Here’s a look at the perceived draft needs of the Washington Redskins, with heavy input from Matt Miller and David Gardner of NewEraScouting.com.   

Defensive End:  Andre Carter improved last season, for his best sack output since 2002 when he was with the 49ers.  Carter and his backup, Chris Wilson, were the only two reliable pass rushers that the Redskins had in 2007.  Phillip Daniels leads the left side, but he is aging quickly.  There isn’t anyone on the roster who is ready to replace him, either.  The Redskins clearly need more production out of their ends, as they finished middle-of-the-pack in sacks last year, despite good play from their back seven.

Safety:  The Redskins addressed the safety position with their first pick last year, selecting LSU safety Laron Landry, but the tragic and untimely death of Sean Taylor has created a void at safety.  Although they drafted Landry as a strong safety, he switched to free safety last season in the absence of Taylor, with Reed Doughty at strong safety.  Doughtry played admirably in the spot, but an upgrade at the position would be a good move for the Redskins.  Because Landry plays his best football close to the line of scrimmage, the Redskins need to add a safety who excels in pass coverage.

In the second round, the Redskins could grab Reggie Smith of Oklahoma, whose specialty is pass defense.  The Redskins have also shown interest in Marcus Griffin (Texas) if they decide to plug this hole later in the draft.

Offensive line:  All of the starters on this offensive line are 30 or older.  There are needs at both guard and tackle, it’s just a question of which is the most pressing.  Chris Samuels is a Pro Bowl left tackle, and he is one of the most respected men in the league.  He should be able to man the left side for another few years at least.

There is not that much stability on the right side, however, where three different players started games last year.  Veteran Jon Jansen missed all but one game last season with an ankle injury.  Todd Wade replaced him in the starting lineup, but he was then replaced by undrafted rookie Stephon Heyer.  Heyer showed enough ability to be a valuable backup, but he doesn’t look like the answer.  The Redskins could opt to use their first pick here, but it seems more likely that with this deep class of tackles, they will wait until later.  Early in day two, they like Nebraska tackle Carl Nicks.

They also have a pressing need at guard.  Randy Thomas has struggled with injuries over the past three seasons, and Pete Kendall will be 35 before the season begins.  Backup Jason Fabini resigned with the team, but he is not the long-term answer.  The team could address this need late in the draft, where they could get a player like Robert Felton who paved the way for Darren McFadden and Felix Jones in Arkansas.

Cornerback:  It’s hard to imagine a team whose depth chart reads Carlos Rogers, Fred Smoot, and Shawn Springs at corner having a need at the position, but a lot of questions surround this group.  Springs is on the downside of his career and could be cut at some point.  On the other side, Carlos Rogers is coming off a knee injury that will sideline him for much of training camp and possibly into the regular season.  Smoot, the nickel back, has some flaws in his game (including in run support), and the Redskins would like to keep him in his current role.

This isn’t the Redskin’s top need, but they could end up using a high draft pick at the position. If the defensive end or offensive linemen they desire in round one aren’t available, they could take a look at the top corners.  They will likely not take that route, however.  They have shown considerable interest in DeJuan Tribble (Boston College) and could use a day-two pick on him to play dime this year and hopefully grab a starting spot in a couple of years.

Wide receiver:  Santana Moss is one of the best wide receivers in the league when healthy, but he hasn’t played in all sixteen games in either of the last two seasons.  Antwaan Randle El is also a talented receiver, but he is a better fit for the slot, not the No. 2 position.  Outside of those two, the Redskins have players like James Thrash, Anthony Mix, Jerome Mathis, and Billy McMullen.  It’s safe to say that defensive coordinators aren’t losing sleep trying to game plan against those guys.  Talented tight end Chris Cooley has helped to mask some of the deficiencies of this group, but the Redskins definitely need an upgrade.

They may also use a high draft pick here, but it’s not their top need.  This draft class is deep, if not spectacular, and the Redskins will be looking for a big target who can make a play after the catch. Oklahoma’s Malcolm Kelly would fit that bill perfectly in the second round; later in the draft they could target a player like Alabama’s D.J. Hall.