Outside of the teams slotted to pick in the top five in the 2021 NFL Draft, there are few franchises that have a more intriguing night ahead of them on Thursday than the Washington Football Team.
After filling many pressing needs in free agency, Washington has the ability to go multiple directions with its first-round selection. Yet, with its long-term future at quarterback still uncertain, the possibility of trading up from the 19th pick to snag one of the top quarterbacks in this year's class remains on the table.
Head coach Ron Rivera said earlier this month that the club plans to react to what happens in front of them. So, if they ultimately stay put at No. 19, what position will they draft?
While offensive tackle or linebacker might make the most sense, don't rule out safety, either. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, Washington really likes TCU safety Trevon Moehrig.
"If it stays put at No. 19, keep an eye out for TCU safety Trevon Moehrig as a possibility," Fowler and Graziano wrote. "We're told Washington likes him a lot. He's expected to be the first safety off the board."
For Washington, drafting a safety -- particularly Moehrig, 2021's best at the position -- makes a lot of sense.
Currently, Jack Del Rio's defense has Kam Curl, Landon Collins and Jeremy Reaves at the position. While all three of them have their own strengths, none are the pure centerfielder-style safety that Washington badly covets.
Between Moehrig and Curl, Washington would have long-term stability on the back end of its defense. And, with the former TCU standout now in the mix, Collins could be moved to a more hybrid safety-linebacker role. Collins has said repeatedly he doesn't want to move to linebacker, but perhaps Washington could get him to buy into such a crossover role that he would have a great chance to succeed in.
Entering the draft, shoring up the back end of its defense is not the most pressing need for Washington. But, if Moehrig is there at No. 19, Washington could turn its already really good defense into an elite one and make a strong unit even better.