NFL
By: Ryan Cooley
Washington made ten picks in this year’s draft. Questions swirled about their quarterback situation. Would they trade up for a quarterback or take one in the middle rounds? Rivera and company ended up passing on a quarterback altogether as they continued to build the team before they pursue their future signal-caller.
Here is a breakdown and grade of each of Washington’s ten selections.
Round 1, Pick No. 19: Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky
Round 2, Pick No. 51: Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
Round 3, Pick No. 74: Benjamin St. Juste, CB, Minnesota
Round 3, Pick No. 82: Dyami Brown, WR, North Carolina
Round 4, Pick No. 124: John Bates, TE, Boise State
Round 5, Pick No. 163: Darrick Forrest, S, Cincinnati
Round 6, Pick No. 225: Camaron Cheeseman, LS, Michigan
Round 7, Pick No. 240: William Bradley-King, Edge, Baylor
Round 7, Pick No. 246: Shaka Toney, Edge, Penn State
Round 7, Pick No. 258: Dax Milne, WR, BYU
Jamin Davis (LB): B
Selecting a player who only started 11 games in college is worrisome. That being said, Davis has no ceiling and has drawn comparisons to Colts LB Darrius Leonard. He is a freak of nature physically, testing in the 100th percentile for the 40-yard dash (4.37) and vertical (42”) and in the 99th percentile in the board jump (132”).
Washington’s defense was ranked third against the pass in 2020, but ranked 15th defending the run, giving up 114.5 rush yards/game. While Davis needs work in coverage, he managed an 87.5 run defending grade. I believe with Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio, Davis could turn into the LB Washington has needed for a long time.
Samuel Cosmi (OT): A-
Washington’s offensive line does not need immediate help. This is why Cosmi was a great pick at 51 overall. I believe Cosmi will need some development before he is ready for NFL action. In 2020, he received a 90.7 pass-blocking grade and an 86.4 run-blocking grade. Cosmi is a gifted athlete, testing in the 98th percentile in bench press, 40-yard dash, 10-yard split, shuttle run, and broad jump.
However, Cosmi will need to work on his technique, as he is too often off-balance in pass protection, not allowing him to adjust quickly. All five of Washington’s starting offensive linemen had career years under John Matsko. Hopefully, he can develop Cosmi into a solid left tackle.
Benjamin St. Juste (CB): B-
Much like Cosmi, St. Juste will need some development before being thrown out on the field. He has all of the physical tools to become a shutdown corner at the NFL level. His 80+ inch wingspan is the longest in the NFL. St. Juste is a textbook tackler, only missing two on 57 career attempts. Some corners struggle with hitches and comeback routes at his size, but it wasn’t a problem for St. Juste.
He does not have top-end speed and can take a while to get going. He struggles to flip his hips and will have difficulty covering speedy and quick receivers. Only playing in 420 career coverage snaps is another concern.
Dyami Brown (WR): A+
Some projected Brown being a late first-round pick, but fell into the laps of Washington at 82. Daniel Jeremiah compared Brown to Terry McLaurin due to his size, skill set, and how they were used in college. He was one of the best deep threats in college football, averaging 20 yards/reception and managing a 97.9 receiving grade on deep passes (20+ yards). He also plays bigger than his weight and has a clean release package.
While Brown is an excellent deep threat, there are concerns with the rest of his route tree. There is uncertainty with his ability to run short and intermediate routes. He also had a drop problem in 2019, having 9 of them on 84 targets. Overall, I believe Brown is a steal and has the potential to overcome some of his concerns, just like McLaurin did.
John Bates (TE): C+
After Jeremey Sprinkle departed in free agency, Washington needed another blocking tight end. Bates managed an 81.8 run-blocking grade and 76.8 pass-blocking grade in 2020. At 6’5 and almost 260 lbs, Bates should transition to the NFL well when it comes to blocking.
Bates will not be a YAC threat as he only broke four tackles on 47 career receptions. He lacks in the athletic department, only running a 4.80 forty, 4.36 shuttle, and benching 19 reps. While he improved every year, he does not do anything at an elite level.
Darrick Forrest (S): C
Washington needed to bring in some competition at free safety, which explains the selection. However, many viewed this as a reach. Forrest was PFF’s 217th ranked prospect, and Washington selected him with pick 163. He managed a 70+ coverage grade in three consecutive years at Cincinnati. He also showed potential in tackling, earning an 82 grade in that department.
Forrest has concerns about his speed and quickness, which led to many questioning if he can be relied on to cover NFL receivers deep. He also gets stuck on blockers near the line of scrimmage far too often. Forest shows potential, but taking him in the 5th round was a slight reach.
Camaron Cheeseman (LS): D
I highly considered raising this grade solely based on his last name. After the departure of Nick Sundberg, Washington needed to find itself a new long snapper. They traded up for Cheeseman, which you don’t often see with a long snapper. I know very little about what to look for from a long snapper, so I will not act like I do. The low grade comes from giving up picks for a long snapper. I find it hard to imagine they wouldn’t have been able to find one after the draft was over.
William Bradley-King (Edge): C
Once you get into the 7th round, it is difficult to grade players because, well, they lasted until the 7th round for a reason. Bradley-King had a 91+ grade in this last two years at Arkansas State before transferring to Baylor in 2020. He has great technique and a variety of pass rush moves he utilizes at a high level. The main issue stems from Bradley-King’s lack of athleticism. It will be difficult for him to be successful in the NFL with his underwhelming burst and quickness. He also was not as productive when he played against Big 12 competition.
Shaka Toney (Edge): C-
Much like Bradley-King, Toney physically is going to struggle at the next level. Toney graded well every year of his collegiate career. He has a variety of pass rush moves and uses his length well. However, for an edge, Toney is severely undersized, which will be a real problem in the NFL. Even with being undersized, his speed and agility are also lacking.
Dax Milne (WR): A+
Milne was PFF’s 105th ranked prospect, projected to go in the 3rd-4th round. Anytime a team snags a player who could go that high in the 7th round, an A+ is automatic. Milne burst onto the scene this season with Zach Wilson, earning a grade of 90. Dax is an excellent route runner, which will transition to the next level. He has strong hands and isn’t afraid to get physical.
The main issue with Milne, and probably why he fell, was concerns with athleticism (like most prospects taken late in the draft). Do not expect him to break a ton of tackles or rack up yards after the catch. Playing a low level of competition at BYU and his thin frame are also concerns.
Overall: B+
After looking at each player, I believe this was a good draft for Washington. Davis and Brown will most likely start week one, and Cosmi has a chance to start at left tackle if he impresses during training camp. Much like the last draft, Rivera valued versatility again. He also took a chance on several developmental players. He believes in his coaching ability and staff to develop these young players into something special. I am most excited to see if Davis can finally fill the hole at linebacker and how much of an impact Brown will have in his first season.
