As the Redskins prepare for the April 28-30 NFL Draft, they share the goal of all 32 teams: find impact players in every round.
This year, the Redskins' top pick is No. 10 overall in the first round. In the second round, they hold the ninth pick, No. 41 overall.
For the Redskins, the advantage of picking early in the second round is that there is often first-round talent still on the board.
Historically, the Redskins have had 57 second-round picks in the team's 74 drafts. In the last 15 years, they have drafted 11 2nd round picks, including three in 2008. The other picks have been either traded for veteran players or other draft picks, providing value to the franchise in other ways.
Some of those notable trades involving Redskins second-round picks include:
- 2010: Traded to Philadelphia as part of the Donovan McNabb trade
- 2009: Traded to Miami as part of the Jason Taylor trade
- 2007: Traded to the New York Jets as part of a 2006 Rocky McIntosh draft day trade (later traded to Chicago and San Diego)
- 2005: Traded to New Orleans as part of the Chris Cooley trade
- 2004: Traded to Denver as part of the Clinton Portis trade
- 1996: Traded to Dallas as part of the Andre Johnson trade
When the Redskins have actually used their second-round picks in recent years, they have typically selected a player with value.
In the mid-1990s, the Redskins acquired offensive linemen Tre Johnson and Cory Raymer, both of whom went on to have solid, productive careers. In 1998, tight end Stephen Alexander was the pick and he posted 247 career catches in stints with four teams, including the Redskins from 1998-2001 and Mike Shanahan's Denver Broncos from 2005-07.
In 1999, the Redskins selected offensive tackle Jon Jansen with the 37th overall pick. He was a mainstay on the Redskins' offensive line for nearly a decade and helped block for running backs that produced six 1,000-yard seasons by running backs.
In 2001, the Redskins selected cornerback Fred Smoot with the 45th overall pick. Early on, he formed an impressive tandem with Champ Bailey in the Redskins secondary, snagging 16 interceptions in his first four seasons with the club. Though he left in free agency for Minnesota (and later returned), his best years were in Washington the first time around.
A year later, the Redskins selected running back Ladell Betts with the 56th overall pick in the second round. While never the starting back in Washington, Betts was a quality backup to Stephen Davis and Clinton Portis during his eight seasons with the team. His best year was 2006 when he rushed for 1,154 yards after Portis went down with an injury.
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In 2006, the Redskins traded up in the second round to the 35th overall pick to select linebacker Rocky McIntosh out of Miami. McIntosh has started for the Redskins each of the last four seasons, posting 100 tackles each year as well as seven sacks, nine forced fumbles and three interceptions.
The results of the 2008 second-rounders remain to be seen.
The Redskins selected wide receiver Devin Thomas (34th), tight end Fred Davis (48th), and wide receiver Malcom Kelly (51st) all in the second round that year.
Thomas was largely a non-factor in his two years with the team and was released in October 2010.
Davis filled in well for an injured Chris Cooley in 2009, catching 48 passes for 509 yards and six touchdowns, but he was rarely targeted last year.
Kelly possesses intriguing size for the Redskins offense, but his inability to stay healthy has left him mostly on the sidelines to this point.
This year's draft could be defining for the franchise as head coach Mike Shanahan and general manager Bruce Allen try to tailor the roster to the offensive and defensive scheme.
The draft also represents an opportunity to not only find players that can improve last year's 6-10 record but also bring in more youth to a roster laden with veterans.
Last year, Washington opened the season as the oldest team in the NFL at an average of 27.33 years, nearly seven months older than the next team.
The Redskins have plenty of needs, and that means in the second round and beyond they can take the best player available instead of drafting for a specific need and risking the dreaded reach pick.
The player that the Redskins target in the second round will likely be dependent on who they take in the first round.
Here are some intriguing players that could be on the board at No. 41:
- QB Andy Dalton, TCU: Don't expect the top-tier of quarterbacks to fall to No. 10. Dalton represents that second tier of quarterbacks and has a resume of winning. His connection to the Redskins harkens back to another TCU standout, Sammy Baugh.
- WR Torrey Smith, Maryland: With 4.4 speed and a big, physical frame, he would provide a nice weapon to an offense in need of a playmaker. He's a local product from Fredericksburg, Va., and can provide stability on offense and in the return game. Rob Rang of CBSSports.com has compared him to Indianapolis's Reggie Wayne coming out of the draft.
- RB Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech: Even though he's flying up the draft boards, Williams may still be on the board at No. 41 thanks to a disappointing 40 time (4.61 seconds) at the NFL Scouting Combine. NFL.com's Gil Brandt compared him to Philadelphia's LeSean McCoy, another back taken in the second round (53rd overall in 2009).
