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  6. article_body => "<p>For years, maybe decades, the Redskins did not treat the NFL Draft with the seriousness of the best teams in the league.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The organization often traded away important picks for veterans, and when Washington did make picks, they missed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>T.J. Duckett for a third-round selection? Sure.<\/p>\n<p>Malcolm Kelly, Fred Davis and Devin Thomas in the second round? Sure.<\/p>\n<p>A second-round pick for Donovan McNabb? Sure.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The trade to acquire Robert Griffin III doesn't even need to be mentioned. That trade, while giving up a boatload of first-round picks, at least produced an NFC East title, even if it ended spectacularly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Anyway, enough about how things used to be run. Things are run differently now, and the results are obvious.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The 2018 Redskins defense contains plenty of draft picks. The team found first-round success with Daron Payne and Johnathan Allen, but also late round picks like Greg Stroman and Matt Ioannidis.<\/p>\n<p>Offensively, many of the biggest names came through the draft, even if some are injured now. Jordan Reed, Chris Thompson, Brandon Scherff, Morgan Moses, Josh Doctson. All draft picks, some early, some late, some mid-rounders.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Add it all up and it shows the Redskins have overhauled their personnel philosophy. The NFL draft has become the centerpiece of team building, not free agency.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Teams with most draft picks still in the NFL<br><br>1. Bengals- 61<br>2. Ravens- 54<br>3. Seahawks- 54<br>4. 49ers- 53<br>5. Patriots - 52<br>6, Packers- 51<br>7. Redskins- 49<\/p>&mdash; Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jason_OTC\/status\/1063049239536766978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 15, 2018<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n<p>This procedural change was a long time coming, and it's working.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind the above stat means draft picks still playing in the NFL but doesn't necessarily mean still playing on the team that drafted them. For the Burgundy and Gold, that means players like Kendall Fuller of the Chiefs, Ryan Grant of the Colts, Spencer Long of the Jets and Brian Orakpo of the Titans.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Bigger picture, however, it means the Redskins are drafting and drafting well. Nearly half of the current 53-man roster came from Redskins draft picks, and that doesn't include undrafted success stories like Quinton Dunbar, Maurice Harris and Danny Johnson.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Redskins have become a team focused on acquiring more picks in each draft, even letting their own home grown players walk to pile up compensatory picks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It's a formula many successful teams like the Packers and Patriots have used for a long time.<\/p>\n<p>In Washington, it's a relatively new way to design the&nbsp;roster, but it seems much more effective than the old way.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>MORE REDSKINS NEWS:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Updated offensive depth chart: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/updated-redskins-offensive-depth-chart-after-jamison-crowders-mri-plus-trey-quinn-news\">After Crowder's MRI, plus Quinn news<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>In the hunt: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/who-root-week-11-if-you-are-washington-redskins-fan\">Who to root for as a 'Skins fan in Week 11<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>NFL Power Rankings:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/2018-nfl-power-rankings-titans-rising-shake-top-10\">Where do the Redskins stand?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>AP feels great:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/redskins\/adrian-peterson-fifth-rushing-and-oh-yeah-he-finally-feels-fully-healthy-now\">Fifth in rushing, the 33-year-old wants more<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><div class=\"video-filter art19-player-iframe\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/f1339a3e-06a7-41d6-bc8b-77df06fb8eae\/episodes\/800aab5a-6e6b-4182-aa9a-31b683f11740\/embed?theme=light-blue\" width=\"100%\" height=\"250px\" class=\"video-filter video-art19 vf-f1339a3e06a741d6bc8b77df06fb8eae vf-800aab5a6e6b4182aa9a31b683f11740embed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"Art19 Player\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/p>\n"
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Redskins

Redskins

For years, maybe decades, the Redskins did not treat the NFL Draft with the seriousness of the best teams in the league. 

The organization often traded away important picks for veterans, and when Washington did make picks, they missed. 

T.J. Duckett for a third-round selection? Sure.

Malcolm Kelly, Fred Davis and Devin Thomas in the second round? Sure.

A second-round pick for Donovan McNabb? Sure. 

The trade to acquire Robert Griffin III doesn't even need to be mentioned. That trade, while giving up a boatload of first-round picks, at least produced an NFC East title, even if it ended spectacularly. 

Anyway, enough about how things used to be run. Things are run differently now, and the results are obvious. 

The 2018 Redskins defense contains plenty of draft picks. The team found first-round success with Daron Payne and Johnathan Allen, but also late round picks like Greg Stroman and Matt Ioannidis.

Offensively, many of the biggest names came through the draft, even if some are injured now. Jordan Reed, Chris Thompson, Brandon Scherff, Morgan Moses, Josh Doctson. All draft picks, some early, some late, some mid-rounders. 

Add it all up and it shows the Redskins have overhauled their personnel philosophy. The NFL draft has become the centerpiece of team building, not free agency. 

This procedural change was a long time coming, and it's working. 

Keep in mind the above stat means draft picks still playing in the NFL but doesn't necessarily mean still playing on the team that drafted them. For the Burgundy and Gold, that means players like Kendall Fuller of the Chiefs, Ryan Grant of the Colts, Spencer Long of the Jets and Brian Orakpo of the Titans. 

Bigger picture, however, it means the Redskins are drafting and drafting well. Nearly half of the current 53-man roster came from Redskins draft picks, and that doesn't include undrafted success stories like Quinton Dunbar, Maurice Harris and Danny Johnson. 

The Redskins have become a team focused on acquiring more picks in each draft, even letting their own home grown players walk to pile up compensatory picks. 

It's a formula many successful teams like the Packers and Patriots have used for a long time.

In Washington, it's a relatively new way to design the roster, but it seems much more effective than the old way. 

MORE REDSKINS NEWS: