This is the eighth in a series of articles analyzing the needs of the Washington Redskins and how they should be addressed in the 2013 NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday. Previously published: Quarterbacks and Running Backs and Wide Receivers and Tight Ends and Right Tackle and Inside Linebacker and Cornerback. We did not cover the rest of the offensive line because, while the Redskins may select someone at those positions, they will probably not do so high or often. The same goes for the defensive line and outside linebacker. They are not areas of need at the moment. 

Next up: Safety

ON THE ROSTER NOW

Starters: Brandon Meriweather, ?

Top Reserves: DeJon Gomes, Reed Doughty, Jordan Bernstine, Jordan Pugh

Also on the Roster: Devin Holland

Draft Needs 

 This position was a disaster for the Redskins last year and still looks like one, which you can tell easily from the fact that the only starter I have listed is a guy who played about half a game in all of 2012 and is coming off a torn ACL. It would help immensely if Meriweather can be back and healthy by the start of the preseason. It would also help if he looks like the player he looked like in those 2+ quarters of play against the Philadelphia Eagles last season. That's the only regular season action Meriweather saw and he looked good. But that's it. 

The free safety position was supposed to be handled by Tanard Jackson, but he was lost for the season due to a drug suspension and it isn't clear when or if he will return. In any case, the Skins cannot count on him. Madieu Williams stepped into the starting lineup and he was not equal to the task. Arguably the worst starting free safety in the NFL, Williams was the weakest link in the weak link of a secondary. 

Reed Doughty is fine close to the line of scrimmage, but suffers badly in coverage. He's a solid special teamer, though, and his presence may be needed there more than ever now that Lorenzo Alexander is gone. The Skins like Jordan Bernstine, a late-round draft pick last year, but he was injured and hardly played. It's unclear what, if anything, he can offer Washington this season. Jordan Pugh is just a guy. DeJon Gomes is more athletic than Doughty, but lacks his instincts and makes too many mistakes in coverage. 

Draft Prospects

Hopefully, the Redskins will address the safety position with either pick 51 or 85. If they do, some good prospects will be available, since this is a draft rich in safety talent. [Lucikly for Washington.] Kenny Vaccaro, Jonathon Cyprien and Matt Elam are the top players at safety in this draft, but all three are likely to be gone by the time 51 comes around. If one of them, most likely Elam, is still available, the Redskins would do well to take him unless an even better cornerback prospect slips to 51. Eric Reid of LSU might slip to the Redskins and he's a solid prospect. His measurables are superb, but he was terrible in coverage last year and I think he missed his former backfield mates Tyrann Mathieu, Morris Claiborne and Brandon Taylor. D.J. Swearinger of South Carolina would be a nice pick at 51, but he won't be around long after that, if he even lasts that long. Swearinger has steadily moved up draft boards because the more teams look at him, the more they seem to like him. I also like JJ Wilcox of Georgia Southern, but my sleeper pick is Josh Evans of Florida. If Evans falls to the third or even fourth rounds, I think the Skins should pounce. He did well in the Combine and the East-West Shrine Game and I think he'd be a very good value pick in round 3 or 4 -- someone who might be able to step in and start immediately. 

 

This is the seventh in a series of articles analyzing the needs of the Washington Redskins and how they should be addressed in the 2013 NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday. Previously published: Quarterbacks and Running Backs and Wide Receivers and Tight Ends and Right Tackle and Inside Linebacker. We did  not cover the rest of the offensive line because, while the Redskins may select someone at those positions, they will probably not do so high or often. The same goes for the defensive line and outside linebacker. They are not areas of need at the moment. 

Next up: Cornerback

ON THE ROSTER NOW

Starters: Josh Wilson, DeAngelo Hall

Top Reserves: EJ Biggers, Richard Crawford, Chase Minnifield

Also on the Roster: Jerome Murphy, Korey Lindsey

Draft Needs 

Washington had the 30th-ranked pass defense in the NFL last year and the secondary was a big reason for that. Not the only reason, though.  The lack of a decent pass rush -- in part due to the loss of top pass-rusher Brian Orakpo in week 2 of the season -- played a big part in the defense's lack of success against opposing aerial attacks. The Redskins cut Hall to save money and then re-signed him to a much smaller contract. He's basically year-to-year at this point and really needs to play well in 2013 or accept much lower pay and a much-reduced role in the future if he's going to stay in the NFL. Josh Wilson is a good #2 cornerback, but is miscast in the role as lead corner. He's not quite good enough for that job and Washington's defense would benefit enormously by acquiring a corner that would allow Wilson to revert to his natural level. 

