NFL Mock Draft Roundup: Mel Kiper Jr. gives Taylor Heinicke a new left tackle

The NFL’s 2021 draft is 9 weeks away, and it’s time to start analyzing what professional simulators are designing for the Washington Football Team. Ron Rivera will enter his second season as head coach and completely overhaul the board, bringing in former GMs Martin Mayhew, Marty Hurney and Chris Polian. Washington recovered at the end of last year to beat NFC East with a record 7-9. They did this by starting with 3 QBs, and going with a 4th for the playoff game.

The quarterback is still a big question mark in the 2021 season. Taylor Heinicke, who had a legendary performance against Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the playoffs, was rehired. Alex Smith was designed to be eliminated in this off-season, since his severe leg injury in 2018, and his recent interview in GQ Magazine just added fuel to that fire. Washington tried to negotiate with Matthew Stafford and asked about other veteran QBs. Will Washington answer the QB question in the FA, the draft, or both?

Some other great positions that need to be addressed if Washington wants to be the first team since 2004 to repeat itself as NFC East champion. They still need a long-term response to the left attack. The linebacker’s position needs an immediate update. Free security remains a concern. Can we get help for Terry McLaurin on the wide receiver?

Mel Kiper Jr. released his second mock draft this morning, and gave Washington a solution to one of those problems. His first simulation sketch of the year was helped by WR Kadarius Toney. Today’s choice was popular in other dummy drafts this month. Washington selects Virginia Tech OT Christian Darrisaw and protects the initial QB … Taylor Heinicke!

What will Washington do as a quarterback? I don’t have one on the board so late with a note from the first round. If we assume that Washington will find this out before recruiting – the free agency starts in less than three weeks – that makes the choice easier. The team already has a young and talented defense, but can handle the offensive line, especially if the guard Brandon Scherff leaves next month. Darrisaw had a fantastic season, standing out as a blocker of runs and passes. He could play any tackle spot. In a rare deep tackle class, Washington could get a start on Day 1 here.

The second draft of the year for NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah also has Team Rivera going with Darrisaw.

Washington will address the quarterback’s position in one way or another. I think the football team will go with a veteran addition to release them to update the offensive line with this choice.

CBS Sports (Edwards)

Washington has been on the market for a left attack since Trent Williams demanded a switch to San Francisco. Christian Darrisaw intervenes to fill the void. The only remaining question, who will start as a defender?

Bleacher report (Sobleski)

As Washington’s off-season begins and ends with the position of defender, Ron Rivera’s team will not necessarily be in a position to select one of the top five players. Realistically, the team could move on with Kyle Allen and Taylor Heinicke (if rehired in this off-season). When adopting this approach, the most logical plan is to build the booth around whoever starts.

Wide receiver and offensive tackle are areas of extreme concern. Fortunately, both positional classes are quite profound. In this particular case, one of the three main tackles is still available.

Christian Darrisaw of Virginia Tech can step in on the first day and solidify the blind side of Washington. The 6’5 ”, 314 pound left tackle is an aggressive run blocker and plays with a solid foundation in passing protection.

With the top five – as long as Brandon Scherff signs again – Washington may address the wide receiver a little later in the process.

ESPN’s Todd McShay released his second mock draft after this year’s Super Bowl. Their simulation dropped two days after Kiper and they both agreed that Florida WR Kadarius Toney was the # 19 choice. McShay’s first attempt at designing a player for Washington saw them take QB Trey Lance, who came in 3rd overall. after the Carolina Panthers switched to him.

Toney is not the most polished receiver in the class, but he is ultra-versatile and offensive coordinator Scott Turner can be very creative with the way the team uses him. After Terry McLaurin (1,118 yards), you have to look all the way to Cam Sims (477) for the second most productive WR in Washington this season. Toney took 10 touchdowns with the Gators in 2020.

And, of course, Washington is another franchise in need of QB. But Alex Smith is still under contract, and the team can afford to wait if no one falls into this position. Washington could handle this in a free agency or through trade as well.

The former Bleacher Report chief and current ESPN contributor also had the Washington Football Team update its WR body.

Mac Jones seems like a possibility here, but Ron Rivera is probably not going to tie his future to a quarterback with below average athletic ability and an arm more or less. Expect Washington to be very involved in Sam Darnold’s conversations and add weapons – such as Florida burner Kadarius Toney – to ensure that those under command have weapons in abundance.

Do we need a QB in this simulation sketch? Of course we do! Are we going to get the QB that everyone wants in position 19? Never! Pro Football Focus has Washington beating Alabama QB Mac Jones in the first round. Three of his receivers are designed to go in the first round, and there are many questions about him at the NFL level.

The football team has two options: they can try to improve their position as a defender with a veteran through a free exchange or agency, or they can shoot a player like Jones if he falls for them in 19th overall. Of course, Jones’ route comes with the added benefit of a rookie contract, which would allow Washington to continue developing the rest of the list.

From the point of view of pure production, there is a strong argument that Jones should go higher than that, and he could very well. His 95.8 PFF score last season was almost five points higher than any score Tua Tagovailoa recorded in a single season in Alabama, and Jones was one of the most accurate defenders in the country.

Concerns are about your ceiling and how much of your success is due to your situation in an absurdly talented crime while in Alabama. Still, there are reasons to believe that he can be an above average starting quarterback in the right environment – an extremely valuable result for a quarterback in a novice negotiation.

We cannot have a simulated draft round without at least one player on the defense. Especially when coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio are both ex-linebackers. Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (JOK) is one of the biggest candidates for LB in this year’s draft and is well stuck in the top 20. Many projections lead him to make a choice before Washington chooses Miami. Former Redskins GM Charlie Casserly calls JOK from a better perspective than last year’s 8th place overall Isaiah Simmons and hands him over to Washington in his first draft of the year.

A better perspective than Isaiah Simmons, Owusu-Koramoah will have an immediate impact and eventually become a star. A quarterback could certainly be at stake here, depending on what Washington decides to do this off-season.