The Redskins’ 2012 draft will rise or fall based on the success of their picks in the third and fourth rounds. They are getting their quarterback of the future with their top pick, they traded away their second rounder, and anything you can get from the fifth round on is gravy. Those middle-round picks will be important, especially since the team is without its first-round picks in 2013 and 2014.
Between now and the draft, we’re going to identify some of the players who the Redskins might target when they come on the clock for those three picks (one in the third and two in the fourth). Today, we look at Virginia cornerback Chase Minnifield. See the bottom of the page for a list of those previously featured.
Chase Minnifield
Cornerback
Virginia
Height/Weight: 5-10 5/8, 180 lb.
40 time: 4.66
Best attributes: Excellent ball skill, high character
Biggest issues: A bit choppy when backpedaling, hips stiff
Minnifield is a smart, high-character player who also happens to have good ball skills. There seems to be s split of opinion on him. Some believe that he is suited only to a cover-2 system, where the cornerbacks play softer coverage. If the Redskins share that opinion they will not draft him since they have a more aggressive coverage scheme. Others think that Minnifield started to develop in his last year at Virginia and that he could be a scheme-diverse corner.
In any case, there is no question that Minnifield has good insticts and plays aggressively against the run.
Minnifield on Minnifield
(on emulating his father Frank, a nine-year cornerback with the Browns) "I don't try to play like my dad. I'm more of a finesse player, and I can't play exactly like he played. But as far as being an in-your-face kind of corner - yes, I try to emulate that . . . It's just a mindset that you're gonna put your face in there. I'm not the biggest corner or the strongest corner, but I'm not afraid of any contact.”
Summaries
Narrow-framed, smart corner whose length, physicality and ball skills fit in a predominantly cover-2 system. Stock fell as a senior, but is passionate about the game, works at his craft and has NFL bloodlines (father, Frank, was a nine-year CB with the Browns).
Wes Bunting, National Football Post
A talented corner who can bend, re-direct, maintain balance out of his breaks and make plays on the football. However, had a tough go as a senior giving up a lot of plays and having a tough time maintaining balance when trying to locate the ball vs. bigger receivers. A potential starter only.
Previously on Redskins draft radar:
- CB Dwight Bentley
- C Ben Jones
- OL Tony Bergstrom
- RB Robert Turbin
- RB Bernard Pierce
- G Lucas Nix
- OT Zebrie Sanders
- C Phillip Blake
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