For the first time since head coach Mike Shanahan arrived in Washington, the team was able to execute his draft strategy of selecting the best player available.
Rather than drafting strictly according to need, Shanahan selected Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins in the fourth round today, despite taking fellow quarterback Robert Griffin III No. 2 overall.
"In the fourth round, you're looking for guys that are going to make your football team, and we have a little bit more depth now than we did in the past," Shanahan explained. "You're going to do what you can to give your team players and depth at different positions."
Quarterback was a contested position last year, with an open competition in training camp for the starting job.
Rex Grossman was re-signed this offseason to lend a veteran hand to the position, but Shanahan was looking to the future with this weekend's selections.
"I got a chance to know Kirk at the Senior Bowl, and he's a quality man," Shanahan said. "He'll get a chance to come in here and show us what he can do."
Shanahan told Cousins upon drafting him, that in the NFL he would be "only one or two plays away from playing."
"There are injuries," he said. "You hope it doesn't happen, but you have to have depth on a football team. You want quality.
He continued: "If you see a quality player that you can get in the fourth round--I thought it was a steal for us at that position."