EJ Biggers played college ball at little Western Michigan University and wasn't drafted until the 7th round of the 2009 Draft. He sat for a year and then made his debut in 2010. He's the latest in a series of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive backs to join the team and former coach Raheem Morris. Biggers has 24 starts since 2010, is only 25 years old, and has decent size at 6'00" and 185 lbs. The Redskins pursued Aqib Talib earlier in the offseason, but it was Biggers who started 12 games last year, replacing Talib in the lineup after he was suspended and then traded to the New England Patriots. I like Biggers and think he can play. Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans will tell you Biggers is terrible, but that's absolutely false. In fact, he had only two bad games last year -- week 8 against the Vikings and week 16 against the Rams. Indeed, as NBC writer Evan Silva put it: 

New #Redskins CB E.J. Biggers was a top-20 coverage CB in 2012 per @pff. 6'0/185. Ran 4.32 40 at Pro Day. Still only 25yo. 24 career starts.

— Evan Silva (@evansilva) March 20, 2013

 

Chase Minnifield is someone who excites a lot of Redskins fans. He was a very good college player at Virginia, a solid 2nd round prospect, but serious injuries -- including microfracture surgery and a second ACL tear-- derailed his career. He's 24 now and reportedly looks likely to report healthy for camp. However, the Redskins cannot rely on Minnifield. Doctors will tell you that microfracture and two ACL tears very likely permanently damaged and weakened Minnifield's knees. It's not that he cannot play and play well in the NFL, it's that he remains a very real injury risk at all times. If he plays well for the Redskins, great. But that's gravy, you don't build your meal around it. 

Richard Crawford looked unready for a big role in 2012, which isn't surprising for a 7th round pick in his rookie season, but he could improve enough to see some play from scrimmage this year. He's probably not a solution to their problems, though. 

Draft Prospects

Luckily for the Redskins, this is a deep draft at cornerback in the later rounds. Apart from Dee Milliner, I'm not convinced anyone in this year's draft at cornerback deserves to go in the first round, but several more will, nonetheless. The question is, who will be available at 51 when the Redskins make, barring trades, their first selection? And who will be available will be available at 85 when the Redskins make their third round selection? Although Johnathon Banks of Mississippi State is getting most of the attention, I like his teammate Darius Slay even more. Slay is a couple inches shorter than Banks, but no shrimp at 6'00" tall. He was blazing fast at the Combine and is a better fit for a man-coverage scheme than Banks, who is more suited to a Tampa-2 zone defense. It's possible DJ Hayden will drop to the Skins at 51 and, if he does, they should jump on him. His medical problems seem solved and he's a terrific talent. However, I think Hayden will be gone by then and the Skins will need to turn to someone like Slay or, perhaps, Blidi Wreh-Wilson from Connecticut. Blidi has good size and, while not blazing fast, should be fast enough for NFL receivers. Jamar Taylor from Boise State looks like he can play man-defense and has good speed and acceptable size. He's been up-and-down this offseason and no one seems to know where he'll fall. Some think he will go in the third round, while others believe he could last until late in the second round. If he falls to 51 the Skins should smile and take him. Robert Alford of Southeast Louisiana had a good Combine and has good size and football insticts. He's small and is best suited to playing in the slot, but that's an increasingly important job in the NFL these days. He'd be a fine pick in the second or third round for the Skins. 

This is the sixth in a series of articles analyzing the needs of the Washington Redskins and how they should be addressed in the 2013 NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday. Previously published: Quarterbacks and Running Backs and Wide Receivers and Tight Ends and Right Tackle. We did  not cover the rest of the offensive line because, while the Redskins may select someone at those positions, they will probably not do so high or often. The same goes for the defensive line and outside linebacker. They are not areas of need at the moment. 

Next up: INSIDE LINEBACKER

ON THE ROSTER NOW

Starters: London Fletcher, Perry Riley

Top reserves: Keenan Robinson, Bryan Kehl, Roddrick Muckelroy

Draft Needs 

The Redskins have five inside linebackers on the roster right now, despite losing Lorenzo Alexander, so it could be said they have enough inside linebackers. Indeed, that's true if they like what they have and what they have will be healthy. However, London Fletcher is probably playing his last season, Keenan Robinson, a fourth round pick from Texas last year, looked very good as a rookie last season, but tore a pectoral muscle on Thanksgiving Day and missed the rest of the season. He should be ready for the start of the season, but until that happens, he's still a question mark. Replacing Robinson on the roster last November was Roddrick Mucklroy, another fourth round pick from Texas, though he was taken in 2010 by the Bengals. However, Muckleroy blew out his Achilles Tendon in his very first practice back in 2010 and has struggled to get back on the field ever since. He was a tackling machine at Texas, though, so, assuming he has something left, he could be useful for depth. Also taken in the fourth round of the 2008 draft was Bryan Kehl, who has bounced around from the NY Giants to the KC Chiefs to the Redskins, without ever becoming a starter. It's likely the Redskins view him as a depth/special teams player. In other words, the Redskins need to prepare for the post-Fletcher era and find another starter to place next to Perry Riley. Robinson could be that guy, but if the Skins can find a good inside linebacker in the middle rounds, somewhere from 4-6, they should grab him. 

Draft Prospects

Inside linebacker prospects can usually be had in the middle rounds of the draft and I like players like AJ Klein of of Iowa State, Nico Johnson of Alabama, who is also a strong special teams contributor. Kevin Reddick of North Carolina and Bruce Taylor of Virginia Tech could also help the Redskins if selected in rounds 5-7. 

The Syracuse Chiefs (AAA) fell 6-5 and drop to 8-10 overall.  The Chiefs have some great bats swinging at the plate, despite the 8-10 record.  Chris Marrero went 2 for 5 and hit his 6th home run of the season.  Chris Rahl, a recent AAA call up, smacked his first AAA home run.  Eury Perez and Jeff Kobernus continue to dominate at the plate, each collecting 2 hits.  Perez is now batting .395 and is 6 for 12 over his last 2 games.  Kobernus increased his overall batting average to .412.  The Chiefs blew a solid start from Ryan Tatusko.  Tatusko tossed 6 innings and allowed  hits and just 1 run.  Jeff Mandel was hammered out of the Chiefs bullpen, allowing 4 hits and 4 runs over 1.2 innings. 

The Harrisburg Senators (AA) also dropped a 6-5 decision and fell to 9-11 overall.  Justin Bloxom went 2 for 3 and smacked his first homer of the season.  Jerad Head also homered for the Senators.  Brian Goodwin was 2 for 4 on the night.  Trevor Holder picked up his first loss, allowing 5 hits and 2 earned runs over 4 innings. 

Potomac Nationals won 2-0 behind a stellar debut start by Blake Schwartz (1-0).  Schwartz was promoted from Hagerstown after going 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA in 4 games.  Schwartz tossed 6 shutout innings and scattered just 3 hits.  Tyler Herron and Derek Self combined for three shutout innings of relief.  Self picked up his first save.  Offensively, Kevin Keyes provided it all, smacking a 2 run home run for the Nationals. 

 

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A day after securing their fifth Southeast Division title in the last six season, the Caps rewarded two energy line guys with new deals.

The Caps signed a two year contract extension with Eric Fehr.  The deal is for two years for $3 million.  Fehr will make $1.4 million next season and $1.6 million  the last season of the extension.  Fehr played last season with the Winnipeg Jets after being released by the Capitals after the 2010-11 season, a casualty of the salary cap.  Fehr returned to Washington this season and recorded 8 goals and 8 assists in 39 games.   Fehr was a first round draft selection by the Caps in the 2003 NHL Draft. 

