The 2011 NFL Draft is taking place on Thursday, April 28, and the Redskins will have the No. 10 pick in the first round. Many different players have been projected to be picked in that spot in various 2011 NFL mock drafts, and the Redskins certainly have a lot of needs. Which players will be good fits for the Redskins in that spot? We will provide scouting reports and let you know who we like in this StoryStream. Next up: UNC Defensive End/ Outside Linebacker Robert Quinn.
NFL Comparison: A good recent example would be Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. Both are extremely raw talents but had a lot of upside coming out of college.
Strengths: Quinn has the versatility to play either an end in a traditional 4-3 scheme or more importantly, the athleticism to play linebacker in the 3-4 defense. His obvious strength is his pass rush ability, as he has good speed and a good repertoire to get to the QB. He also has a good foundation for being a force against the run.
Weaknesses: The biggest question marks for Quinn will be character related. Quinn was suspended permanently from the NCAA prior to the 2010 season due to dealings with an agent. NFL teams have been grilling him about the circumstances that led to this suspension, and character concerns will have to be something to look out for. While he may have the frame to be a good run stopper, that wasn't his forte in college, so he will certainly have to improve to be effective in that area at the next level.
Redskins fit: Like we've been saying all along, drafting an outside linebacker with good pass rushing skills is one of the top needs for this team. Mike Shanahan knows that, so a player like Quinn is certainly intriguing. Quinn looks to be more of a run stopper than Orakpo was when he first came out two years ago, so he could be a good compliment to Orakpo, who will still be the primary pass rusher.
Where he will be drafted: This could be someone that is legitimately on the Redskins radar. His talent likely pegs him as 10 pick easily, but the character concerns in addition to the availability of other elite pass rushers could lead to Quinn dropping to the Redskins. While the draft could unfold in any number of ways, this could wind up being the guy for the Redskins at 10. We will find out soon enough.