Redskins add a rookie DE

The Redskins have picked up defensive end Jeremy Jarmon in the supplemental draft. For those of you who are unfamiliar, the supplemental draft is a procedure instituted for players who for unforseen reasons were not eligible for the regular draft back in April. It's basically conducted as a blind auction by email, in which teams "bid" a draft round, and if they win they have to give up the corresponding pick next year. So in this case, we have already used our 2010 third round pick.

For the record, Jarmon was available because he tested positive for a banned substance (supposedly the old not-checking-the-ingredients-on-the-dietary-supplement snafu) and was stripped of his fourth year of college eligibility.

It's hard not to like the move. Obviously, DE is a spot where we are really in need of both youth and depth, and the price was modest (one way to look at it is that we have a one-year head start on developing one of next year's draft picks).

Because he wasn't a draft prospect there's very little analysis of his skills available, but here's Rotoworld's take:

"The Skins are less concerned than any team with losing future picks, but at least they're getting a pretty good prospect. Jarmon doesn't project as a future double-digit sack guy, but the 20-year-old is built to stop the run and will probably add 10-20 pounds to his frame as he develops. He'll make it harder for declining vets Renaldo Wynn and Phillip Daniels to make the team."

Pro Football Weekly has this quote:

“As a player, we liked his production,” said Scott Campbell, the Redskins' director of player personnel. “He’s good against the run and can rush the passer. He’s young, only 21 years old, with a lot of playing experience. After meeting him and spending time with him, it is easy to see he is a quality person with good upside and all the qualities we look for. Everyone at the school spoke very highly of him — from the coaches to the training staff to the strength staff, they all had positive things to say.”

Finally, here's Cerrato:

"He's already graduated, which is good and I think this: I think he's smart, he's tough, he's willing to listen and he's willing to work. That was [defensive line coach John] Palermo's comments after he worked him out ... Those are four things you really like to hear. ...
"You see it on film, when you get tired you still chase. I think he has that in him and he'll get more I think from being around our guys and seeing what pro ball is about."

Speaking of film, YouTube again comes to the rescue. This clip shows some pretty impressive ability, both in beating the blocker and chasing down the QB outside of the pocket.

It's important to keep perspective, of course. Ends don't often make a big impact their rookie years. Much like wide receivers, the top players often had such athletic superiority over their college opponents that it was never necessary to really master technique. Once they reach the pros, these guys take awhile to pick up the nuances of their position to the point that they can compete with equally elite athletes. Realistically, he will probably not have much impact this season other than depth. We'll likely have to wait til next season to see if he develops into a significant pass rush threat.

One other effect of this move, as the Rotoworld quoted noted, is that the defensive end competition, in which Carter and Orakpo are the only real sure things, just got alot more crowded. Jarmon's arrival could mean the one less spot for a veteran - more on that in the defensive line position overview.

UPDATE: Thanks to Rich Tandler's Real Redskins, found a link to a Sporting News scouting report on Jarmon.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Redskins Insider (Washington Post) has a good assessment of the Jarmon pick.