By Rich Tandler
Now that Evan Royster has been elevated from the practice squad to the active roster, all but two of the 12 players the Redskins drafted last April have been a part of the 53-man roster at some point this season. If Royster plays that will mean that all 10 players who have seen time on the roster will have played in games. Six of the draft picks have started games.
Here is a look at how the rookie class has fared this season:
LB Ryan Kerrigan (Round 1)—He is the only defensive player who has played every snap this season.
DE Jarvis Jenkins (2)—Jenkins would at least have been a part of the defensive line rotation if not a starter by now had he not suffered a torn ACL in the third preseason game in Baltimore.
WR Leonard Hankerson (3)—He was inactive the first five games and played sparingly in the next two. After playing virtually the entire game against the 49ers, Hankerson had his breakout game against the Dolphins, gaining 106 yards on eight catches before going out for the season with a hip injury.
RB Roy Helu (4)—The running back has been active for all 10 games and has played in all of them with one start.
S DeJon Gomes (5)—When LaRon Landry was out last Sunday, Gomes got his first NFL start. He has played in every game but one; Gomes was inactive for the first Cowboys game.
WR Niles Paul (5)—Paul played in the first eight games of the season before an injured toe landed him on the inactive list for the past two games. He got credit for a start in Carolina when the Redskins opened on a three-receiver set.
RB Evan Royster (5)—Royster was released in the final roster cuts and was signed to the practice squad a few days later. He is expected to be active on Sunday against the Seahawks.
WR Aldrick Robinson (6)—Also released with the final cuts and brought back to the practice squad, where he remains.
CB Brandyn Thompson (7)—Thompson has been the team’s yo-yo this year. He made the initial roster and played in two of the first four games. After Phillip Buchanon returned from his four-game suspension, Thompson was waived and put on the practice squad. After two weeks there he was brought back up to the 53-man roster and was active but did not play against the Bills and 49ers. He then returned to the practice squad, where he remains—for now.
G Maurice Hurt (7)—He spent the first five games on the practice squad and then was moved up to the roster when Kory Lichtensteiger went out for the year. Hurt was active but a spectator the next two games before he saw his first NFL action when he started against the 49ers. After starting against the Dolphins, Hurt missed the Dallas game with a knee injury.
LB Markus White (7)—White has been on the roster but inactive for every game except Dolphins game, where he saw some special teams action.
NT Chris Neild (7)—Neild has played in every game as Barry Cofield’s substitute.
It’s also worth including undrafted rookie Willie Smith in this discussion. He has been on the 53-man roster all year. Smith has been active in three games but has yet to play.
Rich Tandler blogs about the Redskins at www.RealRedskins.com. You can reach him by email at RTandlerCSN@comcast.net and follow him on Twitter @Rich_Tandler.
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