I have written in this space before that there are many things to do with the 13th pick in Saturday’s NFL Draft.
For those that believe in the axiom that one should select the “best player available,” I wonder how you find that player.
Most often, the Redskins, like many NFL teams, end up trying to fill a need. Last year, it was wide receiver.
I don’t think that we have yet received value for last year’s selections. The guys have not been on the field, so the jury is still out on the 2008 draft.
So what does it mean to select the best player available? I would venture that it really means to select the player who will have the best NFL career. The draft gurus don’t get so far out of their comfort zone to make that list.
The name that keeps coming back to my mind is Alex Mack, No. 51 from the California Golden Bears. The second is Max Unger from the Oregon Ducks. Both are centers.
With this being the Internet, you folks can look them up and read their bios. In 10 years, when you click on a list of draft picks from 2009, you will most likely see both of their names on the list of those still playing in the NFL.
That is what makes you the “best player available.”