2011 NFL Mock Draft: The Washington Redskins Select...

With the tenth pick of the 2011 CSC Community Mock Draft, the Washington Redskins (represented by VAsaintsfan) select...

Julio Jones, WR, Alabama

Picking for the Redskins is a bit of a blessing for me, in that there is such a lack of talent on the team that almost every position can be viewed as upgradable. Dan Snyder tries so hard that it's almost sad to watch. He tries for Ruth's Chris, but ends up with Denny's. You can't complain about Snyder's willingness to spend money, but the problem is that all of that money is going towards players that are either a bad fit for the team's scheme or too far past their prime to matter. Snyder says he has handed off some control of the team to GM Bruce Allen, but after running the franchise into the ground for the past decade, do we really think he's about to stop now?

So when making this pick, I tried to get into the mind of Dan Snyder. As a fantasy football owner, it wasn't all that hard for me to get into the mindset of a man that runs his organization like a fantasy football team. But delving into the mind of Dan Snyder led me to hours of pondering how to convert Kenny Powers into a two sport athlete. After it was brought to my attention that Kenny Powers is a fictional character, I decided on the more practical approach of looking at the most glaring of the team's many needs.

The first thing that pops out as a need for the Redskins is...well...everything. The defense gave up 389 yards per game last year. That's good enough for the 2nd most yards given up in the league. The run and pass defenses were almost equally horrible. Fat Albert Haynesworth has become a malcontent and hasn't made any meaningful impact other than causing a rather large indention in the bench. DeAngelo Hall made it to the Pro Bowl, only serving to prove that people voting for the Pro Bowl don't watch Redskins games. Brian Orakpo was the lone bright spot on the defense and should be a star for as long as Washington can hold onto him. Nick Fairely and Robert Quinn are both very tempting picks here to help fix a D-line that can't create anything remotely resembling a pass rush. In the end, I think Washington has been burned on players with work ethic and character issues enough to pass on them for more of a sure thing.

Until free agency starts, the offense is looking like a shell of its former mediocre self that we saw last year. Clinton Portis is gone, leaving Ryan Torain as the starting RB. When Torain gets injured (he WILL get injured) it's anyone's guess who will be filling in. Ingramania would go over very well in DC, but I doubt Washington will address that need in the first round. Donavon McNabb is on his last legs, and QB could be an option if Newton and Gabbert weren't off the board. That brings us to WR. Santana Moss has been a solid producer for years, but he's hitting free agency this offseason with no guarantee of being back next year. Even if he does come back, how much could he possibly have left in the tank? That leaves Anthony Armstrong as the go to guy in Landover. That is just unacceptable.

Enter Julio Jones. Quite possibly the best receiver in the draft, Jones has all of the tools to be an elite deep threat at the pro level. The Redskins are one team that puts a lot of stock into combine workouts. Last year they took Trent Williams over the more talented Russell Okung based on an impressive 40 time. Julio Jones put up a 4.39 40 at the combine, and definitely solidified his spot as a top notch prospect. We all saw what Donavon McNabb was able to do when the Eagles gave him Desean Jackson. Julio Jones has speed in the same range as Jackson, and the Redskins will be looking to get the same kind of results. And most importantly, Jones will bring a level of excitement back to Washington that will make the Redskins relevant again. Dan Snyder has almost 92,000 seats to fill at FedEx field, and there are going to be a lot of empty seats if the ‘Skins don't give their fans something to look forward to. The big play potential that Jones brings to the field could be the source of hope that this franchise desperately needs.