Washington gets Williams replacement, picks OT Sam Cosmi
Washington used the 51st pick in the draft Friday night on Texas offensive tackle Sam Cosmi, who could be the long-term replacement for former starter Trent Williams.
Cosmi started the first eight games in 2020 before opting out of the remainder of the season to avoid injury. He was the seventh offensive lineman and fourth offensive tackle taken in the second round.
“My girlfriend and my parents, they were telling me, ‘You’re coming soon, you’re coming soon,’” Cosmi said during a conference call with reporters. “Going forward, I’ll definitely have a mental note in the back of my head of the guys that went ahead of me.”
Washington is less concerned about the seven offensive tackles drafted before Cosmi and more focused on the hope he can follow Williams as a mainstay anchoring the offensive line for years to come. With All-Pro right guard Brandon Scherff set to play a second consecutive season on the franchise tag, there are plenty of questions for that unit, and Cosmi could provide at least one answer.
After Williams held out the 2019 season amid a dispute with the previous regime, Washington traded him to San Francisco at last year’s draft and attempted to draft his successor in LSU’s Saahdiq Charles. Injuries limited the fourth-round pick to one game — a start at left guard — during his rookie season, with veteran Cornelius Lucas getting the majority of the work at left tackle.
The 6-foot-6, 313-pound Cosmi could change that. He earned second-team all-Big 12 honors while starting all 13 games at left tackle for Texas in 2019 and even had a touchdown catch against West Virginia.
Cosmi missed the final two games of last season after choosing to instead focus on the draft and keep from risking a possible injury.
“I was chasing a dream to go to the NFL and something I’ve been striving for,” he said. “I talked to my family, I talked to my teammates, talked to my coaches, my head coach and I had no drawbacks from anybody. They said it was the best thing for me, and I went forward and made that decision.”
Washington used the 19th pick in the first round Thursday night on Kentucky’s Jamin Davis, whose ability to play all three linebacker positions was particularly attractive to coach Ron Rivera and the front office.
Tight end, safety and receiver are among Washington’s remaining needs. The team has two picks in the third round and a handful more Saturday in rounds 4-7.
It’s unclear if Washington will use one of those selections on a developmental quarterback after passing on trading up for one of the draft’s top prospects. General manager Martin Mayhew said the organization feels good about the QBs currently on the roster: free agent addition Ryan Fitzpatrick, Rivera favorite Kyle Allen, playoff-game starter Taylor Heinicke and 2020 undrafted free agent Steven Montez.
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