The Caps also agreed to a two year contract extension with fellow energy skater Aaron Volpatti.  Volpatti's deal will pay him $500,000 next season and $600,000 in the final year of the extension.  Volpatti was signed by Washington off waivers from Vancouver in February.  Volpatti has 1 assist in 15 games.  He was claimed off waivers to add toughness and grit to the roster, as Volpatti's reputation an an enforcer made him an attractive waiver claim for the Caps.  Volpatti has seen an increased role over the last two weeks, subbing in for Wojtek Wolski, who has suffered from some injuries. 

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As a beat reporter for the Washington Redskins for more than a decade, I participated in many mock drafts. Many news organizations across the country conduct "Live" mocks, using beat reporters from each team to make each selection. In my opinion, these are the best mocks, as you really get a feel for the pulse of each franchise. Another good way to project a mock is to use a reputable mock as your guide for player availability. It's too easy just to project picks without a guide to limit your selections. For my final mock draft, on the eve of festivities in New York, I am using the just released (this morning) Scouts.Inc mock as my guide. For each round, I will select only players available based on their projected selections. I will also list who they project the Skins will take in parenthesis.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft2013/story/_/id/9202096/2013-nfl-draft-scouts-inc-complete-seven-round-mock-draft

Now this mock is for ESPN Insiders, so if you don't have an account, you won't be able to view it.

While paying attention to need, I am selecting the best player available in some cases (with justification).

 

1st round- Traded to St.Louis (Rams select Alabama RB Eddie Lacy)

2nd round- Margus Hunt DE SMU 6'9" 280- While I believe Hunt will be drafted in the first round, you have to grab him if he falls out of the top-50. Pretty scary to think how Jim Hasslet could use him, especially with his 4.7 speed. Is an impact player on special teams on day one. Insurance at both DE and OLB. Dominated at the combine.

(Johnathan Banks CB Mississippi State)

3rd round- David Amerson CB/S North Carolina State 6'1" 205- Prototype size with huge upside. May have been a victim of reading his own press clippings after monster junior season. Ran 4.4 at the combine and has the long arms and big hands that are the rage in the secondary these days. Skins can slide him in at corner or FS.

(Vance McDonald TE Rice)

4th round- Barrett Jones OL Alabama 6'5" 305- Began career as a guard, was All-SEC as a left tackle during junior season. Won Rimington Trophy as nation's finest lineman as a center in 2012. Most versatile offensive lineman that has played at an elite level I have seen, perhaps ever. His advanced technique equals zone blocking master.

(Earl Wolff S North Carolina State)

5th round- Kenjon Barner RB Oregon 5'10" 200- After serving as the understudy to LaMichael James, Barner finally got a chance to carry the load for the Ducks in 2012. Timed at 4.5 at the combine, Barner plays much faster. Has great upside as receiver and is a willing pass blocker. Could push Roy Helu or fill "speed role" if Helu is injured.

(Aaron Mellette WR Elon)

5th round- Jelani Jenkins LB Florida 6'1" 245- Washington DC native was one of most highly decorated and hotly recruited prospects out of high school. Considered one of top cover linebackers in the draft, while displaying the toughness and decision making to play inside in a 3-4 scheme. Character player was academic All-SEC selection.

(Roger Gaines OT Tennessee State)

6th round- Robert Lester S Alabama 6'2" 220- Lester would have been a day two selection had he entered the draft a year ago. Three year starter with two National Championship rings, but ran slower than expected (4.6) at the combine. Do not underestimate the hands on coaching of Nick Saban and defensive backs out of Tuscaloosa.

(Jawan Jamison RB Rutgers)

7th round- Tharold Simon CB LSU 6'2" 200- Was a backup until junior season (2012), playing behind Morris Claiborne, Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu. Has the height and speed to play against the ever growing wide receivers in the league. Inconsistent against the run and lacking ball skills, but lots of potential for a seventh round selection.

