Tag: Devin Thomas

Another time the Commanders owner intruded into the NFL draft

Vinny Cerrato checks in with his draft stories involving Dan Snyder.

Grant and Danny hosted former Washington player personnel director Vinny Cerrato last Friday.

Cerrato told a story of how Washington owner Daniel Snyder again intruded into the draft, demanding Cerrato to draft a certain player.

The setting was the 2008 NFL draft. Joe Gibbs had retired following the 2007 season playoff loss at Seattle. Snyder for some very bizarre reason, hired Jim Zorn to be the offensive coordinator before there was a head coach. This meant the new head coach would not even be permitted to hire his own offensive coordinator.

Consequently, Snyder had extreme difficulty finding anyone to take the head coaching job. So, embarrassingly, Snyder then made Zorn the head coach, though he had yet to be a coordinator in the NFL.

When the 2008 draft came, Cerrato traded out of the first round, giving the Redskins three second-round selections. At No. 34, he took Michigan State wide receiver, Devin Thomas.

Snyder then inquired to Cerrato whom he was going to select. Washington held the No. 48 and 51 selections. Cerrato told Grant and Danny that on that day he conveyed to Snyder he was wanting to draft Jamaal Charles a running back out of Texas.

However, Snyder, according to Cerrato, wanted receivers for Jim Zorn’s offense, voiced for Cerrato to take Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly. Cerrato says he disagreed and again said he wanted to take Charles.

What was missing in Cerrato’s version of the story is that Washington actually had another selection where Cerrato took USC tight end Fred Davis at No. 48.

Once again Cerrato said Snyder insisted the No. 51 selection be Kelly. So Cerrato surrendered and chose Kelly. Wouldn’t you know it? Kelly was already battling a knee issue, only caught 28 passes for his brief career, and never caught a touchdown pass.

Charles on the other hand was chosen by the Chiefs in the third round at the No. 73 selection. He provided the Chiefs 9 NFL seasons rushing for 7,260 yards, 43 rushing touchdowns averaging a HUGE 5.5 yards per carry.

But hey, Cerrato knows he is not clear from blame for the poor 2008 Washington draft. Thomas only caught 3 touchdown passes and 43 receptions overall in his unspectacular career. Davis had two good seasons (2009, 2011) before his career went south. He caught 162 passes, 13 for touchdowns.

Thomas had been chosen at No. 34 while Jordy Nelson (36th) and Matt Forte (44th) would have both been much better additions to the Washington offense.

Even more frustrating, DeSean Jackson was taken by the Eagles at 49, and Calais Campbell by the Cardinals the very next two picks after Cerrato took Davis at 48.

Oh well, this is the legacy of Daniel Snyder, the people he hired, and how he intruded into football matters.

Washington’s recent history of 2nd-round picks is not very encouraging

Washington has struggled with 2nd-round selections in the last decade. Hopefully, Sam Cosmi was the start of a more successful trend.

We are all certainly hoping tonight that with the 47th overall selection in the 2022 NFL draft, Washington will get it right by finding a productive contributor.

It can’t be ignored, that Washington has experienced many a nightmare when it comes to second-round selections in the last decade. Hopefully last year’s pick, Sam Cosmi, was the start of a more successful trend.

Who are the last 10 players Washington has selected in the second round?

Samuel Cosmi (2021), Derrius Guice (2018), Ryan Anderson (2017), Su’a Cravens (2016), Preston Smith (2015), Trent Murphy (2014), David Amerson (2013), Jarvis Jenkins (2011), Devin Thomas, Fred Davis, Malcom Kelly (2008).

Ok, that was 11, not 10. But how can I talk about Washington’s second-round picks while excluding the horrible memory of the 2008 draft? All three players were receivers (Davis a USC tight end), and endured very disappointing careers. Thomas never flashed, was just a guy. Davis started well, but character issues resulted in a crash and burn sadly for him.

Kelly? Why was he ever drafted in Round 2 when at the time, there were injury concerns? Even worse was when it leaked out some of the football staff actually voiced they wanted to draft Jamaal Charles but were overruled. For younger readers, Charles (Texas) was a four-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, rushed for 7,563 yards, 44 rushing touchdowns and averaged an impressive 5.4 yards per carry.

Jenkins (Clemson DE) was largely ineffective his entire three years in Washington, even getting suspended for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Amerson (NC State CB) played on three teams in his six NFL seasons, even later admitting that while with Washington, he had spent many nights playing video games instead of studying opponents and getting enough sleep.

Murphy (Stanford DE) was drafted when Washington traded back with Dallas, who drafted DeMarcus Lawrence. Murphy had some moments but faded, and he too was suspended for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

Cravens (USC LB) very early revealed himself to have emotional issues and was traded after only one season, only lasting one season in Denver as well.

Anderson (Alabama LB) didn’t start a game his first two seasons, forced five fumbles in season three, but struggled in his fourth and final season.

Guice (LSU RB) was such a train wreck, he was arrested on domestic violence charges, tore an ACL, only played in five games and even LSU erased his stats from their record books because of inappropriate behavior.

Only Preston Smith and Samuel Cosmi look to have been good second-round selections for Washington. Smith in four seasons accumulated 59 QB hits and 24.5 sacks, but he was not resigned and Green Bay wasted no time signing him. Cosmi (Texas OT) only played in nine games in 2021 (started all nine), but performed quite well, and looks to have a promising future as a Commander in the NFL.