A little draft fodder:
…One NFL executive said he doesn’t think either QB Blaine Gabbert or Cam Newton will fall to the Redskins at No. 10. He thinks both could be gone by 5. He’s heard a few teams in the top 5 like Newton, warts and all.
“If I had to take one I would take him,” the executive said of Newton. “His team wins because of him. He’s special. You could look at his inexperience as a strength or a negative. I see it as a strength. He’ll keep getting better. Do I like him as a kid? No. He’s not a good guy; very self-absorbed. But if you had to win right now he gives you the best chance to do that.
“Carolina has to look long and hard at him. Everyone is comfortable with the player, but are you comfortable with the person? To me he goes to Carolina.”
…The executive thinks the Redskins will try to trade down because “they don’t have a lot.”
…Should the Redskins draft a receiver? This executive said Redskins coach Mike Shanahan is arguably the best in the NFL at developing receivers. Still …
“When you have real needs like they do, a receiver is a luxury,” he said. “But Julio Jones … would bring a little glitter to the offense. You could make a case for him.”
Many already have, partly for this reason: There may not be a QB worth taking at No. 10 and the defensive players they covet could be gone. That leaves Jones, whose size and speed would make a good fit in a West Coast offense. The problem? Inconsistent hands and durability. But he could give Washington something it lacks: a playmaker on offense. Plus, with all the attention focused on character, Jones has a terrific reputation for his work ethic and attitude.
…The Redskins draft order: first round (10th), second round (41st), fifth round (144th), fifth round (155th), sixth round (177th), seventh round (213th), seventh round (224th), seventh round (253rd).
…Anyone who was upset by PFW draft analyst Nolan Nawrocki’s evaluation of Newton, just know this: it’s not a story, it’s an evaluation based on talking to numerous scouts – pro and college – and NFL executives.
“The evaluation isn’t any different than what [PFW] has done for 33 years,” Nawrocki said. “[And] anybody that does their homework and really digs hard will come away with a lot of the same conclusions.”
Nawrocki said several teams’ decision makers called Newton a “fraud” and “disillusioned” about his past.
“With all the work we’ve done on his background and the extensive amount of research and time that went into figuring out what kind of kid he is,” Nawrocki said, “I feel strongly about what was written.”
…TCU’s Andy Dalton and Florida State’s Christian Ponder have evaluators split. Some scouts like them, though they have questions about their arm strength, downfield accuracy or durability. Nawrocki called Dalton a career backup. Some scouts view Ponder as the best QB in the draft, the one most ready to play immediately. Wes Bunting of the National Football Post rates Ponder as the top QB this year.
…One scout said North Carolina defensive lineman Robert Quinn is “so overrated it’s not even funny.” He doesn’t think Wisconsin’s J.J. Watt has enough explosiveness, but he likes Cal’s Cameron Jordan. “He has a great combination of size and quickness.” The scout loves Da’Quan Bowers and compares his potential to Julius Peppers; but the knee concerns are big.
Meanwhile, Nawrocki said of Jordan, “You see a lot of activity with his hands and feet, but he’s not always getting to the quarterback. There’s a lot of standing in place. But on tape he grades out as a first-round pick.”
…Nawrocki likes Missouri’s Aldon Smith as an end in a 4-3 and not as a linebacker in a 3-4, where some have him playing. He compared him to the New York Giants’ Justin Tuck and said Smith could end up being the best pass rusher from this draft.
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