Yesterday, I wrote that new Washington Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan may be leaning away from trading down in the NFL draft. Sports Illustrated's Peter King laid out a compelling case for staying put at No. 5, noting the relatively small amount of top-tier prospects in this year's draft class. However, nothing is for certain in the NFL and the presence of highly touted wide receivers Amari Cooper and Kevin White could give the Redskins plenty of options when the draft finally rolls around later this month.
The Redskins don't have a pressing need at wide receiver. DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon and Andre Roberts are all under contract for a few more years and still on the right side of 30. But Washington could use Cooper and/or White as trade bait if they are still on the board.
"Still, one of them will be around at No. 5 - and possibly both," ESPN Redskins reporter John Keim wrote. "Oakland is widely projected to select a receiver, but the Raiders (like every team in this range) has multiple needs and would benefit from moving down. The Redskins are far from the only team with many holes who could help themselves with extra picks."
Whichever receiver gets past Oakland will be highly coveted. The Jets at No. 6, Bears at No. 7, Giants at No. 9 and Rams at No. 10 all have varying degrees of need at the position. Would any of them (or even the Browns or Dolphins in the mid-first round) be willing to trade up?
"That, of course, would enable the Redskins to add more picks and, they hope, stock more talent," Keim wrote. "Adding picks doesn't guarantee anything...But if you choose wisely, it can help."
The Redskins could always shock everyone and take one of the wide receivers at five. Garcon will count $10.2 million against the salary cap in 2016, after all. If both are available, Kiper favors Cooper just barely.
"it doesn't mean Kevin White won't be the better player," Kiper said. "I do think Cooper has a better chance to come in right away because he's a great route runner, he has three years of productivity. But I think White is going to have a really good career... I would separate by the fact that Cooper has had three good years of production, not one like White. [Cooper's] workout was really good. In fact, he's only four pounds lighter and an inch and a half shorter and he has bigger hand and a better three-cone and better short shuttle. He's not only quick, he's fast. He's probably the hardest-working player in this draft, that's why I would give Cooper the edge. It's not that White isn't a hard worker, but there's no harder worker in this draft than Amari Cooper."
