Washington Redskins General Manager Scot McCloughan mentioned that he wanted 12 picks in this year's NFL Draft. He didn't come close to that. But the Redskins still looked ahead - just a bit farther ahead.
They entered with eight picks but ended up making seven selections over the past three days, collecting some assets that could help either immediately, in the form of prospects, or down the road, in the form of future selections.
It all began with the addition of TCU wide receiver Josh Doctson with the 22nd overall pick Thursday, as the Redskins went with the best player available on their board, even though the position wasn't a significant need. Doctson, a 6-foot-2, 202-pound wideout, will serve as an immediate red-zone target after he scored 35 touchdowns during his final two collegiate seasons, but he may be able to develop into a No. 1 wide receiver for Washington in the future.
Before selecting Doctson, the Redskins traded with the Houston Texans to move down a pick and gain a 2017 sixth-rounder. It was the first of three picks the Redskins would ultimately acquire during the draft for next year. Washington traded out of the fourth round with the New Orleans Saints on Saturday for a fifth in 2016 and an additional fifth-rounder in 2017. The Redskins later traded one of their two fifth-round picks to the New York Jets for a fourth-round pick next year.
"We're all interested in this year coming up, but you're talking about the foundation of this football team and this organization," Redskins Coach Jay Gruden said. "You add picks for next year and get quality players this year. That's what it's all about. So we're sitting in a good spot. We feel good about the young guys we got."
The Redskins continued to stick with their board after the first round by selecting Southern Cal safety Su'a Cravens in the second round and Virginia Tech cornerback Kendall Fuller in the third. Cravens has been viewed more as a dime linebacker at the next level, one who can operate in space either in coverage or against the run, while Washington will have to be patient with Fuller as he recovers from microfracture surgery in his right knee.
Washington made four more selections on Day 3 with the additions of Temple defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis in the fifth round, Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld in the sixth round and Boston College linebacker Steven Daniels and Georgia running back Keith Marshall in the seventh round. The Redskins thereby ended up addressing their needs through the draft, but they did so in a more roundabout way, by prioritizing the board over the need.
"I'm very excited about these guys, really," Gruden said. "I think the theme is we got some football players. Some versatile guys that can do a lot of different things and tough guys that love the game of football. We're excited about them. They're all bringing a great attitude to this organization. They're going to play hard, and they're good people."
Ioannidis will bring versatility on the defensive line after playing both end and tackle in college. At 6-3 and 299 pounds, he is viewed as a high-motor, tough lineman. The two-year captain recorded 27 tackles (11 1/2 for loss), 3 1/2 sacks and two fumble recoveries last season.
"I would just say that I'm a relentless player that's going to bring a lot to the table," Ioannidis said.
Sudfeld had his best collegiate season last year, his senior campaign, throwing for 3,573 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 60 percent of his passes. Sudfeld is listed at 6-6 and 234 pounds, and Gruden raved about his accuracy and anticipation in the pocket.
"He anticipates throws, gets them out of his hand," Gruden said. "He can speed up his delivery when he has to, and he buys time. He's very functional in the pocket for a big man, buying time in the pocket. I think he's got a great upside, and we're excited to have him."
The Redskins were surprised to still see Daniels, one of their top 30 invites, on the board with the 232nd overall pick. He led a Boston College defense that was one of the best in the country last year. Listed at 5-11 and 243 pounds, Daniels was known as a hard hitter and a run stuffer in college. He felt he has improved in coverage, his biggest weakness, over the last few months.
"I had tight hips before, and it was something in college that I needed to work on," Daniels said. "I knew that I needed to work on that. Just drilling that, working on my pass coverages, change in direction and really just had to get all those things together. Once I know that I have weaknesses, I know that I have to change that."
Marshall ran the fastest 40-yard dash time among running backs at the NFL Scouting Combine, at 4.31 seconds. At 5-11 and 219 pounds, he played just eight games during his sophomore and junior seasons because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee but had 350 rushing yards on 68 carries last year.
"There's no substitute for speed, and he's fast," Gruden said. "We're excited about that. We're going to take a good long look at him. It's an element in the backfield that we don't have."
