There is less than one week left until the 2023 NFL Draft. What are the Washington Commanders biggest needs? What holes do they have to fill? The Commanders have a couple of weaknesses – is that where they should start? It begs the age old draft question – do you draft for need or draft the best player available?
Hopefully both!
Here are the Commanders top draft needs:
Offensive Line
Washington don’t really have anyone that would be considered a marquee offensive lineman. They did shore up the line with a couple of free agent acquisitions. They grabbed tackle Andrew Wylie from the Super Bowl Champion Chiefs where he started at both guard and tackle. He will likely start at right tackle. They also signed Nick Gates from the New York Giants. He played center, guard, and tackle there – but mostly at left guard. He will compete to do the same in Washington.
Most 2023 draft boards are headed up by Pete Skoronski from Northwestern, Paris Johnson Jr. from Ohio State and Broderick Jones from Georgia. Three very solid but different players.
Skoronoski
Skoronoski is the most polished of the group. He can step in right away and start on opening day. He is very sound technically with good hands and good feet. He was probably the best pass blocker in college football last year. He started for three straight seasons at Northwestern and allowed just three sacks total in his sophomore and junior seasons. He was an AP First Team Preseason All-American.
Johnson
Johnson isn’t as “ready” as Skoronski though he may have more upside. He has a bigger frame at 6’6″ but may need some time to develop into an NFL blind side protector. He originally played guard at OSU in his freshman and sophomore seasons, but moved to left tackle last year and helped anchor one of the top offensive lines in the nation. He won the Anthony Munoz award, the All-American Bowl’s Man of the Year award, and was a Rotary Lombardi Award semifinalist.
Jones
Jones is the most athletic of the three – in fact, he’s the most athletic lineman prospect in the entire draft class. He runs a 4.97 40, and has elite strength to go with his quickness. His run blocking does not yet rival his pass blocking, where he did not allow a single sack last year. He was an Associated Press All-SEC First-Team selection in 2022.
All three tackles would improve the Commanders offensive line considerably. This only question mark is wether any of the them will be available when they pick.
Given that Washington have said that they are happy going with second year quarterback Sam Howell – spending their first round pick on a solid left offensive tackle is a move that makes sense.
Other prospects at tackle include: Darnell Wright, Anton Harrison and Dawand Jones. Wright will likely go mid-to-late first round but the other two may very well be available in the 2nd round.
Cornerback
The Commanders cornerback room already looks fairly solid with Benjamin St. Juste and Kendall Fuller, but there isn’t a lot of depth. They added Cameron Dantzler from the Minnesota Vikings in free agency, but he will likely serve as depth.
There are some top cornerbacks available in the draft. Devon Witherspoon from Illinois and Christian Gonzalez from Oregon are the concensus 1-2 punch, and could even go in the first ten picks.
Witherspoon
Speed to burn – runs an elite 4.38 40 and ran a 21.6 second 200m at the Texas State Championships. He has excellent ball skills, and will go up and high-point it in contested-catch situations. He is not as good in zone coverage. He is also a very solid tackler. The knock is that 2022 was by far his best body of work and it remains to be seen if he can consistently play that well. He was a coaches Pac-12 All-Conference first team, as well as an Associated Press All-Pac-12 second team, and Pro Football Focus All-Pac-12 second team.
If either Witherspoon or Gonzalez should fall to the 16 slot, it would be tough to pass on either of them.
Other prospects at cornerback include: Emmanuel Forbes, Joey Porter Jr., Deonte Banks and Julius Brents. All four players might be a reach with the 16 pick but at the same time, it’s doubtful that any of them will be available when Washington chooses again in the 2nd round.
Linebacker
Jamin Davis improved drastically in 2022, but the linebacker room looks sparse after that. Cody Barton joined the team via free agency from the Seattle Seahawks but was only a starter there for one season. The Commanders lost Cole Holcomb in free agency. David Mayo returns for depth, and Milo Eifler and Khaleke Hudson round out the depth chart but haven’t established that they’re every day players.
The linebacker position in the NFL has changed drastically. The emergence of the Buffalo Nickel has changed defensive alignments and the way linebackers are used. The Commanders could use a traditional linebacker – so those are the types of player listed here. There are no edge rushing specialists on this list.
To most draftniks, the top three traditional linebackers available are Jack Campbell, Trenton Simpson and Noah Sewell.
Campbell
Campbell was dominant at Iowa. Despite not being seen as particularly athletic, he is explosive and will likely start as a rookie. He was exceptionally productive in his senior season and earned the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker. At 6’4″ and 250 pounds, he still ran an impressive 4.69 40 at the Combine. He has sideline-to-sideline speed and can also attack the edge. He has a high football IQ, is a team leader, and will excel at the next level. Campbell was a first-team All-American, and a first-team All-Big Ten. He would be a reach for Washington with the 16 pick but is a strong fit if available later.
