I know, I know. You want the Redskins to take a quarterback. Wouldn't that just be so neat?!?!? But there are plenty of good players in the draft, and a quarterback might not be the best available prospect when the Redskins pick at 10th overall. In fact, based on the list of draft eligible candidates, it is highly likely that will be the case. so it behooves us to look at some of the other available prospects.
One player I have seen linked to the Redskins in a number of mock drafts is Texas A&M defensive end/outside linebacker Von Miller. Miller played DE in college, but he'll probably be switching to a 3-4 outside linebacker when he gets to the pros, which is the exact system the Redskins run. For more on Miller, we turn to SB Nation's draft blog, Mocking The Draft:
Right now, Miller just doesn't have the lower body strength to consistently play his side of the field. Will enter the NFL raw in pass coverage and suspect against the run. Was mostly used at A&M as an upfield player and will start his pro career in the same role. If a team needs someone to purely get after the quarterback, that's Miller. He could be a big-time mover up draft boards, similar to Matthews two years ago and Koa Misi in 2010.
Mocking the draft compares Miller's pass rushing ability to Green Bay's Clay Matthews, which is pretty high praise. He has some other holes in his game, but that might be the result of playing on the line in college. He could certainly learn coverage techniques and how to play the run while training as a full time linebacker at the next level.
How he would fit on the Redskins is a little bit of a question mark. As I said he would play 3-4 outside linebacker, a position currently occupied by one of the Redskins' best players, Brian Orakpo. You need two of those guys, but having one player at that position who is already established makes Miller a bit of a luxury pick. Which is something the Redskins can't really afford to do.
Paired with Orakpo, he would form a pretty scary pass rushing combination off the edge. But is that the kind of thing the Redskins need more than help at wide receiver or on either of the lines? I think it comes down to the best player available when the Redskins pick. If that is Miller, than I could see them taking him and being set at outside linebacker for the next half decade.