Scout’s take on Ryan Kerrigan and some of the Redskins’ second-round options:
…”[Defensive tackle] Stephen Paea is a perfect fit for a 4-3 team, so I don’t know that he’s an ideal fit for what they do. Jarvis Jenkins is a better fit. He could be the nose Albert Haynesworth wasn’t, if they’re looking for a nose tackle he could be the next guy. Jenkins is an athletic guy. He has the combination and he has more athletic ability than Phil Taylor. He’s really a good player. He got overlooked because he played with Da’Quan Bowers but they didn’t always play on the same side. A lot of times he was the opposite tackle and was the true nose. He’s a good player. Big, athletic; a little under the radar.”
…”Colin Kaepernick has the most potential and upside. He at least has a chance working with a talented coach and sitting this year. Rex Grossman’s gonna play. None of them will play right away, especially if there are no OTAs. No chance. I don’t think anyone would question the physical talent of Kaepernick over Andy Dalton or Ryan Mallett. And Mallett … as much bad stuff there was about Newton, he might have even more. He’s unlikeable. He’s like Ryan Leaf without quite as much talent. He rubs people the wrong way. Where there’s smoke there’s fire. I doubt he’ll be the first one off the board today. Kaepernick has just as good an arm as Mallett.”
… “Everything you hear about Mallett is that he’s not a hard worker and doesn’t put in the time. Kaepernick clearly will. If the Redskins took him knowing they would go with Rex Grossman this year and knowing Mike Shanahan has had great success with quarterbacks, he’ll have a good chance to be a good player in 2012. Andy Dalton? Why draft a guy who’s gonna be a backup? That’s what he is. He’s not a starting caliber NFL quarterback.”
… “Can Ryan Kerrigan play in a 3-4? Let’s say this: There’s a lot of people who didn’t think LaMarr Woodley would be a good 3-4 outside linebacker either and he’s done a great job for Pittsburgh. He was a 4-3 end and that’s where he had all his production. Ryan does not have extraordinarily impressive workout numbers, but it’s very, very overrated and overblown of 3-4 outside linebackers having to drop and cover. Ninety percent of the time they’re rushing the quarterback and that’s something this guy can do. He’s not a one-trick pony. He’s not a guy who because he has great speed he tries to do it all the time. He has moves; he can rush with power, quickness, speed. He’s good on stunts. He will be a really good player and now he gives them a chance with their defense to be balanced. Now you have a good rusher coming off both sides. You can’t slide your protection one way or someone will come free. It’s a very savvy and wise move and now with the two second-round picks they have a chance to get two other needs. They have options.”
…”The only thing that could make this trade look bad is if Blaine Gabbert is the next great franchise quarterback and takes Jacksonville to the playoffs. Then a lot of people would be questioned, including Shanahan. But he has good credibility on this front. And look at it: Gabbert was passed by a guy in Buffalo who is a really good QB guy in Chan Gailey. Arizona didn’t take him, then San Francisco didn’t take him and Tennessee chose Locker ahead of him. Think about how many teams saw something glaringly wrong with Gabbert.”
…”Let’s say the QBs are gone and they go defense again. Improve the defense. Sometimes it’s better to become a better defensive team to make games closer. It’s easier to do that than to find a franchise QB. You have to be sold on it and at every position there are mistakes. I wouldn’t be surprised if the QB they want isn’t there, I could see them taking [corner] Ras-I Dowling or [receiver] Leonard Hankerson. They will have a good player sitting there.”
