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If you would have said on December 26, 2015 that the Washington Redskins would be in need of a tight end in a few short seasons, you would have received some crazy looks. That was the night a 25-year old named Jordan Reed caught nine passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns to help the Redskins win the NFC East.
Since that magical night in Philadelphia, Reed has played just 31 games and his future is unknown because of suffering too many injuries. This has left the Redskins without a tight end for the better part of four seasons.
Washington's Week 16 loss to the New York Giants basically solidified their fate as the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. This pick should be used to draft Ohio State's Chase Young, but a later pick needs to be used on a pass-catching tight end.
Purdue's Brycen Hopkins has impressed this season and has put his name on the map. Hopkins is a day two prospect heading into the draft. This seems like a fit for the Redskins.
Redskins Need a Replacement for Reed
This was the ultimate transition year in D.C. The Redskins parted ways with Jay Gruden after five seasons. They made it a priority to develop young players such as Dwayne Haskins, who has looked much improved over the last four weeks. Washington has some young weapons on the outside including Terry McLaurin, Kelvin Harmon, and Steven Sims.
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There is still no sign of a tight end. Jeremy Sprinkle is an excellent blocker but his ability as a pass catcher is well below average. This is where Hopkins comes into play.
Hopkins is not as finished product. He is a great athlete and a polished route runner which should excite teams at the next level. Where he struggles is his inconsistency with his hands. Hopkins is not the most skilled at making hands catches. Many times he has to double-catch or re-grip the ball to secure it.
At 6'5 and 245 pounds, this is a high-reward pick. Hopkins can work on his hands at the next level but athleticism and speed cannot be taught. He finished with 61 catches for 830 yards and seven touchdowns this season for the Boilermakers. If those numbers are coming from an unfinished product then his ceiling is high in the NFL.
Jacob Breeland from Oregon and Stanford's Colby Parkinson are names that have been linked to the Redskins. Hopkins could be the best value pick.
The Redskins do not have a second-round pick in the upcoming draft. This means that their second selection will be in the beginning of the third round. This is an excellent position to look for value at the tight end position. If Hopkins is still around, this could be a fit for Washington.
