Draft: Orakpo is First Selection

The draft has finally come and gone, and with their first selection the Redskins selected University of Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo.

PHEW!!!

Going into the draft, the 'Skins had been rumored to be in the mix to trade up so they could draft USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. Though Sanchez has a great chance at being a top performer at this level, taking him would have set the Redskins back several years. They would have traded future draft picks and most of their picks of value this year, not to mention probably driving Jason Campbell to request a trade. But...they didn't...so let's just be thankful for that.

Instead, they got extremely lucky with Orakpo landing at the 13th pick. He was the elite pass rusher in this years class, but he brings much more than physical gifts to this team. At his introductory press conference Monday, he showed that his head hasn't ballooned with all the draft coverage he's been getting.

"It's a dream come true," Orakpo said. "Basically it's a great defense that I'll be a part of...these guys have been winning games without me. I just want to come in and help and keep this train rolling."

"I just want to show Redskins Nation that I am a guy who's here ready to work, come in humble, compete, and most importantly win." he said. "That's the most important thing."

And that's exactly what you want to hear from a rookie. He's a very skilled player who should shoot into the starting lineup, but to come in and think anything is guaranteed would be a mistake. The Redskins have a welcoming locker room, as long as you come in with the right attitude, and it seems like Orakpo should fit in just fine.