NFL Draft: 2018 Full Round 1 mock to celebrate New Year's Day

2018 NFL Draft: Full Round 1 mock to celebrate New Year’s Day

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Haason Reddick of Temple reacts after being picked #13 overall by the Arizona Cardinals during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

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ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 02: Derwin James #3 of the Florida State Seminoles reacts after a play against the Alabama Crimson Tide during their game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

So much of what the Washington Redskins do in the 2018 NFL Draft is predicated on what happens with quarterback Kirk Cousins and the expiration of his franchise tag.

If he’s re-signed, no worries. Cross that off the list. If not, quarterback becomes a major need.

But Washington could use some help in the secondary, particularly at safety, which is why Florida State’s Derwin James makes a lot of sense here. James has the range and converging speed to hold down a free safety spot, while his coverage skills make him perfectly adept to playing cornerback.

Safety is the more pressing area of concern for the Redskins, though, and it’s likely the team looks at James to be that clamp-down defender at the back end of its defense next season.