The Washington Redskins are still the favorites to make a deal for the St. Louis Rams' second pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, according to Mel Kiper anyway. Kiper shared that nugget of wisdom and much, much more on a lengthy conference call with the press on Thursday. Our own Mocking the Draft sat in on the call.
Let's take a look at why Kiper gives Mike Shanahan the edge in the Robert Griffin III sweepstakes and sample some of his other tidbits of insight.
As for why the Redskins make the most sense for RG3, look no further than New Orleans. No, it's not the bounties, it's a great quarterback elevating the talent around him. Kiper sees Washington as a team much closer to copying that paradigm than the Cleveland Browns, who still have many other needs to address.
Washington - and this is me extrapolating, not Kiper - can use their draft picks to take RG3, and round out some of their other needs via free agency. Chief among those priorities would be finding a receiver, something they should be able to do on the market, especially with Dan Snyder writing the checks.
That should come as good news to the Rams, but it does leave open the matter of just how much they can get in return for their second pick.
That could depend on the Browns. Kiper says the Browns have too many needs to address, which explains their reticence in giving up the 22nd pick in a move with the Rams. Washington would feel no such hesitation.
"I think Washington goes above and beyond the (trade) chart," Kiper said. "It's going to be fun to watch. The team that benefits is St. Louis."
If Washington is St. Louis' dance partner, they get the sixth pick ... and a bit of a conundrum as to which player to take in that spot.
Other highlights from Kiper's call that will be of interest to Rams fans:
- Morris Claiborne is the top corner, but Kiper says it's a toss up between Dre Kirkpatrick and Stephon Gilmore for the second spot.
- He says Stephen Hill is a borer-line first-round pick, and likely to be the fourth receiver off the board.
- Arkansas receiver Greg Childs is getting more attention after showing teams he still had some of what made him a special talent for the Hogs in 2009.