You can always bet that after the draft teams will always say they got guys they were “secretly hoping” would fall to them. The Washington Redskins were no exception, but the numbers on their roster does suggest that H.B. Blades has a better chance than most 6th round picks of staying with the team.

They only had five NFL-level linebackers entering the draft, and there are concerns about the status of two key linebackers, Marcus Washington (hip) and 2006 second-round pick Rocky McIntosh (knee), both of whom will be monitored closely. Linebackers are also usually the lifeblood of special teams, and with veterans Warrick Holdman and Jeff Posey departed, Sartz and Blades could make their first impact on those units.

“We were short on numbers at linebacker, and that’s one of the things we had highlighted,” Coach Joe Gibbs said. “We were kind of holding our breath there [in the sixth round], because there were a couple of linebackers we thought could make the team.”

Blades is excited to get to minicamp to show the Redskins that “they made a great pick.”

Blades will get a chance to learn how to stick in the NFL from another undersized LB, with London Fletcher.

Blades’ lack of height obviously doesn’t bother the Redskins, who signed 5-10 middle linebacker London Fletcher in free agency. Fletcher is 32, which should give Blades a couple of years to learn the position before he’d be called on to step in. Watching Fletcher on film, Gibbs said, helped convince the Redskins that Blades was worth grabbing.

“I might be a sixth-round pick, but you put me out there with anyone and I’m going to make plays,” Blades said.

As an Eagles fan, I really don’t want to see the Redskins win. I am rooting for Blades to succeed.