My way too soon draft reaction

May 1, 2023

by Steve Thomas

The 2023 draft has come and gone for the Washington Redskins Washington Football Team Washington Commanders Washington.  How did Ron Rivera and company do?  Did the fill some roster holes, or at least find some talented players?  Does the effort deserve a thumbs up or thumbs down?  Let’s briefly ponder these all-important questions.

Round 1, pick 16 – Corner Emmanuel Forbes

Honestly, I don’t love this pick.  Unfortunately, all of the first round-ranked offensive tackles were off the board by pick 16, so I don’t fault Washington on that front; that having been said, multiple first round-worthy tight ends were available, which in my view was and remains a bigger roster need.  More importantly, Christian Gonzales, who was more highly ranked on nearly every analyst’s draft board, was also available, and in fact selected one pick later.  The Lions drafted middle linebacker Jack Campbell with pick 18, and that position is indisputably Washington’s biggest need.  Forbes’ career will always be linked to that of Gonzales.  Washington did need another corner, but I personally didn’t think the need was so great as to justify a first-round selection.  I’m not that interested in parsing a draft position or two on a draft board, but Washington might have been the only ones to have Forbes ranked over Gonzales.  The reason for this selection appears to be Forbes’ reputation as a playmaker, which is backed up by his prodigious number of interceptions.  That’s fair enough, and who are we to argue too much about that draft strategy.  I will point out, though, that if you watch Forbes’ 2022 season interceptions, a good number of them were the result of fortunately-tipped balls, so I think Forbes’ ability to continue his playmaking in the NFL isn’t as clear cut as some think.  Also, in my view, Forbes’ rail-thin body is going to be a problem when matching up with much bigger and stronger NFL receivers.  I like this pick now more than I did on Thursday night, but I’m still not wild about it.

Steve’s grade: C

Round 2, pick 16 – Corner Jartavius Martin

I completely didn’t understand this pick.  Another corner?  What?  Yes, Martin is versatile and should be able to play both slot corner and safety, possibly free safety.  That having been said, this team utterly did not need to draft another defensive back.  Guard Cody Mauch was drafted by Tampa Bay one pick later, and that’s clearly and obviously the selection Washington should have made.  Plus, Martin also was probably drafted too high and would’ve been available later in the round, at a minimum.  This pick is inexcusable, in my opinion.  As a player, Martin has some good qualities, starting with his off-the-charts athleticism – a 44-inch vertical leap is crazy for an NFL player.  Granted, the team will now probably be able to replace Kendall Fuller, at a significant savings, but still: Cody Mauch was available.

Steve’s grade: D-

Round 3, pick 16 – Center Ricky Stromberg

Washington didn’t need a center drafted in a draft spot in which he will be expected to eventually start.  They just signed Nick Gates to a fairly large three year contract, for goodness sake, and they still have Chase Roullier and a long list of backup centers.  I like Stromberg as a prospect, though.  He is very experienced and has some versatility since he also had a few starts at guard in college.  Still, though: when is Stromberg going to get on the field, absent injury?  Even assuming Roullier gets cut, which would be a significant savings, I still fail to see how this pick results in improvement for Washington unless Stromberg ends up being a starting-quality guard.  However, at least Washington finally grabbed an offensive lineman, and Stromberg seems like a good value at pick 16.

Steve’s grade: C+

Round 4 – Guard Braeden Daniels

Daniels was a worthy pick at this spot.  Guard is obviously a huge need for the team, and Daniels is a fairly athletic, quality prospect.  Considering he’s a fourth round pick, he won’t be expected to start any time soon, if ever, so the team will most likely give him time to develop.  He’s athletic, and most analysts like his film.  Daniels wasn’t overdrafted at this spot, and there were no prospects drafted immediately afterwards with whom Washington would’ve been better off.

Steve’s grade: A-

Round 5 – Edge rusher K.J. Henry

Washington certainly doesn’t need another edge rusher this season, but given the uncertainty with the position group – namely the status of both Chase Young and Montez Sweat, and the loss of Shaka Toney due to his gambling-related indefinite suspension – I understand and agree with the need to inject some new talent.  However, I fail to see the need to trade up in order to do it.  Henry is a quality fifth round prospect, and considering that his father appears to be a die-hard Washington fan, he’s probably going to be a fan favorite.  That doesn’t mean, though, that it was a good idea to give up two picks in order to get him.  As a player, Henry doesn’t appear to be on a track to be a serious, three-down starter, but that’s not expected from a fifth round pick.  This is another pick that I initially hated but have warmed up to somewhat.  Still, though, trading away another pick?  This pick gets marked down for that.

Steve’s grade: C+

Round 6 – running back Chris Rodriguez

Whether fans are willing to admit it or not, Washington needed another running back. Enter Rodriguez.  This is a dedicated power back, not an electric, shifty back or a pass-catcher in the mold of J.D. McKissic.  I suspect Washington’s coaches view Rodriguez as the short yardage back and the second half clock-killer, at least for now.  There’s room in this position group for Rodriguez to prove himself right away.  He may not make the active roster immediately, so year 1 might be practice squad redshirt year, but he’ll have a legitimate opportunity to prove himself.

Steve’s grade: A

Round 7 – Edge rusher Andre Jones

Washington didn’t need yet another edge rusher, but a needs-based analysis isn’t overly important in the middle of the seventh round.  Jones’ stats and measurements don’t particularly jump off the page, but that’s what you’re going to get at this point in the draft.  The odds of him making the active roster are stacked against him in year one, but 2024 is a different story.

Steve’s grade: C

Final thoughts and overall grade

This wasn’t a particularly good draft for Washington.  They drafted several players too early, and they ignored obvious needs at the top of the draft for players who don’t seem poised to provide meaningful contributions any time soon.  Washington desperately needed at least one new linebacker, yet Ron Rivera stubbornly continues to ignore it.  The team also needed a starting -caliber tackle and a developmental quarterback, but didn’t get either.  While some of these drafted players have good abilities, several were drafted higher than they probably needed to be.  I liked what the team did on day 3 much better than I did on days 1 and 2.

Steve’s overall grade: C-