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Gibbs Satisfied With Draft

The Associated Press
Sunday, April 25, 2004; 6:57 PM

ASHBURN, Va. -- There were no head-scratching selections, no baffling statements by the head coach. Joe Gibbs' return to the Washington Redskins included a clinical exercise in how to conduct an NFL draft: Do your homework, choose rationally, and don't gloat when things go right.

The Redskins used their top pick on the unglamorous position of safety, getting exactly the player Gibbs targeted to fill a need while passing over the higher-profile splash of Kellen Winslow Jr.

With Sean Taylor of the University of Miami in tow with the No. 5 overall pick, the Redskins then traded up late Saturday to get promising tight end Chris ey of Utah State in the third round. On Sunday, they completed their draft by taking a pair of offensive linemen: Mark Wilson from California in the fifth round and Jim Molinaro from Notre Dame in the sixth.

When it was over, Gibbs was as satisfied as he could be, especially considering the Redskins had traded most of their picks away during free agency.

"Always, when you look at all that talent and everything, you're wishing you could get a lot more players," Gibbs said. "But to be truthful, we think that we maximized our opportunities for what we had. I felt real good about it."

Gibbs' meticulous approach in his first draft in 12 years was a welcome relief after two drafts with Steve Spurrier, who wasn't as active in the process and sometimes seemed to know little about the players being picked. There have also been a few perplexing selections in recent years, but Gibbs' choices won't throw anyone for a loop.

Taylor, who arrives Monday for his introductory news conference, should be an instant starter at free safety, where his speed and aggressiveness will strengthen pass coverage and allow the players in front of him to stay near the line of scrimmage to stop the run.

Gibbs praised Miami tight end Winslow, but he said Taylor was the player who could help the team the most. The coach discounted reports that concerns over Winslow's agent or other off-the-field factors had led the Redskins to choose Taylor instead.

"I think Kellen would have been a positive," Gibbs said. "It just didn't work that way."

Winslow might have been a solid H-back for Gibbs' offense, but ey is versatile enough have a shot at filling the same role. ey played fullback, H-back and tight end for the Aggies, and his 3.3 grade-point average shows the smarts to handle a position mastered by Clint Didier, Terry Orr and Doc Walker in the 1980s under Gibbs.

"All of our positions on offense, you've got to be very bright," Gibbs said. "But I'd say H-back is one of the biggest challenges because you're playing in the backfield, you're playing all along the line of scrimmage, and at times you're going to be split out."

Washington swapped fifth-round spots with New Orleans and gave the Saints a 2005 second-round pick to move into position to take ey.

Wilson started all 48 games for the Golden Bears and played both tackle positions, demonstrating the durability Gibbs wanted for a utility backup along the offensive line. Several projected starters -- Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery and Randy Thomas -- couldn't practice at minicamp last month due to injuries.

Wilson used to spend his summers harvesting garlic in rural northern California, and his 6-foot-6 frame stood out in the fields. Asked if he was ready for big-city life on the East Coast, he referenced his four years at California.

"That really prepared me for anything," Wilson said. "If you haven't seen it in Berkeley, it probably doesn't exist."

Molinaro is more of an long-term project to be molded by offensive coach Joe Bugel. Molinaro was a reserve defensive lineman until late in his junior year at Notre Dame, when he was converted to offense and became a starter. He started all 11 games at left tackle last season.

"We've had some good luck in the past. I guess you go back to the days where you pick a (Joe) Jacoby and give him to Buges and you wind up with a Pro Bowl player," Gibbs said.

Both Wilson and Molinaro give the Redskins long-term insurance should Samuels not remain with the team. The two-time Pro Bowl left tackle has two years left on his contract, and the Redskins have been unsuccessful in their attempts to negotiate a new one that is more cap-friendly.

After the draft, the Redskins started combing through the leftovers and reached agreements with eight to 10 players who will be signed Monday. Gibbs has guaranteed that at least one player not selected in the draft will make it to a Pro Bowl.

The draft picks and undrafted free agents will make their practice debuts at a three-day minicamp starting Friday.

njskinsfan wrote:Any listings of those UFA's posted anywhere Jake??? I'm hoping for Carome Cox.