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          NFL Nation

          Mel Kiper Jr. lowers Redskins' draft grade

          • John Keim, ESPN Staff WriterJan 23, 2015, 10:30 AM ET
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              John Keim covers the Washington Commanders for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2013 after a stint with the Washington Post. He started covering the team in 1994 for the Journal Newspapers and later for the Washington Examiner. He has authored/co-authored four books. You can also listen to him on 'The John Keim Report', which airs on ESPN Richmond radio, and follow him on Twitter @john_keim
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          The final grade remains a few years away, when there's more proof of what the players Washington drafted could -- and couldn't -- accomplish. After one season, however, the Washington Redskins' 2014 draft class didn't produce enough and that's why ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. gave them a lower grade than he had immediately after the draft.

          It's hard to disagree with Kiper's new grade after watching the eight-person class this past season. He initially gave them a C-plus. I always felt this class would take a while to make an impact, based on the players they drafted, the positions they played and because there was no first-rounder.

          Kiper also took into account quarterback Robert Griffin III's season because his presence is why the Redskins had no first-round pick this past season. That's fine; I tend to look at the players they drafted and grade them accordingly. But if Griffin had played well, his grade would have been higher.

          Here's what Kiper wrote about the Redskins' draft in this insider's pieceInsider:

          "RG III is a big factor in this draft grade, as the Redskins were again without a first-round pick, hopefully for the last time for a while. That Washington is still something of a mess at QB drags this grade down because they didn't pick until No. 47 overall, and it's a mixed bag after that."

          Of the eight players Washington drafted, three were cut -- Lache Seastrunk, tight end Ted Bolser and kicker Zach Hocker. Of the other five, two became starters because of injuries to others -- Trent Murphy and Bashaud Breeland.

          Murphy needs to be a better pass-rusher to hold onto a starting job; not sure he'll do so. I like Breeland's competitiveness and how he studies, so he has a chance to at least be a solid contributor for a while. It's hard to say on Spencer Long because we really didn't see him after the summer. He has good size and can move, but he looked lost in the preseason. Still, for both he and Morgan Moses, I always viewed them as being a year or two from making any sort of impact. After watching Moses, my opinion hasn't changed -- and I'm not sold he'll become a quality starter. His length helps and he improved, but he needs more work. Receiver Ryan Grant showed this past summer he could run excellent routes. He didn't do anything in games to excite anyone, however. Right now, he looks like a fourth- or fifth receiver at best.

          The final grade is a couple years away. And the ultimate grade will be based on not only if the Redskins find starters, but do those players then contribute to winning games? After one season, Kiper's re-grade is appropriate. The big question is: Will it stay that way at this time next season?