The 2015 NFL Draft rumors are coming hard and fast now as the days leading up to the event seemingly evaporate into a cloud of conjecture and constant reporting.
The latest draft rumor concerning the semi-new look Washington Redskins has it that the Skins brass, led by GM Scot McCloughan, are considering a trade up in the first-round in order to nab former USC defensive tackle and mammoth human being, Leonard Williams.
Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report, as part of a larger discussion on polarizing quarterback Marcus Mariota, spoke to five NFL personnel men and polled them on their feel at this point in the pre-2015 NFL Draft process where they thought Mariota would land.
Surprisingly, option No. 2 involved the Redskins and Williams.
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"Three of the sources believed the Titans would stay at No. 2 and take him there. The other two thought the Titans would trade with Washington, which would take USC's Leonard Williams at No. 2, leaving the Titans to pick Mariota at No. 5-one spot before the quarterback-thirsty Jets."
It would be interesting if one unnamed source connected the dots between the Redskins and a trade up for Williams, but two sources makes it intriguing and, presumably, much more of a realistic possibility.
The Skins, thanks to McCloughan, already added veteran defensive lineman Ricky Jean Francois, Terrance Knighton and Stephen Paea this offseason to help shore up their front-seven.
McCloughan seems to have a good grip on a focused, sensible approach to free agency - certainly a departure from past offseasons for the Skins when Bruce Allen and owner Dan Snyder seemed ready to throw whatever money that could at any and all free agents with a pulse.
The looming 2015 NFL Draft will provide a further glimpse into McCloughan's thought-process as he attempts to bring the Skins back to relevancy. While a trade down would actually seem a more likely scenario for Washington, if Williams is the difference-maker many tout him to be, his addition to a group already comprised of RJF, Knighton, Paea and Jason Hatcher, would give the Redskins a seemingly unstoppable defensive front.
"You can't over-think this one. It doesn't matter how raw he is because he's got freakish qualities that are rare for men his size. I think he has a chance to be as good as Kevin Williams. That's his comp," a Director of Scouting for an NFC team told NFL.com's Lance Zierlein.
Of course, weighing Williams' potential addition also includes weighing whatever trade compensation would be involved in a move up to the second-overall spot.
Is Williams worth the extra assets - most likely at least another high pick or two, possibly a veteran player as well?
Time will tell, but if McCloughan is certain he can become an impact player, there may be no cost too steep, no asking price too exorbitant, to ensure he lands in Washington.