Simpson
Simpson is a freak and considered by some to be the top linebacker prospect. He is 6’3″, weighs 240 pounds and has just 6 percent body fat. He bench-presses 375 pounds, vertical-jumps 35 inches, and has reportedly run the 40 in the high 4.3s. That’s a pretty special combination of numbers. He’s a sure tackler with sideline-to-sideline range, but his game fell off in 2022 which may drop his draft slot. He was both a Butkus Award semifinalist, and a Lott IMPACT Trophy semifinalist. Like Campbell, he is not a day one candidate for Washington but could definitely fit in if the timing was right.
Sewell
Sewell is a traditional middle linebacker and the prototypical 4-3 Mike. He has a non-stop motor and shows great instincts sniffing out the ball. He was a quarterback in high school but the 260 pound phenom now benches 425 pounds and power-cleans 345 pounds. Like Simpson, his game dropped slightly in 2022, but he was still a Butkus Award semifinalist, and a Walter Camp Player of the Year semifinalist. He would be a solid second day pick for Washington.
Other prospects at linebacker include: Henry To’oTo’o, Daiyan Henley, Andre Carter II,
Tight End
Washington have bodies at tight end, but they don’t stand out. Logan Thomas has flashed greatness as a Commander but not recently, and could be a potential cap savings cut. John Bates has looked good in his young career but is he the number one guy? Washington also have Cole Turner whom they drafted last year, and recently converted wide receiver Armani Rogers to round out the depth chart.
Given that it is supposed to be a solid class of tight ends, a selection here may be considered.
Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer is virtually everyone’s number one tight end, and a first-round prospect; but guys like Darnell Washington from Georgia, and Dalton Kincaid from Utah may hear their names called earlier than later.
Mayer
Mayer is the top of the heap for 2022. Nicknamed Baby Gronk, he does virtually everything well. He has soft hands, excellent ball skills and is the one of the best blockers in the 2022 class. What more could you ask for? He has great athletic ability, and is hard to tackle in the open field. He is quick off the snap and can fight off blocks at the line of scrimmage. He shows great technique and has a nose for the end zone. He’s what draft experts refer to as pro-ready, and will not likely make it out of the first round. In 2022, he became Notre Dame’s all-time receptions leader (180) and was named the first consensus All-American in the program since 1976.
Kincaid
Kincaid is a top receiving tight end with soft hands. In fact, he led the nation in receiving at the position with 70 receptions for 890 yards. He runs routes well, and is tough for linebackers to cover. Unfortunately, he’s not considered by most to be an every down player as his blocking skills are not on par with his receiving skills. He has upside, but his limitations will keep him out of the first round. He was a John Mackey Award Semifinalist in 2022, a Midseason All-American (AP, CFN, PFF), and an All-Pac-12 first team.
Washington
Washington is enormous and was used mostly as a blocker at Georgia. At 6’7″ and almost 270 pounds, his 4.64 40-speed is both surprising and impressive to say the least. He has the potential to be a very solid player at the next level. He was not used as a receiver in Georgia’s offense and lacks experience as a pass catcher, but showed ability to high-point the ball and outmuscle his coverage when called upon. Regardless of his offensive abilities, his blocking skills in both run and pass are elite level, and he could easily be selected in the second or third round.
Other prospects at tight end include: Sam LaPorta, Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft
Washington’s Draft Slots & Possible Selections
The Commanders have a total of eight draft picks thanks to two extra compensatory picks. They have one selection in each round and two picks in the sixth round. Here’s a complete list of the draft slots and potential selections for each:
- 1st Round: 16th overall – Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
- 2nd Round: 47th overall – Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
- 3rd Round: 97th overall (compensatory – Brandon Scherff) – Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon
- 4th Round: 118th overall – Luke Schoonmaker, TE, Michigan
- 5th Round: 150th overall – Jarrett Patterson, C, Notre Dame
- 6th Round: 193rd overall – Rashad Torrence II, S, Florida
- 6th Round: 215th overall (compensatory – Tim Settle) – Warren McClendon, OT, Georgia
- 7th Round: 233rd overall – Max Duggan, QB, TCU
Washington do not have their own third round pick in the draft as they traded it to the Indianapolis Colts last year in the Carson Wentz deal.
Final Thoughts
With a solid strategy and the right draft picks, the Commanders could make significant improvements to the team. That could position them for some much-needed success in the upcoming season.
Draft suggestions for the Commanders:
- Don’t reach.
- Don’t give up picks to move up in the draft. Accept your slot, and grab the best player available.
- If they’re high on a guy and can still get him by moving down and gaining picks, jump on it.
- Draft by football ability, not by Combine performance.
- Don’t let Dan Snyder anywhere near the War Room.
Ultimately, Washington will need to balance short-term and long-term goals when making their draft selections. They need to find the right mix of starters and projects, to compete with the rest of a strong division.
The 2023 season really starts to take shape at the NFL Draft.
Enjoy it!