In his most recent mock draft, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has the Redskins taking Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey with the No. 17-overall pick.
While the Redskins have been linked to potentially selecting running backs Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook in this year's NFL Draft, a third contender in the backfield has emerged as a possible first round pick.
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller offered an updated Mock Draft and has the Redskins taking Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey with the 17th overall pick.
Last season, McCaffrey averaged 6.3 yards per carry for 1,603 yards and 13 touchdowns, adding to his 37 receptions out of the backfield for 310 yards and three touchdowns.
That came after an incredible sophomore season in 2015, when McCaffrey, who could have arguably won the Heisman trophy, broke out and carried The Cardinal, rushing for more than 2,000 yards and eight touchdowns. He also caught 45 passes for 645 yards and five scores of his own.
As a consensus All-American and Associated Press and Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2015, he set an NCAA record with 3,864 all-purpose yards. And, even with an injury midway through last year, he finished first in the country averaging 211.6 all-purpose yards per game.
As such, his versatility is what makes him a big threat and he's able to burst upfield with the ability to run for a score at any time.
"What really sets McCaffrey apart as a runner is his acceleration and explosiveness. He was a home-run hitter and a threat to rip off a huge gain every time he touched the ball last season. McCaffrey has a nice first-step and darts through the hole to get into the second level of the defense. In the open field, he has a second gear to pull away from defenders and also is very elusive. He uses his feet, vision, and agility to weave around defenders. McCaffrey isn't a power runner who simply runs over tacklers, but he does finish his runs well and can pick up some yards after contact."
McCaffrey's soft hands and quickness also made him a threat at special teams, and he became a dangerous kick returner at Stanford. At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, durability is a concern and could prevent some teams from wanting to make him a feature back in the offense.
His NFL Draft profile acknowledges that his lack of size might be a contributing factor to him falling later into the first and second round, but his versatility might help set him apart.
According to his profile, McCaffrey has "smooth, controlled stride length with choppy feet for instant cuts and change of direction. Plus vision with above average anticipatory feel for opening creases. Hugs contours of the running lane and staggers and stutters his feet to maneuver in tight quarters. Protect football while running through traffic. Reads keys quickly on stretch plays. Sinks hips into sharp cuts. Equally adept darting inside or outside and is able to string moves together. Won't dance on short runs -- gets it downhill. Feet constantly in motion. Able to make defenders miss on all three levels. Willing to keep runs playside and alters his track seamlessly. Runs with multiple gears and is able to gear up or down instantly. Has experience in one-back, two-back and offset formations. Excellent hands out of backfield and can be used from slot. Devastating quickness out of breaks can mismatch linebackers. Experienced, capable punt and kick returner."
