College Football

5 Potential Redskins Prospects To Watch In National Championship Game

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:29 p.m. ET

Fansided, Jacob Camenker/FanSided via Riggo's Rag

December 31, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) celebrates the touchdown scored by running back Wayne Gallman (9) against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the second half of the the 2016 CFP semifinal at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The NCAA National Championship game will be played tonight between the Clemson Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Both teams have plenty of talented prospects that will be on the Washington Redskins radar.

It all comes down to this. After an exciting 2016 college football season, the top two teams in the country will get a chance to square off in an exciting battle on Monday night. Alabama and Clemson will be playing in their second championship clash in as many years, and this one will be a great one.

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Both teams have pretty strong defenses that their opponents will have to figure out how to deconstruct. Though the Crimson Tide won last year’s battle, they have a true freshman at quarterback in Jalen Hurts, while Steve Sarkisian took over offensive coordinator duties just over a week ago. That will make the game exciting to watch.

Still, the most important part of this game will be watching the prospects. There is no doubt that the Washington Redskins will have their eyes on some of these guys, especially given how great these two programs have performed in recent years. Here is a look at five potential prospects to watch in the National Championship game.

Dec 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson (54) tackles Florida Gators running back Jordan Scarlett (25) during the third quarter of the SEC Championship college football game at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

5. DL Dalvin Tomlinson, Alabama

It is no secret that the Redskins need some help on the defensive line. They have some talented depth players, but they lack the true talent up front to become a force and stop the run. The team could easily change that by adding Dalvin Tomlinson.

Tomlinson has been a solid playmaker for the Crimson Tide over the last couple of seasons. Serving as a starting in his senior year, Tomlinson has been able to rack up tackles as a run stuffer at the defensive tackle position. In 2016, he had 58 total tackles while also recording a career high three sacks. He was able to use his strength to bully opposing offensive linemen, and that trait should carry over to the next level.

In the NFL, Tomlinson looks like a nose tackle candidate who has the versatility to play a 3-4 end position. He will not offer a lot of pass rushing skills, but he will provide enough value to stay on the field most downs. This would be good news for the Redskins, as they are looking for a new nose tackle and Tomlinson should be available in the third or fourth round. They definitely will be keeping an eye on him as he gets a chance to face the interior line of Clemson.

December 31, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Clemson Tigers running back Wayne Gallman (9) leaps over Ohio State Buckeyes safety Malik Hooker (24) to score a touchdown during the second half of the the 2016 CFP semifinal at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

4. RB Wayne Gallman, Clemson

In our most recent Redskins 7-Round Mock Draft, I projected Wayne Gallman to the Redskins in the early fourth round. My reasoning for that is as follows:

Gallman has been one of the most productive runners in the nation in back to back seasons. Functioning as the workhorse for the Clemson offense, the strong runner has posted 2,516 yards and 28 touchdowns combined on the ground over the past two years. He has been a big part of Clemson’s rise to the national spotlight, and he has helped improve the play of Deshaun Watson.

For the Redskins, Gallman would offer a little something different than Kelley. Gallman is a much quicker and more explosive runner that would be a threat to take the ball to the house on every carry. Kelley could operate as the physical back while Gallman could be worked in as the playmaker back. It would just make sense to use him as a complement and keep Chris Thompson around for third down work.

The only concern with Gallman would be his durability. He missed some time with a concussion during his junior year, and saw a lot of carries in college.

With all that said, Gallman’s injury concerns are minor and he could be a riser with a solid performance against Alabama. The Redskins will be looking to see if Gallman can get some push against the tough Alabama front. If he can do that, then the Redskins would strongly consider targeting him as one of their potential lead backs of the future.

Dec 31, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) runs the ball for a touchdown against Ohio State during the third quarter during the 2016 CFP semifinal at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Kadlubowski/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY Sports

3. QB Deshaun Watson, Clemson

Let’s have a little fun here for a minute. Suppose that Kirk Cousins demands too much money from the Redskins, and Scot McCloughan elects to let him walk. It seems like a longshot, but it could be possible. The team would then have to find a new quarterback, and their top internal option would be Nate Sudfeld.

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While Sudfeld may have improved over the course of the season, there is no way of knowing whether or not he has what it takes to be a starter. In his one preseason start, he looked like a potential backup player, but nothing more. The Redskins need to protect themselves from forcing Sudfeld into the lineup, and they could consider Deshaun Watson as a replacement.

Watson has been one of the best players in college football during each of the past two seasons, and his performance is what helped lead Clemson to the title game in back to back years. However, Watson’s skill set from an NFL standpoint leaves a lot to be desired. He has had issues with accuracy and turnovers, as he has recorded a whopping 30 picks combined over the past couple of seasons. That could cause Watson to fall to day two, where he could be a good developmental pick for a team.

If Cousins walks, that team could be the Redskins. Watson is a natural leader, and he would likely fit in with the team. If the Skins can get a good value on Watson, it would not be too much of a surprise to see them select him. Of course, this is all contingent on whether or not Cousins returns. Should Cousins re-sign in the near future, Watson would certainly be off the table as an option. But for now, he just deserves some consideration.

Dec 3, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers cornerback Cordrea Tankersley (25) tackles Virginia Tech Hokies wide receiver Cam Phillips (5) in the second half during the ACC Championship college football game at Camping World Stadium. Clemson Tigers won 42-35. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

2. DB Cordrea Tankersley, Clemson

The Redskins really need to get some help in their secondary. Both safety positions and the No. 2 corner position have been problematic for the team, and it would be shocking if the team chose not to address this area in the draft. That said, a prospect that they could strongly consider in the first two rounds would be Clemson’s cornerback Cordrea Tankersley.

In the past two seasons, Tankersley has been a ballhawk for the Tigers. He has recorded nine interceptions while deflecting 19 passes over his two years as a starter. He looks to have positional versatility, which will be huge for the Redskins. They need to be able to play their best combination of corners and safeties, and Tankersley would give them that extra boost to do so.

Tankersley also helps his own cause by being a pretty solid tackler. In 2016, he had 47 tackles after totaling 48 in 2015. Tankersley also shattered his career high in tackles for loss, recording six during the past season. His previous high was only 3.5. In short, Tankersley’s skill set looks to be pretty solid.

The Redskins would love to take a chance on a guy like Tankersley. They have had success with Clemson products in the past, like Bashaud Breeland, and they would likely take another risk. Though Breeland played poorly for the team last year, Tankersley looks to be a better prospect and that could really help the Redskins get the performance they need from the secondary.

Dec 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reuben Foster (10) looks on during warm-ups prior to the 2016 CFP Semifinal against the Washington Huskies at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

1. LB Reuben Foster, Alabama

Reuben Foster has long been on my radar as a potential draft pick by the Redskins. He put together another strong season at Alabama, and I said the following about him prior to the New Year’s Six Games:

Foster has been an excellent all-around linebacker in his senior season. He has showed phenomenal instincts and posted a career high in tackles with 94 this past year. He plays with physicality and is a prototypical 3-4 middle linebacker at the next level. This is thanks to his 6-foot-1, 236 pound frame.

Foster also has solid coverage skills and has defended nine passes over the course of the last two seasons. If he can do a good job in this area on Saturday, he will solidify his status as a likely first round pick.

The Redskins would definitely be interested in a player like Foster. He would be an upgrade over Martrell Spaight as a backup, and could possibly take the starting role away from Mason Foster.

This all still reigns true. The Redskins desperately need help at the linebacker position, and drafting Alabama players has worked in the past. With a great performance against Clemson, Reuben Foster could put himself on the radar as a real potential first round pick for the Redskins.