The NFL Draft is almost two weeks old now, which means the grades and analysis delivered by pundits aren't just hot takes anymore, fueled by subjective whims. Taking a little bit more time with their assessments, Walter Football released its best value picks of each day of the draft, and the Redskins got a lot of love.
Let’s start with Day 2, in which the Redskins traded back from their original spot, acquiring a third-round draft pick, and still took running back Derrius Guice with the 59th overall pick. The outside noise regarding Guice's character likely made some teams wary of him, but Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Doug Williams knew about Guice's character and helped make an easy decision for the team when he fell to them.
Walter Football's Charlie Campbell thought the pick compared with the Vikings' selection of running back Dalvin Cook last year, a selection he believes looks like a huge steal despite him getting injured last year.
"There is a lot to like about Guice as the engine for a rushing attack in the NFL," Campbell writes. "He finishes his runs dishing out some punishment; he is a tough runner between the tackles and his legs don't go dead on contact when bigger defenders hit him or get a hold of him. Guice will run through tackles, break free from defenders, and is difficult to get on the ground.
"Early in his career, I think that Guice could become a Pro Bowl running back for Washington. Quickly, Guice should be the lead back for the Redskins' offense, and they have a good offensive line that should be effective at opening holes for him. Washington also has strong leadership for Guice in the locker room and coaching staff, but also with Doug Williams and team president Bruce Allen, who have had success working with players from tough backgrounds. The Redskins were a great landing spot for Guice, and it wouldn't surprise me if this pick really works out."
While Campbell didn't choose the Redskins for the Day 3 value pick winner, he chose their selection of Tim Settle as an honorable mention after Washington took the Virginia Tech product in the fifth round. With the Hokies, Settle appeared in 27 games with 13 starts, recording 53 total tackles (28 solo) along with 19.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two kicks blocked and one pass defensed.
Campbell finished his grades with “Best Draft Newcomer,” handing the award to Doug Williams, clarifying that the award is given to the general manager or title equivalent that made a splash in their first draft in charge.
"I think Williams did a phenomenal job of putting together a talented class," Campbell wrote. "First-round nose tackle Daron Payne was an excellent pick, and fifth-round nose tackle Tim Settle was a giant steal. Adding those two big heavyweights to the middle of the Redskins' defense should quickly help to resolve their issues in run defense. Payne reunited with Jonathan Allen could be a tremendous tandem on Washington's offensive line.
After reiterating his pleasure with the Guice pick, Campbell said he believes tackle Geron Christian has major upside and will help provide depth to an offensive line that experienced numerous injuries last season.
"On the third day of the 2018 NFL Draft Williams got good depth players who also should be tremendous special teams players in Penn State safety Troy Apke, Alabama linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton and Virginia Tech cornerback Greg Stroman. Williams also hit a home run with the final pick of the draft by selecting SMU slot receiver Trey Quinn. Quinn should have gone a few rounds earlier and could end up being a solid contributor as a slot receiver. Quinn might be the rare Mr. Irrelevant who sticks with a solid NFL career.
"Just like in 2017, the Redskins had an excellent draft, but they don't get a lot of credit for it because their staff doesn't lobby the national media to give them praise like other teams and general mangers. Williams is building the Redskins into a hard-nosed and talented football team with a strong office, including astute director of college scouting Kyle Smith. This was a phenomenal debut for Williams' directing of Washington's draft."
