Thursday, April 24th, 2008...5:17 pm by Lee Gibbons
Redskins do Some Last Minute Scouting
With the draft less than two days away, the Redskins made a couple of last minute stops to check out draft prospects. The Redskins made stops in Clemson and Oklahoma to check out last minute workouts of Phillip Merling and Malcolm Kelly. The Redskins sent a a large group including Dan Snyder, Jim Zorn, Greg Blache and even Jason Campbell to see the workouts.
Merling’s session was an open pro-day type session with a lot of teams on hand to check him out. Merling is recovering from sports hernia surgury and couldn’t participate in the combine, so this was his chance to show his stuff. He appeared healthy, but didn’t run a 40 yard dash or do any weightlifting.
The session with Malcolm Kelly seems to be more of a private affair, although I don’t have any confirmation on that. They are obviously very interesting in Kelly, if they are going to haul Campbell around to throw to him. The main issue with Kelly is speed, his 40 yard time at his pro-day was slow. I can’t imagine Kelly is going to run another 40 yard dash, but the coaching staff and crew will be looking at his running ability during the workout. It looks like Kelly might be the atop the Redskins draft board at reciever. They have had Kansas State’s Jordy Nelson in for a visit as well, although he may be available when the Redskins pick in the 2nd round.
There are full scouting reports and videos on both Kelly and Merling in our Redskins 2008 NFL draft section.
3 Comments
April 24th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
We’ll know in less than 48 hours, but I gotta think the pick is Merling…. especially since if not picked by the Redskins at 21, Kelly could fall into the high second round (before 40, though). It’s possible the Skins may pick Merling, and make a trade attempt to move up in the second (give up next years and this years #2?) to pick Kelly. I’m ok with that; I’d even consider giving up the #2 this year and one of the Comp #3s to move up enough to pick him. That would leave the #3 picks on a DB and a OL.
April 25th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Hey Bill. The Skins only got one comp pick in the 3rd round (the 2 were in the 7th round). You can’t trade comp picks either. I’m not sure what the cost would be to jump in the 2nd round.
April 26th, 2008 at 8:23 am
Doh, you’re right… the Skins have the first Comp pick of the Draft, but it’s a low 3rd rounder. I’d still be willing to give up our #2 and #3 for moving up high in the 2nd; we’d take either a DB or OL with the Comp, then.
The 7th round Comp picks are basically garbage time picks; not much better than a UDFA, except you don’t have to compete for the player among other teams that might want to bring them in.
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