ASHBURN, Va., -- The Washington Redskins' draft might not produce any starters, though in some cases that's more a reflection of depth at a certain position rather than the draft picks. The lower-round selections weren't expected to start, either. Still, it's a draft in which some players will be allowed to develop before they're needed. Even first-round pick Josh Doctson, had he been healthy, probably would have been a reserve.
As the Redskins enter their third preseason game, here's a look at the seven-member draft class:
Receiver Josh Doctson (first round): He increased his activity this past week, running routes at a little more than half speed for the first time since his Achilles tendinitis. He hasn’t practiced since May 25. Though coach Jay Gruden didn’t rule out Doctson opening on the physically unable to perform list, the belief and hope in the organization is that he’ll be ready for the season opener. But that leads to another question: Even if he’s available, how effective can he be? They’ll have to come up with specific packages for him. The hardest time to work on your game is during the season when everything becomes about preparation for the upcoming opponent.
Linebacker Su’a Cravens (second round): He’ll make mistakes, but he also has shown a great deal of instinct and energy. Both are welcomed traits. Cravens is faster than most linebackers and that speed should come in handy in various packages, with blitzes up the middle or even off the edge. But he has worked primarily with the backups so when he becomes a part of the first defense, even in nickel packages, remains to be seen. He’s a bit aggressive on certain plays (bootlegs) that could lead to issues. But he also makes plays.
Cornerback Kendall Fuller (third round): He’s competing with Dashaun Phillips for the starting job as the slot corner. As of now, Phillips is slightly ahead, but that’s more because of his own play rather than what Fuller has done wrong. Fuller did give up a few plays last week vs. backups, but he has done an excellent job competing and not worrying about bad plays. Both players are why the Redskins are in good shape at corner. At least Phillips is showing that he can play.
Defensive end Matt Ioannidis (fifth round): He has worked with the third defensive line, but the Redskins remain sold on what he can do in the future. That’s why it’s hard to see them exposing him to the practice squad. Because they like him and want to keep him, it’s easy to see them possibly keeping seven defensive linemen.
Linebacker Steven Daniels (sixth round): Already placed on injured reserve because of an arm injury. He would have had a tough time making the roster. It’s not that the inside linebacker position is stacked, but there is depth.
Quarterback Nate Sudfeld (sixth round): He has been inconsistent, as you would expect from a quarterback picked low in the draft. The question becomes: How much do they believe in his future? Because of Kirk Cousins' uncertain future – how he’ll play; how long they can keep him if he becomes too expensive, etc. – the Redskins want a young quarterback to develop. If they deem Sudfeld worthy of that distinction then it would be silly to cut him unless they're confident no one would pick him up. And if there’s really no interest in him then perhaps that speaks volumes.
Running back Keith Marshall (seventh round): His speed will be a big factor when the Redskins get down to their final cuts. They want to find a way to make that speed work for them, giving them something they don’t have. But has he shown enough to warrant a roster spot? If he has, it’s all because they don’t want to get rid of that speed. Just in case. He has other skills, but that one jumps out quite a bit.
