2021 NFL Draft Grade: Washington Football Team

Picks

Round 1 Pick 19: LB Jamin Davis

Round 2 Pick 51: OT Samuel Cosmi

Round 3 Pick 74: CB Benjamin St.-Juste

Round 3 Pick 82: WR Dyami Brown

Round 4 Pick 124: TE John Bates

Round 5 Pick 163: S Darrick Forrest

Round 6 Pick 225: LS Camaron Cheeseman 

Round 7 Pick 240: DE William Bradley-King

Round 7 Pick 246: DE Shaka Toney

Round 7 Pick 258: WR Dax Milne

Analysis

Washington may have been the butt of a lot of jokes for their team’s name, or lack thereof, but this is an organization that is quickly turning into a contender. The defense emerged as one of the best in the league last year, and while the offense had its growing pains, it should look much better with Ryan Fitzpatrick. 

The one area of the defense that truly needed some help was the secondary. While cornerback Benjamin St.-Juste directly addresses this, first rounder Jamin Davis is a superb athlete that has the ability to cover anyone from running backs, receivers, or tight ends. Davis was a one-year starter at Kentucky, but in that one year he was a beast in coverage while also showing an ability to put pressure on an o-line in a blitz. 

The offense saw some notable improvements as well. Sam Cosmi consistently improved over his three-year career at Texas. His ability as a pass protector will be nice for a not-so-mobile Ryan Fitzpatrick, and he could wind up being an immediate starter at right tackle. He has elite footwork and keeps pass rushers in front of him. However, he needs to improve his base. He often bends too much on his blocks, eliminating what would be lethal leverage from his 320-pound frame. 

Washington has some sneaky depth at wide receiver now, but Dyami Brown brings big play potential. He is a speedster, running a 4.45 40-yard dash. However, pairing that with a 35-inch vertical makes him almost impossible to cover downfield. Washington has a terrific trio in Brown, Curtis Samuel, and Adam Humphries. 

Grade: B

Washington addressed immediate needs on defense and along the o-line. This was a good draft, but nothing in it was all that flashy. A lot of the guys they got went right around where they were projected to go; no steals were found here. That’s okay, though. Drafting guys where they are supposed to go is obviously what you want to do. That said, a QB flyer on a guy like Kellen Mond or Kyle Trask would have been a lot of fun.