It has been six years since the 2008 draft, the years those drafted players should have had a significant impact on the fortunes of the Redskins. But instead of providing a large group of "core Redskins" in their prime years, the 2008 draft class produced almost nothing.
The 2008 draft was billed as one with little top-flight talent but one loaded with depth, with a bunch of good players ready to be taken throughout the first few rounds.
The lack of top-end talent was borne out by the first three picks -- offensive tackle Jake Long, defensive end Chris Long, and quarterback Matt Ryan, all nice players, though none of which have had a anything close to a transformational impact on their teams.
Things seemed to get off to a good start for the Redskins when General Manager Vinny Cerrato was able to trade a package of picks including #21 in the first round for two additional second rounders. As it turns out, the second round was loaded with future Pro Bowlers, and the Redskins were now sitting with three second-round selections.
The Redskins entered the draft looking to upgrade their receivers, their offensive and defensive lines, and their secondary. Three of the four positions where the Redskins are still have average to below average talent on their roster six years later.
In 2014, from a 2008 draft class of 10, the Redskins have grand total of ZERO players remaining on their roster. And in the intervening years, the major contributions from this entire class consisted of one good year from tight end Fred Davis, and one solid stretch at linebacker from Rob Jackson filling in for an injured Brian Orakpo in 2012.
With the draft lined up perfectly after trading down, Cerrato proceeded to take two talented but knuckleheaded receivers (Devin Thomas and Davis) who from day one seemed a lot more interested in enjoying the trappings being an NFL player, than actually playing football. Cerrato also took another receiver in Malcome Kelly, who their own medical staff had warned against taking, a player who had only one good game for his career, while turning out, as predicted, to be Waterford Christal fragile.
Then in the third round Cerrato selected Chad Rinehart, a guard who sent the draftniks scrambling to figure out who this guy was he was so far down most draft boards. And as it turns out, Rinehart amounted to practically nothing in two seasons with the Redskins, though after stints on the practice squads of the Jets and the Bills, Rinehart eventually landed a starting job with the Chargers in 2013.
Other than seventh round pick Jackson, the remaining picks were so forgettable, and spent so little time with the Redskins, that all but the hardest of hardcore fans would be just as likely to identify the names Tryon, Brooks, Moore, Horton and Brennan as K Street law firm as the remnants of the draft Class of 2008.
But the real kick in the teeth, and one of the many reasons that the Redskins have been mostly awful for the past six years, are the future Pro Bowlers that were sitting there for the Redskins to take, and didn't.
Instead of one of the worst draft classes in league history, the Redskins had the woulda, coulda, shoulda opportunity to completely recast their fortunes, and whiffed.
The Redskins selected the talented but seemingly disinterested Thomas with picked #34, with Jordy Nelson, perhaps the games best all-around receiver going to Green Bay two picks later.
Then with pick #48, they took the unreliable Davis even though they already had versatile tight end Chris Cooley on their roster. If they were willing to take a talented headcase, they should have jumped at the chance to get one of the NFL's all-time great deep threats in DeSean Jackson who went one pick later.
Or they could have taken defensive end Calais Campbell, a consistent force for the Arizona Cardinals defense which has been among the best in football for the past few years, who went a pick after Jackson.
Or they could have taken Jamaal Charles, the kind of game-breaking, versatile running back they have been trying to draft nearly every year since 2008, without success.
Or they could have gone for run-stuffing tackle Red Bryant, and even paired him with Campbell to immediately add half of a formidable front four, which they haven't had in years. While the Redskins had the golden opportunity to draft both, alas, they ended up with neither.
And instead of thinking they were smarter than everyone else by reaching to take Rinehart in the third round, the more heralded Carl Nicks, a future Pro Bowl guard was just sitting there for the taking all the way into round 5.
And wouldn't have been great if, instead of taking a punter who couldn't punt in Durrant Brooks in the 6th round, they had recognized the talent of Pierre Garcon, as the Colts did, and gotten him at a bargain price, instead of having to overpay to get him four years later.
The springboard to the Redskins Superbowl era success of the 1980's and early 1991's was set up by one Super Draft and the accompanying undrafted free agents in 1982. That year's haul included four future Pro Bowlers. In a matter of days Bobby Beatherd was able to completely reshape the offensive line by adding Mark May, Russ Grimm and Joe Jacoby, fortified the defensive lien with run stopper and a pass rusher with Darryl Grant and Dexter Manley, plus considerably bolstering the the speed of their receiving corp with tight end Clint Didier and wide receiver Charlie Brown.
With another chance to significantly upgrade their roster in 2008, Cerrato and company completely whiffed, and the Redskins are still suffering from the fallout six years later.