(Michael Mauti ILB Penn State)

 

Follow Tom Blaz on twitter at TheRecruitingEagle    https://twitter.com/RecruitingEagle

 

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St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Edward Mujica (44) celebrates with catcher Yadier Molina (4) after beating the Washington Nationals 2-0 at Nationals Park

The Washington Nationals lost their fifth straight game at home, falling to 10-10 overall, as this nightmarish start to a once-promising season continues -- mostly because the Nats bats have gone utterly silent. Pitcher Adam Wainwright of the visiting St. Louis Cardinals blanked the Nats 2-0 for his fourth consecutive win of the season, giving up only five hits and one walk against 9 strikeouts in 8 and 1/3 innings. 

Left fielder Bryce Harper managed two hits and reached on a walk, but he didn't have much help, as Jayson Werth, Ian Desmond and Adam LaRoche all went 0-4 at the plate. Harper's double was the only extra base hit of the night for the Nationals. 

With Adam LaRoche hitting so poorly [.172 avg, .262 OBP], the Nats are really missing Ryan Zimmerman's bat right now, Anthony Rendon, went 0-3 tonight and is now batting .091 for the season. LaRoche is a legendary slow-starter, but the Nats can't afford that right now with other bats also silent or just out of the lineup. 

Manager Davey Johnson was clearly angry and frustrated during a terse press conference after the game, but he did make it clear that changes are coming and he will shake up the lineup tomorrow. 

Ross Detiler got the start on the mound and while he wasn't as dominant as he has been in other starts this season, he certainly pitched well enough to win tonight. He gave up four straight hits in the fourth inning, which accounted for the Cardinals' offense, but other than that, Detwiler was strong and consistent, giving up 2 runs and 8 hits in 6 innings. He was pulled not for performance but so the team could get a pinch hitter in the 7th and try to inject some punch into the anemic offense. 

Speaking of pinch hitters, Roger Bernandina is now 0-16 with 7 strikeouts this season. 

About the only good thing to say about the Nationals tonight, apart from some good pitching, was the defense. Coming into the game last in the Majors in fielding, the Nats committed no errors and turned 4 double plays. Maybe they're getting that fixed. 

The Nationals will try to salvage something from this series and take the final game tomorrow afternoon, with a 1.05 start. Stephen Strasburg has lost three straight games, thanks, in part, to poor support, and he will try to turn it around on Wednesday. 

This is the fifth in a series of articles analyzing the needs of the Washington Redskins and how they should be addressed in the 2013 NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday. Previously published: Quarterbacks and Running Backs and Wide Receivers and Tight Ends.

Next up: RIGHT TACKLE

ON THE ROSTER NOW

Starter: Tyler Polumbus

Top reserves: Tom Compton, Tony Pashos, Jeremy Trueblood 

Draft Needs 

The Redskins have had problems at right tackle for years, mostly due to Mike Shanahan's poor decision to repeatedly rely on Jammal Brown's whose chronic hip condition limited his playing time and effectiveness in Washington, cost him the entire 2012 season and has likely ended his NFL career. Tyler Polumbus got the starting job last year when Brown predictably couldn't go and while Polumbus stayed mostly healthy, he didn't distinguish himself in his first extended playing time in the pros. Polumbus graded out as easily the worst lineman on the team and one of the worst right tackles in the NFL. He didn't clear a lot of holes for the running game and repeatedly allowed QB Robert Griffin III to be pressured, hit or sacked, due to poor pass-blocking. Polumbus seems like a serviceable backup, but it's not a good idea for him to start virtually an entire season again -- unless he makes incredible progress this offseason. 

The Redskins signed veterans Tony Pashos and Jeremy Trueblood to compete for the starting right tackle job. Pashos was a decent starter when last he played, but he missed all of last season with injuries and we don't know if he'll ever be a starting-caliber right tackle in the NFL again. He's on the wrong side of 30 and his recent injury history is not encouraging. Trueblood is healthy, but was so terrible in 2012 that the Buccaneers benched him in the middle of the season. It's not clear if either veteran is a real upgrade over Polumbus, which isn't encouraging. 

