The Redskins made a somewhat surprising move with the fifth overall pick in the draft, selecting Iowa offensive linemen Brandon Scherff.
Standing six feet and five inches tall and weighing in at 319 pounds, Scherff should serve as an anchor for Washington’s line – who’s top priority is protecting RGIII.
Since drafting Robert Griffin III in 2012, the Redskins have allowed 101 sacks. This has caused the injury prone QB to play in just 22 games over the past two seasons.
Also selected in that draft was running back Alfred Morris, who busted onto the scene as a rookie to rush for 1,613 yards and 13 TDs. Since then, his numbers have also declined greatly.
Scherff will likely play right tackle for the Redskins, and has been compared to Zack Martin.
With the Hawkeyes, he mostly played left tackle. Iowa has a rich tradition of producing very solid and dependable offensive linemen, such as Bryan Bulaga and Riley Reiff. Scherff should fit in nicely with this group.
Scherff has been described as a very physical run blocker, who uses his lower body to gain exceptional leverage on defenders. He rarely gets beat around the edge.
His footwork has been sometimes described as questionable, and we are yet to see if he can physically dominate NFL defensive linemen.
The Redskins should be hopeful that they can learn from the Cowboys’ draft strategy and dedicate time to building an offensive line to protect a potential franchise QB. RGII is full of confidence for 2015, recently declaring he is the best QB in the NFL.
While even Washington fans will likely disagree, they would love to see Griffin and Alfred Morris return to their rookie ways in 2015 – and bring some hope back to a team that has finished in last place for the past two seasons.
Can Scherff help save the Redskins’ offense? Let me know below or on Twitter @ShoreSportsNJ!
