DRAFT REVIEW

Left end Phillip Daniels is 34 and coming off three surgeries. Left tackle Cornelius Griffin is 30 and has been plagued by bad hips the past two years. Right tackle Kedric Golston is not a great athlete who wasn't expected to play much, let alone start, as a sixth-round rookie last year. Right end Andre Carter had two sacks in his first 11 games as a Redskin after being given a six-year, $30 million contract last March. And Washington didn't add a lineman in free agency.

Meanwhile, the Redskins signed reliable middle linebacker London Fletcher, former starting cornerbacks Fred Smoot and David Macklin and veteran safety Omar Stoutmire as free agents.

Also, Washington is planning to start career right tackle Todd Wade at left guard and must choose between free agent bust Brandon Lloyd and the underachieving Antwaan Randle El at No. 2 receiver.

However, although Washington's linemen produced just 13 sacks last season as the defense plunged from ninth in 2005 to 31st, the Redskins used their only pick in the first four rounds of the draft -- sixth overall -- on another defensive back, LSU safety LaRon Landry.

"(Defensive line coach) Greg Blache feels good about (the line)," said coach Joe Gibbs, who didn't take a D-lineman in the entire draft. "There wasn't pressure for us to do something there."

Landry is the third top 10 defensive back Washington has taken with a top 10 choice in the four years since Gibbs came out of retirement in 2004, joining safety Sean Taylor (fifth pick, 2004) and cornerback Carlos Rogers (ninth, 2005).

Landry said that he and Taylor, who went to last year's Pro Bowl as an alternate, will be "the best safety combination ever."

Gibbs wouldn't go that far but raved about Landry, whose brother, Dawan, started for Baltimore as a fifth-round safety in 2006.

"There are definite similarities with Sean," Gibbs said. "They can both really run. They can cover a lot of field. They're both ballhawks. They're big and really good tacklers. LaRon's very aggressive. When he makes up his mind to go, there's not a lot of hesitation. He's gone. It will be interesting to see how he fits in with Sean."

Considering Taylor's struggles alongside Adam Archuleta, Troy Vincent and Vernon Fox last year, it will be interesting. However, the Redskins would have been much smarter to go with the best of a trio of veteran safeties -- Pierson Prioleau, Omar Stoutmire and Fox -- while adding a top young lineman to help fix the Redskins' most serious problem.

BEST PICK
Even though the Redskins were in more need of a defensive end and a defensive tackle, Landry is a superlative athlete. He gives the Redskins four top 10 picks in the secondary, joining cornerbacks Shawn Springs and Carlos Rogers and safety Sean Taylor. If Landry can cover well enough to allow Taylor to roam, they could be a dynamic duo.

COULD SURPRISE
Blades knows he's not the superb athlete that his father -- safety Bennie, the third pick of the 1988 draft -- but he makes up for that with intensity and instincts. Blades is third in Pitt history with 433 tackles and if he progresses could eventually succeed London Fletcher, soon to be 32, as Washington's middle linebacker.

A closer look at the Redskins' picks:

Round 1/6-- LaRon Landry, S, 6-0, 213, Louisiana State

The best of a fine group of safeties in the draft, Landry was the Redskins' favorite defensive player coming out of college.

Round 5/143 -- Dallas Sartz, OLB, 6-5, 235, Southern Cal

A three-year starter on the strong side, Sartz is quick enough to have led USC in sacks in 2006 but needs to improve in coverage.

Round 6/179 -- H.B. Blades, ILB, 5-11, 236, Pitt

The son and nephew of NFL players, the short but instinctive Blades will be groomed behind free-agent pickup London Fletcher, 31.

Round 6/205 -- Jordan Palmer, QB, 6-6, 231, Texas-El Paso

The younger brother of Cincinnati star quarterback Carson Palmer has a big arm but questionable decision making ability.

Round 7/216 -- Tyler Ecker, TE, 6-6, 269, Michigan

Has been bulking up to be a blocking tight end or even an offensive lineman. Uses smarts to make up for limited athleticism.

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