Thanks, as always, for taking part in the Redskins Mailbag, and keep those questions coming! E-mail them to me at mike.jones@washpost.com with the subject line, “Mailbag question,” and we’ll do it all over again next week.

What are the chances that the defensive players selected in the draft to help us shore up the terrible rush and pass defense of last season will actually start when the season kicks off? I ask because in the past, the Redskins have been gun shy about starting rookies right out the gate. I would hope that the Redskins utilize their newly acquired talent as soon as possible.



AD

AD

— Mark Gregory, Haymarket, Va.

It really just depends on how these kids develop during offseason practices and training camp. If coaches feel good about their progress, they’ll definitely start them. Remember, Ryan Kerrigan did well and started from day one. Bashaud Breeland was behind DeAngelo Hall, but three weeks into the season when Hall got hurt, Breeland took over as the starter as a rookie in 2014. Preston Smith didn’t start as a rookie because he needed to improve his consistency, and two years later, that’s still a problem even though Smith took over as a starter last year. Su’a Cravens was more of a situational player last year and admitted at the end of the season that he was feeling his way along for much of 2016. So, basically, as soon as coaches think guys are ready, they’ll turn them loose. I do believe that first-round pick Jonathan Allen will start right away. We’ll probably see second-round pick Ryan Anderson on the field frequently while he rotates with Kerrigan and Smith. But both of those two Alabama products should have an impact as rookies.

How long a leash will lower level draft picks, say players selected in rounds 5-7, get over undrafted free agent signees and tryout invitees to demonstrate their skills in reps, a grasp of the playbook and the character the team is looking for during the rookie camp, OTAs, minicamp and training camp?

AD

AD

— Tim Foisie, Westport, Conn.

The draft picks will get the first reps during the rookie minicamp, and some of the pecking order will remain the same during those early offseason practices. But really, after that, it’s whoever is doing better. Coaches will try to give equal reps to players who seem neck-and-neck. But they really don’t care about draft status. Last year, we saw Keith Marshall (draft pick) and Rob Kelley (undrafted) alternate behind Matt Jones and Chris Thompson. We also saw Kendall Fuller (draft pick) and Dashaun Phillips (returning, late-season undrafted addition) alternate at nickelback. It’s about production. If an undrafted rookie is out-producing a draft pick, the coaches will go with him.

Now that the draft is over, are there any analytics out there that show whether all the testing, measuring and drills players go through had a big impact on where they were drafted? I know the combine is a great show for the media and fans, but I question how important the combine is to the scouting staffs? I would think that game film is still the most important factor in determining potential. I doubt if London Fletcher or Zach Thomas would have had great combines, but their smarts and football instincts made them great players. Just wondering what kind of value the pro scouts really put on the combine.

AD

AD

— Randy Mihalchik

We actually just asked Redskins Director of College Scouting Scott Campbell about this topic just before the draft. Here’s what he had to say.

On if he gets more from the combine results or game film:

“I’m kind of old school, I guess I can say that now. I’m in my mid-50s, been scouting 30 years now, but the tape is the most important. The games or how they play, the tape is always the fallback. The combine helps you get to know the players as a person, it gives you good information on the physical part of it, the doctors, and you fill in some numbers. We don’t know exactly how tall they are, how much they weigh, how fast they are, so that gets factored into it. Of course, all those things are important to play pro football. But at the end of the day, it comes down to watching the tape and seeing what kind of player they are on tape. That’s the most important thing.”

On if there are certain points of the combine on which he focuses more:

AD

AD

“Not specific drills, per se. It’s kind of the whole combine. What I do, when they go through their drills, I put a plus or a minus, plus-minus, all the different drills they do, and so if you add up your plusses and minuses, you kind of have a feel and an impression, and I’ll do like an A/B/C grade as they do the drills. In terms of the combine itself, it’s the 15 minute interviews we get to do. Just the first impressions is my favorite part of the whole process.”

1.) How does Scott Campbell still have a job? He has been with the team since 2001; throughout his tenure, we have typically seen paper-thin depth, especially around the lines. Over the long haul, their drafting can generously be called abysmal. How is it that he survives the treachery that is Redskins Park, whereas everyone from Norv Turner to Scot McCloughan is targeted by leaks, gets fired and sees their reputation get worse around the league?

2.) As I child of the ’80s, I grew up with the Hogs. So I loved taking Brandon Scherff at No. 5 overall. He’s done nothing to disappoint. How good can he be? Do you see a multi-year all-pro? Or can he actually be as good as Alan Faneca, Steve Hutchinson, and someday wear a gold jacket?

AD

AD

Please help me understand. Thanks!

