2012 NFL Draft: The NFC East

The Dallas Cowboys moved up in the draft to pick standout LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. Todd Kirkland/Icon SMI

The NFL has spent the past three days locked in draft “war rooms” for their annual choose ‘em up. Here’s a quick look at the players selected by teams in the NFC East:

New York Giants

1.32 -- David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech -- Wilson will take the roster spot of departed Brandon Jacobs, although he’s a completely different kind of back. Small, fast and an excellent receiver. He should be a nice complement to Ahmad Bradshaw.

2.31 -- Rueben Randle, WR, LSU -- A big, physical receiver with solid speed . He was a good red-zone receiver in college. Scouting reports suggest he could have been a first-round pick next year if he’d returned to school and improved his route running.

3.31 -- Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech -- Double-dipping on Hokies, the Giants snagged a smallish, but fast cover corner who has great hands and leaping ability. The Giants will want him to get stronger and improve his tackling.

4.32 -- Adrien Robinson, TE, Cincinnati -- At 6-4 and 265, Robinson is a remarkable combination of size and speed -- he ran a 4.58 40-yard dash at his pro day. Still, he needs lots of work as both a receiver and a blocker.

4.36 -- Brandon Mosley, OT, Auburn -- Good size to go with outstanding athleticism. Needs to get stronger because scouts say he got overpowered by defensive ends at times. He’s a right tackle -- a definite need for the Giants.

6.31 -- Matt McCants, OT, UAB -- A three-year starter at left tackle, McCants would probably be considered a higher-round pick if he’d played for one of the football factories. At 6-7 and 295, he’ll need to add bulk and strength. If he does, he could end up being a contributor for the Giants.

Philadelphia Eagles

1.12 -- Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State -- Cox is a first-rate combination of size, quickness, strength, effort and production. Scouts think he can add weight and get stronger.

2.14 -- Mychal Kendricks, ILB, Cal -- At 6-0 and 240 pounds, Kendricks ran a sub-4.5 40 at the draft combine, which moved him up the draft boards of several teams. He was not considered someone worthy of being drafted this high before the combine. Still, Philly needs help inside, and he should at least be able to fill a cover role as a rookie.

2.27 -- Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall -- Tall and lean, Curry is well-stocked with a nice set of pass-rushing moves. He’s weak against the run, but should be a solid pass rusher.

3.25 -- Nick Foles, QB, Arizona -- Foles has the kind of size and arm strength NFL teams like. Unlike the guy he’ll be backing up, he’s a slow runner. He’s an accurate intermediate thrower, but that accuracy isn’t present on deep passes. A decent prospect who needs lots of work to become a quality NFL QB.

4.28 -- Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia -- Boykin is a blazing fast corner who makes up for his lack of size with great leaping ability. Needs to get stronger.

5.18 -- Dennis Kelly, OT, Purdue -- A MASSIVE (6-8, 321) tackle who scouts say played more of a finesse game. Still, with Jason Peters injured and free agent signee Demetress Bell signed for what’s really a one-year deal (and coming off a serious injury of his own), Kelly could become an important player in Philly.

6.24 -- Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa -- At 6-4 and 215, McNutt has great size, and while he doesn’t have elite speed, he’s a good leaper with a knack for catching everything thrown in his general direction. Look for him as a possession receiver and possible red-zone threat.

6.30 -- Brandon Washington, OG, Miami -- A two-season starter leaving school a year early, Washington has terrific size and a good athlete for a guard. Some scouts thought he could have been a third round pick this year.

7.22 -- Bryce Brown, RB, Kansas State -- At 6-0 and 220 pounds, Brown has the size and athleticism to be an NFL running back. What he lacks is playing experience and consistency when he does play.

Dallas Cowboys

1.06 -- Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU -- The Cowboys traded up to get the player most scouts consider to be the best corner in the draft. Claiborne is a rare combination of size, speed and swivel, which makes him a dangerous returner.

3.18 -- Tyrone Crawford, DE, Boise St. -- Limited football playing experience, but good size and athleticism make him a tantalizing prospect. He’s considered to have a high ceiling, but whether he approaches that ceiling is dependent on coaching and his willingness to work.

4.18 -- Kyle Wilber, OLB, Wake Forest -- Has the potential to be a starter in a year or two, but needs to get stronger.

4.40 -- Matt Johnson, SS, Eastern Washington -- A division I-AA player who has good size and athleticism. He was a productive 4-year starter. The question is whether he can jump from lesser competition to the NFL.

5.17 -- Danny Coale, WR, Virginia Tech -- Dallas’ first pick of an offensive player, Coale is considered an intelligent, hard-working receiver who might be fast enough to become a starter.

6.16 -- James Hanna, TE, Oklahoma -- Good size and a 40 time so fast (4.49) I thought it might be a typo had teams considering him as a late-round “upside” pick. Scouts say he didn’t play as fast as his 40 time and that he doesn’t block well enough. While he catches the ball well, his route running is iffy.

