowns, for an average of 6.0 yards per attempt. He was also a factor in Oklahoma’s passing game, with 321 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns on 40 catches, for an average of 8.0 yards per catch. Perine split carries with the troubled Joe Mixon in 2016. He is known as a physical, downhill runner who is more apt to run over defenders rather than make moves to juke them. Perine joins a crowded Redskins backfield and will compete with Rob Kelley, Chris Thompson, Mack Brown, Matt Jones, and 2016 rookie Keith Marshall for playing time.
The Redskins’ second pick in the 4th round brought them Michigan St. safety Montae Nicholson. Nicholson, who stands 6’2” and weighs 219 lbs, played in 37 games over three years for the Spartans, making 200 total tackles and 4 interceptions. He is a good athlete, running a 4.42 40 yard dash and posting a 35” vertical leap at the combine. Nicholson suffered a torn labrum at the combine but stated that he expects to be ready for the start of training camp. He has plenty of competition on the roster, with new acquisition DJ Swearinger and 2016 rookie Su’a Cravens, among others, ahead of him on the depth chart.
Washington used its 5th round pick on Arkansas tight end Jeremy Sprinkle, who played in 39 games over four years for the Razorbacks, gaining 921 yards with 11 touchdowns on 71 receptions. Sprinkle has traditional tight end size at 6’6” and 256 pounds, but has the talent to contribute in both in-line blocking and passing roles. He was cited by police his senior year for shoplifting in a Belks Department Store before Arkansas was scheduled to play in the Belks Bowl. The Redskins have been in the market for a tight end with traditional size ever since the departure of Logan Paulsen, so Sprinkle could carve a role for himself despite being in a position group with stars Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis and the versatile Niles Paul.
The Redskins made their first and only trade of this year’s draft in order to move up two spots to select center Chase Rouiller from the University of Wyoming. Rouiller will be depth at center behind starter Spencer Long. Chase has good size at 6’4” and 319 lbs. He was a first-team All-Mountain West selection for his senior year, but also has collegiate experience at guard. Chase will compete with new Redskins signee Quinton Schooley for the backup center position.
Washington selected wide receiver Robert Davis at pick 209 in round 6. Davis, from Georgia St. University, stands 6’3” and weighs 220 lbs. He posted 222 receptions for 3,391 yards and 17 TDs for 15.3 yards per catch in his four year collegiate career. Davis performed well at the NFL combine, running the 40 yard dash in 4.44 seconds and displaying a 41” vertical leap but needs to continue to work on route running. Davis is a unique combination of size and athleticism that NFL coaches love and will join a very crowded receiver corps, which has gone from one of the shortest in the league to one of the tallest in a very short period of time.
The team used the first of two 7th round picks on safety Josh Harvey-Clemons from the University of Louisville. Clemons is extremely tall for a safety, measuring in at 6’4” and 217 lbs at the combine. He is known as a quality athlete, albeit inconsistent in coverage. He failed multiple drug tests, which likely caused him to fall into the 7th round. At his size, look for the Redskins to possibly also experiment with him at both linebacker and safety.
The Redskins’ final pick of the 2017 draft was another defensive back, Josh Holsey, the cornerback from Auburn. Josh stands 5’11” and weighs 195 lbs. He played in just 27 games over the course of 5 years at Auburn after tearing his ACL twice, finishing his career with 118 total tackles and 4 interceptions. Holsey joins what is now an extremely crowded defensive backfield and will have strong competition in order to make the roster.