— Rich Smith, Capitol Hill

Campbell has indeed managed to survive the dumpster fires that frequently take place at Redskins Park. He does so because every head coach he has worked under, and executives such as Bruce Allen and Scot McCloughan, always describe him as extremely knowledgeable and good at his job. The Redskins have had their share of swings and misses in the draft, but that doesn’t mean that it’s Campbell’s fault. As the director of college scouting, he and his staff are responsible for compiling reports on prospects and passing that information on to the higher-ups (general manager/team president and coach, and owner). If they don’t follow the recommendations given to them, then it’s not the fault of Campbell and his staff. But everyone speaks highly of Campbell, and so, he’s still here.

On your second question, it’s still really too early to know about Scherff’s chances for the Hall of Fame. He earned Pro Bowl honors in his second NFL season, so that is a good sign for him. He should only continue to get better. Hopefully he can stay healthy, and if so, he should have a long, successful career. The Redskins have to have success in order for him to continue to get the recognition it would take to compile a resume worthy of Hall of Fame consideration. So, we’ll just have to wait and see.

AD

AD

In your mailbag of May 2, 2017, you talked about the fifth-round tight end who was drafted and the position in general. Why did you leave out Niles Paul and Derek Carrier? Are these players nothing more than “chopped liver”? When given playing time, both Paul and Carrier did a good job. Jeremy Sprinkle will more than likely end up on the practice squad and if he is any good, could be poached by some other team. Then what good did this fifth round selection do for the Skins?

— John Zoe

Not sure why you think that a fifth-round tight end is nothing more than practice squad material. Niles Paul was a fifth-round pick, and Derek Carrier was undrafted. There’s a good amount of uncertainty because both have battled injuries the past two years. Paul had a broken ankle and shoulder surgery; Carrier tore his ACL and MCL in 2015 and missed a chunk of last season. The Redskins see Sprinkle as a guy who could possibly be a better blocking tight end than Carrier, and a bigger, more durable option than Paul. Sprinkle was the highest-rated player still on Washington’s board in the fifth round, and so, because they liked his versatility and productivity in college, they pulled the trigger.

AD

AD

Mike, who is currently the fastest Redskin? Please don’t say Darrell Green!

— Rick Gay, South Carolina

This would probably start a great locker room debate/argument over the fastest Redskins player! You probably would get a different answer depending on whomever you asked. But I do know that last year, a group of players was asked what quartet would form the best 400-meter relay team, and Chris Thompson, DeSean Jackson, Niles Paul and Vernon Davis were the consensus picks. Yes, Vernon Davis. He still ran a 40-yard dash in the neighborhood of 4.3-4.4 seconds. Coming out of college, Davis had clocked a 4.28 40-yard dash. He ran a 4.40 at the combine, however. DeAngelo Hall had a personal best 4.24 40-yard dash time coming out of college. At the combine, he ran a 4.35 40 time. Injuries have slowed him a little bit. But Thompson, Terrelle Pryor and Josh Doctson all clocked 40 times of 4.3 seconds and change coming out of college.

AD

AD

However, I think we forget about one guy because he wasn’t on the field last year, and that’s running back Keith Marshall. I checked around with a couple players this morning and I got his name as a response. Word from others is that he and Pryor might be neck-and-neck. But Marshall, the 2016 seventh-round pick out of Georgia, missed all of last year with injury and now is back and healthy and running around in workouts. Now that he is, Marshall has turned the heads of his teammates. And considering that he ran a blazing 4.31 40-yard dash at the combine, and his fastest 40 time ever was a 4.21, it’s understandable why those teammates give Marshall the nod.

Our schedule is a tough one this year but with some very winnable games mixed in. A bit early to tell perhaps, but how do you think we will fair? Also, what players do you think will show up big this year and those who perhaps won’t?



— Callum Wishart

You’re right, it’s early because we haven’t seen this group on the field, key position battles remain unresolved, and so it’s just guesswork. But it’s still fun to take a stab at a prediction. So, late last month I did just that. Check out the link here. I think they’re right around that 9-7 range. Could go up by a win, or down by a loss. But somewhere around there seems realistic.

I think we’ll see Jamison Crowder become even more of a go-to guy for Kirk Cousins now that Pierre Garcon and Jackson are gone. Look for coaches to use him with more variety. But Pryor also should emerge as a threat. I’m really intrigued about what a healthy Doctson could do for this offense. But, I can’t really predict what kind of a year he will have. On defense, I’m really interested in seeing how Cravens does at strong safety. He showed some flashes at linebacker. Can he do that and more at safety, and stay healthy? Breeland is entering a contract year and needs a big year. He’s highly motivated, and I think he’ll play well. Those are just a few of the guys that could wind up having big years. I won’t predict who could struggle until I get to see how things are unfolding.

Today, I don’t have a question about the Redskins, I have a question about Mr. Mike Jones. As a pseudo-media member myself, I got the opportunity to cover the first round of the draft last month (it was awesome). I was curious, what is your favorite Redskins-related event to cover all year?

— Brandon Katz