7.15 -- Caleb McSurdy, ILB, Montana -- Another division I-AA player, McSurdy is a sturdy run-stuffer who has a knack for meeting runners in the hole. He’s also a little on the small side for an inside backer, and he lacks the athleticism to go outside. Not good in coverage.

Washington Redskins

1.02 -- Robert Griffin, III, QB, Baylor -- As has been widely reported, the Skins traded a king’s ransom for the opportunity to pick RGIII. He’s an elite athlete with world-class speed, as well as a smart player with tremendous accuracy on the deep ball. He’ll need to learn the complexities of the NFL game, and develop better touch on short and intermediate passers, but there’s no question he has the potential to be a great QB.

3.08 -- Josh LeRibeus, OG, SMU -- Many teams had him with a lower grade, but he’s apparently an ideal fit for the Skins’ offensive system. Specifically, he gets off the line quickly and is adept at the hand-to-hand combat necessary for line play. He’s not an elite athlete, but Washington’s coaching staff seems to feel comfortable with his intelligence, quickness and technique. A surprise pick this high.

4.07 -- Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State -- A surprise pick considering they took RGIII in the 1st round. Still, many had Cousins with a 2nd or 3rd round grade. His assets: good size, arm strength and quick release. Weaknesses: running, pre-snap reads and his mechanics (especially when on the move). The Skins apparently have released backup QB John Beck.

4.24 -- Keenan Robinson, OLB, Texas -- Played inside at Texas, but most think he’ll move outside in the NFL. Adequate size and good strength with a knack for delivering big hits. Not great in coverage, and sometimes gets “lost in the crowd.” Most teams apparently had a 5th round grade on him.

5.06 -- Adam Gettis, OG, Iowa -- Washington’s 2nd guard, some think Gettis might actually be the better fit for their scheme. He needs to get stronger, but he’s considered quick and agile.

6.03 -- Alfred Morris, RB, Florida Atlantic -- Decent size, but not particularly powerful or blessed with blazing speed. Was productive in college, but against lesser competition.

6.23 -- Tom Compton, OT, South Dakota -- Another offensive linemen with the physical potential to be a quality player in the Skins’ system. He’s 6-6, 312 with quickness and agility. He will need to get stronger and make the adjustment from playing against lesser competition -- South Dakota is a I-AA school.

7.06 -- Richard Crawford, CB, SMU -- A two-year starter who also averaged 12.7 yards per punt return last year. He’ll have the opportunity to compete for a backup job at CB, as well as win a job as a return man.

7.10 -- Jordan Bernstine, CB, Iowa -- A college teammate of 5th round pick Adam Gettis, Bernstine has played both corner and safety.

Redskins Trade for QB of the Future

The Skins paid a heavy price for RGIII, but they will get the elite offensive playmaker they so desperately need. Patrick Green/ Icon SMI

When Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen were told that Peyton Manning didn't want to come to Washington, they shifted quickly to Plan B -- trading up to the 2nd spot in this year's draft, where they will presumably pick Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin, III.

I'm trying to temper my excitement for next season because I know there are no sure things when it comes to quarterback evaluations. Still, RGIII was an electrifying college performer -- a dangerous passer who completed nearly 73% of his passes last season while throwing for 4,293 yards, 37 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. He led the nation in adjusted yards per passing attempt -- the stat that says the most about who wins and loses in the NFL.

And all that is before getting to his world class speed (4.41 40-yard dash) and 699 rushing yards last season (good for 9th in the nation among QBs).

The Redskins have craved a playmaker on offense for what seems like decades. Assuming they take RGIII, they'll have one -- a world class athlete who's also shown he's a smart, and passionate football player.

The Skins paid a steep price to move up four slots in the draft. In the 2012 draft, they're giving up 1st and 2nd round picks (6th and 38th overall), then additional 1st round picks in 2013 and 2014. I hate talking about picks in the abstract, because it obscures the true price. In essence, Washington is giving up a package of players that potentially could look something like this: Adrian Peterson, Vince Wilfork, Aaron Ross, and EJ Henderson. Those are all players chosen in the vicinity of the picks Washington is dealing for RGIII. Check out a more comprehensive list, here.

This is a steeper price than the Giants paid for Eli Manning eight years ago. Back in 2004, the Giants gave up the 5th pick, a 3rd round pick, then 1st and 5th round picks in the following draft. The Chargers netted Philip Rivers, kicker Nate Kaeding, and Shawne Merriman. It's worth pointing out, though that RGIII is a better prospect coming out of college than Manning was.

RGIII has all the makings of a franchise cornerstone. He'll have to be taught how to be an NFL QB, but the tools are there, and the Shanahans have had success developing talented QBs in the past. If he comes close to reaching his potential, he'll be well worth the acquisition cost.

The nice thing about this trade is that it's not a move to bring in another stopgap veteran to hold the fort until the team can get its franchise QB. This is planting a stake in the ground. RGIII will be the franchise QB unless he shows he can't do the job. My guess: the Skins just got an elite performer. A playmaking, game-breaking performer who's going to be a nightmare for opposing defenses.

Finally.