Yet another NFL draft expert says the Redskins need to draft a quarterback in April. Guess these guys watched film of last season or something.
Anyway, ESPN’s Todd McShay said the Redskins have other needs, but quarterback tops the list. Can’t argue with him.
If the Redskins pick a quarterback at No. 10, the only choices are Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert and Auburn’s Cam Newton.
“Gabbert is more polished,” McShay said on a conference call. “Cam has rare overall physical tools and a lot of upside. There’s also a boom or bust potential with him. Both could fit their system and if either player is there they will probably take a quarterback…. They’re very different players and both will need time to transition.”
McShay compared Gabbert to Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers. Both are by the book, but athletic enough to make plays when the pocket collapses.
“He has a chance to become technically sound and shows great football intelligence,” McShay said of Gabbert. “At the end of the play if his reads don’t go well he can take off and run. That’s the most underrated part of his game. He’s a goodathlete with a big body and can make difficult throws on the run.”
Newton, he said, compares to Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger and Washington’s Donovan McNabb. These quarterbacks rely as much on their creativity in the pocket as their knowledge of the game. Because of his size, Roethlisberger is probably the better comparison.
The problem is, McShay said nine of the first 12 teams in the draft have a quarterback need – to varying degrees.
That means Washington might need to look deeper in the draft for one. McShay said Arknasas’ Ryan Mallett would be a good bargain in the second round, and perhaps Washington’s Jake Locker falls — or they trade into the back end of the first round to get him. But McShay sounded higher on three quarterbacks who likely would be picked after the second: TCU’s Andy Dalton, Florida State’s Christian Ponder and Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick.
“If you get them in the third round and you don’t have the pressure to play them right away,” he said. “They’re athletic players who can move around and would fit what the Shanahans are trying to do very well.”
One QB he wasn’t as high on was Delaware’s Pat Devlin, listing him ninth at the position. Based on McShay’s description, he would not be a good fit in Washington.
“He’s not a great athlete and he doesn’t have an overly strong arm,” McShay said.
Two things the Shanahans likely will look for most: athleticism and strong arms. Makes it tough to throw downfield — especially off their bootlegs — without either attribute.
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