The Washington Redskins drafted former Ohio State defensive end Chase Young with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Your opinion of this pick can be boiled down to your basic philosophy on the following debate — should you draft for talent or need in the first round?
The Redskins don’t necessarily have a major need at the defensive end position, but it’s hard to pass up on the talent that Young possesses. With 16.5 sacks in his senior season with the Buckeyes, Young presents the ability to become an instant impact player who can play right away and help the Redskins defense stir some things up. Drafting for need might have led the Redskins to trade the No. 2 pick, allowing them to grab several first-round picks and fill needs at the LT, LB, CB, or WR position. In the end, the skill that Young possesses led Washington to grab him and run.
So how will he fit in with the Redskins defense? Well, he will instantly slot in as the starting defensive end in Jack Del Rio’s 4-3 scheme, playing alongside Montez Sweat, Jonathan Allen, and either Daron Payne or Matt Ioannidis. While the interior linemen are hopefully able to crash gaps and disrupt the running game, both Young and Sweat will be able to focus on getting off the ball and finding a way to get to the QB. The Redskins group of established linebackers will also provide support up the middle should anything break down.
While Young is likely to take the starting spot from veteran DE Ryan Kerrigan, don’t expect Washinton’s iron man to be useless going forward. Kerrigan will slot perfectly into a situational edge-rushing role — much like a Chris Long type — and be able to provide a change-up in the attack when needed.
No matter how the depth chart ends up, you can bet that Young will be featured early and often. When passing up on major needs in the first round for a player like Young, you don’t pencil him in to ride the pine. Get ready for a heavy dose of Chase in 2020.
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