Tom Compton was drafted in the 6th round last year out of a small South Dakota college. He performed well in college, starting all 4  years, but against mostly inferior competition. He was relatively well-regarded by draftniks in 2012, though, and some expected him to go as high as the 4th round. Compton was raw out of college, but he's got good size and athleticism and is quick off the snap. He has good footwork and does a great job of getting to the second level, which is precisely the talent linemen need in the Shanahan zone blocking system. In fact, it's that footwork and ease getting to the second level that probably got him drafted by the Redskins. I believe Compton will get a genuine chance to win the starting job in training camp and if he does, it'd be a huge lift to the Redskins. Washington needs a solid, young, inexpensive starter at right tackle and Compton, if he's up to it, would fit the bill. 

Draft Prospects

If the Redskins address desperate needs in the secondary in the second and third rounds, there will still be some viable draft prospects in the mid-to-late rounds that could help the Redskins. I think Xavier Nixon of Florida would be a solid pick for the Redskins. Nixon had an up-and-down college career and suffered an injury at the Senior Bowl which kept him out of the Combine. He's very talented, but inconsistent. Nixon would play well against top opponents like LSU and Florida State, but got benched against Kentucky. He's a road-grading talent as a run blocker, but he struggles in pass protection. If he does not sound perfect, that's why he should be available in rounds 4-5. He might not be ready to start immediately, but if Mike Shanahan can light a fire under Nixon's ample backside, he could be a steal. 

Luke Marquardt is a huge man from a tiny school, Azusa Pacific. [Where?] Marquardt is almost 6'9" and weighs over 320 pounds. He's a former basketball player and you can see that athleticism in the way he moves on the gridiron. He's not a big drive blocker, but that's not a huge deal in the Shanahan system. What matters more is that he is nimble for his size and can get to the second level. The downside is that he's done and seen nothing in college to prepare him for an NFL pass rusher and that means a team taking Marquardt has enough confidence in the right tackle position to let him sit and learn for at least one season. However, he'd be a wise investment in the sixth round or so because he will be a ferocious force on the offensive line if he can figure out how to play in the NFL. Obviously, his height can cause leverage problems, but proper technique can neutralize that problem. 

The Washington Capitals. After starting the shortened season with a dismal 2-10 record and left for dead, rallied late in the season to surge back and win the Southeast Division, capped off with a win over Winnipeg tonight.  The Caps win tonight did not only secure their fifth division title in six seasons, but effectively eliminated the Jets from the NHL playoffs.  

The Caps got on the board first with a gutsy goal by Matt Hendricks near the net.  Hendricks goal came just a little over three minutes into the game and was assisted by Jay Beagle.  The Caps took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission after Jason Chimera scored at the 17:53 mark.  It was Chimera's third marker of the season and was assisted by Mathieu Perreault and Mike Green. 

The Jets came out early in the second period and put the Caps on their heels, getting an Evander Kane goal just 16 second into the second period to narrow the Caps lead to 2-1.  Blake Wheeler tallied at the 14 minute mark to knot the game at 2-2.  However, the Caps rallied late in the period to regain their two goal lead.  Nicklas Backstrom joined Alex Ovechkin in a rush to the net and deflected in an Ovechkin pass to put the Caps up 3-2 just 37 seconds after Wheeler tied it up.  Perreault gave the Caps a two goal lead at the 17:34 mark of the second period to give the Caps the 4-2 lead.  Jack Hillen and Chimera added helpers.  

The Jets pulled to within one goal at the 11:50 mark of the third period on a Nik Antropov goal.  Mathieu Perreault went to the penalty box on a high stick penalty with 5:16 left in the game.  The Caps PK unit successfully killed a crucial penalty by not allowing a single shot.  Alex Ovechkin scored in the empty net to give the Caps the 5-3 win. It was Ovi's league leading 31st goal and provided the nail in the Jets coffin.

CAPS ARE SOUTHEAST CHAMPS AND PLAYOFF BOUND!!!

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First, Jason Chimera takes a pass from Matthieu Perreault and puts the Capitals up 2-0 over the Jets Second, Nicklas Backstrom takes an incredible pass from Alex Ovechkin and puts the Capitals up 3-2 in the second period. Third, Matthieu Perreault fights through traffic in front of the Jets' net to push a goal through. The Capts took that 4-2 lead into the third period.