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Washington Redskins 2019 NFL Mock Draft: Gruden’s last stand?

By Craig Stofko

LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 04: Quarterback Clayton Thorson #18 of the Northwestern Wildcats warms up before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 04: Quarterback Clayton Thorson #18 of the Northwestern Wildcats warms up before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
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AUSTIN, TX – SEPTEMBER 15: Sam Ehlinger #11 of the Texas Longhorns is tackled by Christian Rector #89 of the USC Trojans, Cameron Smith #35, and Porter Gustin #45 in the second quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX – SEPTEMBER 15: Sam Ehlinger #11 of the Texas Longhorns is tackled by Christian Rector #89 of the USC Trojans, Cameron Smith #35, and Porter Gustin #45 in the second quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

There comes a point in time in every team’s draft where they abandon the ‘best player available’ strategy and begin to look for players that might fill a specific need. The opposite can occur also as teams decide to return to the BPA approach in lieu of plugging certain holes. Rarely does a team move through the entire draft relying solely on picking the best player on their board.

Chris Cooley addressed this matter prior to last year’s draft. There are times when it just does not make sense to draft a player, even in the early rounds, simply because he’s the best player on your board. For example, the Redskins are not going to draft one of the dominate defensive tackles in the first round should one fall to them. They are flush at the position and have too many other needs.

However, once in a great while the pick is essentially made for a team because there is a player that they had rated so much higher than their current pick it would constitute a direction of duty not to select the player. I would be stunned if Porter Gustin were still available at pick number 118. So would the Redskins and they’d pounce on the 6’5 260 pound OLB from USC.

Gustin has all the tools to be a special player. He needs some refinement which may precipitate a slide. But, the Skins lack depth at OLB and have a pending contract issue with Preston Smith. Not to mention, Ryan Kerrigan isn’t getting any younger.  Washington would be overjoyed to acquire the services of Gustin in the fourth round.

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