With only the Super Bowl remaining, 29 of the 31 draft slots for the NFL Draft have been determined.
Where will the Commanders select in 2023? As it stands, Washington will select sixteenth overall; however, anything can happen between now and that draft pick.
After all, the Commanders only have six picks. Compensatory Picks might push that number to eight, but they have a lot of holes to fill.
16th Picks
Only twice in their 90 year history, have Washington selected with the sixteenth overall pick. One of the two times, was just last year.
The Commanders were originally scheduled to pick at number 11. They ultimately dealt that pick to the New Orleans Saints for the 16th overall pick, as well as picks in both the 3rd (98th overall) and 4th (120th overall) rounds.
While his career is just getting started, last year’s selection of Jahan Dotson appears to have been a sound one.
The wide receiver out of Penn State posted a respectable 35 catches for 523 yards, despite missing five games due to a hamstring injury. The 22-year old was a Red Zone threat and caught seven touchdowns in his rookie season.
He was Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week in Week 1, and again in Week 13.
Washington’s only other 16th overall pick was a gem.
They used that pick in 2011 to select Ryan Kerrigan out of Purdue. The Heartbreak Kid would play 156 games over 10 years, and is one of the best Washington players in the last 30 years.
He started every single game in his first eight seasons, and was named to four Pro Bowls. He registered a sack total in double digits four different times.
Unofficial numbers have Dexter Manley (97) edging him out, but Kerrigan technically owns the franchise sack record with 95.5.
Well worth the 16th overall pick.
2023 Draft Picks By Round
Round 1, Pick 16th overall
Round 2, Pick 47th overall
Round 4, Pick 115th overall
Round 5, Pick 147th overall
Round 6, Pick 179th overall
Round 7, Pick 211th overall
No 3rd Rounder?
Where is Washington’s third round pick? Washington lost it as part of the trade package to the Indianapolis Colts for Carson Wentz.
It would have been a second round pick if Wentz had played more than 70% of the snaps.
Compensatory Picks…
The NFL has not yet announced the league’s compensatory picks, but Washington should receive two of them.
Losing Brandon Scherff is expected to net Washington a third round compensatory pick; while losing Tim Settle will likely yield either a 6th or 7th round pick.
The picks will not be determined until the 2022 season has come to a close.
Players that are released by their respective teams, are not included in the league’s formula for determining the compensatory picks.
Why 31?
Why are there not 32 picks in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft you may ask?
There are only 31 this year, because the Miami Dolphins lost theirs. Miami was ordered to forfeit their first round pick in the 2023 draft, as well as their 3rd round pick in the 2024 draft for tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton. The “impermissible communication” came to light when the league was investigating Brian Flores’ racial discrimination lawsuit. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was also suspended and fined $1.5 million.
Miami are the first team to lose a first round pick since the NFL stripped the New England Patriots of their 2016 pick in the deflategate scandal.
NFL Draft Notes
The Houston Texans will have the most draft selections in the 2023 NFL Draft with 12 – that includes two in the first round.
Despite making it to the Super Bowl, the Eagles will have the 10th overall pick in the draft thanks to last year’s 8-pick deal with the New Orleans Saints. They will also have either the 30th or 31st pick depending on wether or not they win the Super Bowl. The rich get richer.
The Saints got a first round pick back this week (29th overall) when they allowed the Denver Broncos to poach head coach Sean Payton.
Alabama quarterback Bryce Young remains at the top of most draft boards.
The draft will take place in Kansas City, Missouri from April 27th through April 29th.
Author’s Notes
Last year, Washington selected running back Brian Robinson with the 3rd round, 98th overall pick from the Saints.
The Commanders dealt the 4th round pick from the Saints (120th overall) and their own 6th round pick (189th overall) to the Carolina Panthers. In exchange, Washington received two fifth round picks from the Panthers. With those picks, the Commanders selected QB Sam Howell with the 144th overall pick and TE Cole Turner with the 149th overall.