The Washington Redskins found a gem in the 2014 NFL Draft, when cornerback Bashaud Breeland fell in their hands with the 102nd overall pick in the fourth round out of Clemson.
Breeland -- who showed he could thrive both in a physical matchup and in space -- ended his rookie season in 2014 with 71 tackles (three for loss), a team-best 17 passes defensed with two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
His defense against Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant Week 8 helped seal a 20-17 Redskins overtime victory over their rivals, and his late interception against the Philadelphia Eagles Week 16 gave Washington the clutch play it needed to earn another victory.
Big, physical and skilled cornerbacks like Breeland aren't exactly a dime a dozen, but the Redskins scouts and front office personnel this week are in Alabama, potentially looking for their next home run pick for their secondary.
Practice got underway Tuesday for the 2015 Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, where NFL Media draft expert Mike Mayock said he'll be looking at two athletic -- and versatile -- cornerbacks, specifically, in Senquez Golson and Quinten Rollins.
"One of the things we haven't seen in the last several years are corners with ball skills," Mayock said. "I can't wait to watch these two guys play and see that skillset transfer onto this field [today]."
Golson, an Ole Miss product, was named the 2014 College Football Performance Awards Elite Defensive Back Trophy Award winner after becoming the Rebels' first consensus and unanimous All-American since 2008. He led the SEC and finished second nationally with a school record-tying 10 interceptions in 2014.
Perhaps Golson's ball skills came from his development in another sport, however.
"Now, Senquez Golson from Ole Miss had 10 interceptions – he's the baseball player," Mayock said. "[He] turned down a $1.1 million contract offer from the Boston Red Sox to play college football."
Rollins, meanwhile, was a basketball standout in high school, and played four seasons as a point guard at Miami University in Ohio. With one year of NCAA eligibility left, he elected to play football for the RedHawks in 2014 -- a decision he wouldn't regret, as he finished with 72 tackles, 16 passes defensed and seven interceptions.
Rollins was named the 2014 Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Keep an eye on Golson and Rollins as they try to continue to make a name for themselves this week in Alabama.
RELATED LINKS:-- Kiper, McShay Release 2015 NFL Mock Drafts
-- Players To Watch At The Senior Bowl
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No.
Name
Pos.
Ht
Wt
School
Conf.
- 1 Jeff Luc ILB 6'0 251 Cincinnati AAC
- 2 Steven Nelson DC 5'10 192 Oregon State Pac-12
- 3 Jamison Crowder WR 5'9 175 Duke ACC
- 4 Adrian Amos S 6'0 215 Penn State Big Ten
- 4 Sean Mannion QB 6'5 220 Oregon State Pac-12
- 5 Shane Carden QB 6'2 218 East Carolina AAC
- 6 Tom Obarski PK 5'11 185 Concordia - St. Paul Division II
- 7 Ty Montgomery WR 6'1 215 Stanford Pac-12
- 9 Devin Smith WR 6'1 198 Ohio State Big Ten
- 10 Hayes Pullard ILB 6'0 230 USC Pac-12
- 11 Marcus Hardison DE 6'4 300 Arizona State Pac-12
- 12 Doran Grant DC 5'10 193 Ohio State Big Ten
- 14 Bryce Petty QB 6'2 230 Baylor Big 12
- 16 Josh Shaw DC 6'1 195 USC Pac-12
- 18 Eric Rowe DC 6'1 201 Utah Pac-12
- 22 Quinten Rollins DC 6'0 203 Miami (Ohio) MAC
- 23 Damarious Randall S 5'11 190 Arizona State Pac-12
- 26 Quandre Diggs DC 5'10 200 Texas Big 12
- 27 Kurtis Drummond S 6'1 200 Michigan State Big Ten
- 28 Ameer Abdullah RB 5'9 190 Nebraska Big Ten
- 29 Kyle Loomis PT 6'2 210 Portland State FCS
- 30 Tyler Varga FB 5'11 225 Yale FCS
- 33 Jeremy Langford RB 5'11 206 Michigan State Big Ten
- 37 David Cobb RB 5'11 225 Minnesota Big Ten
- 43 Mike Hull OLB 6'0 232 Penn State Big Ten
- 44 Ibraheim Campbell S 5'11 205 Northwestern Big Ten
- 50 Ali Marpet OT 6'4 310 Hobart Division III
- 53 Jordan Hicks OLB 6'1 234 Texas Big 12
- 58 Deion Barnes DE 6'4 255 Penn State Big Ten
- 60 Chris Jasperse OC 6'5 294 Marshall C-USA
- 66 Max Garcia OC 6'4 307 Florida SEC
- 68 T.J. Clemmings OT 6'5 305 Pittsburgh ACC
- 70 Robert Myers OG 6'5 305 Tennessee St. FCS
- 71 Carl Davis DT 6'4 315 Iowa Big Ten
- 74 Jamil Douglas OT 6'4 301 Arizona State Pac-12
- 76 Donovan Smith OT 6'5 340 Penn State Big Ten
- 77 Laken Tomlinson OG 6'3 325 Duke ACC
- 78 Rob Havenstein OT 6'8 330 Wisconsin Big Ten
- 79 Trenton Brown OT 6'8 350 Florida SEC
- 81 Vince Mayle WR 6'3 219 Washington State Pac-12
- 82 Justin Hardy WR 5'11 186 East Carolina AAC
- 84 Tony Lippett WR 6'3 190 Michigan State Big Ten
- 85 Antwan Goodley WR 5'10 225 Baylor Big 12
- 86 Nick Boyle TE 6'5 273 Delaware FCS
- 87 Casey Pierce TE 6'4 242 Kent State MAC
- 88 Ben Koyack TE 6'4 261 Notre Dame IND
- 90 Louis Trinca-Pasat DT 6'2 290 Iowa Big Ten
- 91 Henry Anderson DE 6'5 295 Stanford Pac-12
- 93 Joe Cardona LS 6'3 236 Navy IND
- 94 Za'Darius Smith DE 6'6 263 Kentucky SEC
- 95 Danny Shelton DT 6'1 339 Washington Pac-12
- 96 Zack Hodges OLB 6'3 245 Harvard Ivy League
- 98 Hau'oli Kikaha DE 6'3 260 Washington Pac-12
- 99 Nate Orchard DE 6'4 255 Utah Pac-12