There are just three days left until the 2023 NFL Draft! The Draft is always the most anticipated happening of the NFL offseason, and the number of pundits and experts that chime in on their prognostications only seems to double every year. It might be interesting to study and record what percentage of them do so with accuracy and success. Tough gig.
The Commanders have a total of eight selections in this year’s draft. They 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. They did however, pick up two compensatory picks – one in the third round for the loss of Brandon Scherff to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and one in the 6th round for the loss of Tim Settle to the Buffalo Bills.
Washington’s first 2023 pick will come in the number 16 slot. Funnily enough, that is where they drafted Jahan Dotson in 2022 after dealing out of the number 11 slot.
They also have the same 47 slot in the second round that they used to draft Phidarian Mathis last year. Mathis missed almost the entire season after tearing his MCL in game one.
2023 Draft Picks For Washington
- 1st Round: 16th overall
- 2nd Round: 47th overall
- 3rd Round: 97th overall
- 4th Round: 118th overall
- 5th Round: 150th overall
- 6th Round: 193rd overall
- 6th Round: 215th overall
- 7th Round: 233rd overall
Taking A More Historical Approach
Rather than try and make guesses – informed or not – as to who the Commanders might choose with each selection in 2023, why not have an eye for history instead?
Here are the players that have been selected in the past, with the picks that Washington hold this year.
16th Overall
Players drafted at that pick (6): Nello Falaschi (1937), Tommy Thompson (1948), Dick Modzelewski (1953), Mike Sommer (1958), Ryan Kerrigan (2011) and Jahan Dotson (2022)
Kerrigan locks down the top position for Washington players drafted at the 16 slot. He is quite probably the best Redskins player in the last 30 years. The Heartbreak Kid is technically the all-time sack leader in Washington with 95.5 sacks*.
Kerrigan was an absolute rock for Washington. He started 142 games for them in his ten seasons – with 156 total appearances. Those starts included a stretch of eight straight seasons without missing a single game – 128 consecutive – which is an NFL record for a left outside linebacker. The four-time Pro Bowler also had a franchise record 26 forced fumbles.
Though he left for the Eagles for one season, he came back and signed a one-day contract so that he could retire in Washington. He quickly became an intern and assistant coach, before being named the assistant defensive line coach.
* Dexter Manley had 97 sacks but his first season’s stats are unofficial as the league did not yet officially tally sacks
47th Overall
Players drafted at that pick (4): Larry Lutz (1936), Shane Collins (1992), Trent Murphy (2014) and Phidarian Mathis (2022)
Murphy was drafted by Washington in the second round out of Stanford. He was drafted with the goal of replacing Brian Orakpo who was set to depart the following season. After serving as a backup in his rookie season, Murphy did in fact replace the departed Orakpo the following season.
In his fourth and final year in Washington, he was suspended for violating the league’s performance enhancing substances policy. Upon return, he tore his ACL in the pre-season opener and was placed on the injured reserve for the entire 2017 season.
He signed with the Buffalo Bills the following offseason, where he spent three campaigns. Murphy appeared in 47 games with Washington, starting 22 of them. For his career, he had 86 appearances, 57 starts, and 26 sacks.
97th Overall
Players drafted at that pick (3): John Rohde (1950), Duncan McColl (1977), and Joe Patton (1994)
Patton was drafted in the third round out of Alabama A&M – the second highest draft selection ever out of that school. He was drafted right behind two noteworthy Redskins in Heath Shuler and Tre Johnson – Gus Frerotte was also in that draft class.
Patton was an unassuming, under-appreciated member of an offensive line that allowed just 22 sacks in 1996. Patton played in 61 games for Washington – starting 54 of them. Unfortunately he passed away last year at just 50 years old.
118th Overall
Players drafted at that pick (5): Steve Slivinski (1938), Sam Bartholomew (1940), Chick Jagada (1948), Henry Varner (1949) and Jerry Smith (1965),
Smith was of course the most notable of the bunch. The late, great Smith was one of the best tight ends the game has ever seen – certainly the best in Washington history. He finished his career with 60 touchdowns, which was the most ever for a tight end at the time. It took 27 years before that record would be broken, and somewhat ironically, it would be broken because Smith re-defined the position forever by being such a dependable option as a receiver.
He was also one of the first known gay athletes in the NFL, though he did not come out until his career was done. Read more about Smith in his THN Legends profile.
150th Overall
Players drafted at that pick (4): Ken Dow (1941), Joe Day (1943), Eddie Saenz (1945), and Ken Ford (1958),
Saenz was the most noteworthy of the bunch, playing for the Redskins for six seasons after being drafted in the 15th round of the 1945 Draft. He played halfback, defensive back and kick returner in Washington, appearing in 50 games. He logged ten career touchdowns – two rushing and eight receiving.
Saenz was nicknamed “Tortilla” because of his Mexican American heritage. Injury forced him to retire prematurely and he would go on to be a stunt man in Hollywood. Unfortunately he died at the age of 48 and left behind a widow and nine children.
193rd Overall
Players drafted at that pick (7): Matt Kuber (1939), Mel Wetzel (1940), Clyde Ehrhardt (1944), Jim Bradshaw (1945), Mike Hancock (1973), Harold Hicks (1988), and Tom Compton (2012)
Compton was selected by Washington in the 6th round and was with them for three seasons. He worked his way from a guard on the practice squad into a starting position at tackle.
He went on to play for Atlanta (2016), Chicago (2017), Minnesota (2018), New York Jets (2019), and San Francisco (2020-21). If you lost track of him, he started the last seven games for San Francisco in 2021 at right tackle, and was with the Denver Broncos as recently as December of last season. He has appeared in 124 games over a ten year career, and has started 44 of them – 10 of them for Washington.
215th Overall
Players drafted at that pick (3): Bill Ivy (1944), Jimmy Spencer (1991), Jeremy Asher (1996)
Spencer never caught on with the Redskins after being drafted in the ninth round, but he went on to play 12 seasons in the NFL for New Orleans, Cincinnati, San Diego and Denver. The cornerback appeared in 177 NFL games – starting 81 of them. The 8th round pick tallied an impressive 26 career interceptions, as well as two touchdown returns. he also had 8 fumble recoveries including one for a touchdown. Of note, in 2003 he was both a player and assistant defensive backs coach with the Broncos – making him the first player / coach in the NFL since Dan Reeves in 1972.
233rd Overall
Players drafted at that pick (5): Homer Brewer (1959), Eddie Sheats (1973), Jim Kennedy (1974), Kris Haines (1979) and Charles Darrington (1989).
Not all that surprisingly, none of the players selected at 233rd overall have a storied career in the NFL. Only two of them ever saw NFL action.
However, Haines is the most notable. Despite playing just one game in Washington in 1979, he moved to the Chicago Bears that same year and was with the club for three seasons from 1979 through 1981. Interestingly, he made it back to the NFL in 1987 when he signed with the Buffalo Bills, though he played just one game for them.
In between those two NFL stints, he played for the Los Angeles Express (1983, 1985), the Chicago Blitz (1984) and the Denver Gold (1985) of the original USFL. He also played for the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL (1985-86). He owns a third degree black belt in ShorinRyu Karate. Furthermore, he was recently an assistant coach for the Chicago Enforcers of the XFL.
That’s a pretty interesting biography. It’s doubtful that any other human has ever been in a media guide for the Chicago Bears, the Chicago Blitz and the Chicago Enforcers!
