Mock Draft Rebuild Series: Washington Commanders

Continuing with our NFC East draft rebuild series, we move to the Washington Commanders, who have been about as mediocre as mediocre goes since the turn of the century, with only 5 playoff appearances, 3 division titles, and only 1 playoff victory (2005). There have been some decent years of the Commanders, and some really good players that have come and gone in that time as well. This rebuild will not be to make the Commanders division contenders and playoff contenders this season, rather embrace a full rebuild, give new Head Coach Dan Quinn pieces to work with, and have them contending for the division in 2-3 seasons.

As always, we will be using the PFF (Pro Football Focus) Mock Draft Simulator to assist us in this draft, as well as any PFF rankings that come with the upcoming class of rookies. Lets begin:

Round 1, Pick 2

The biggest hole that the Commanders have is at the Quarterback position, and rightfully so. Sam Howell showed flashes of decent Quarterback play last season, and while there were some bright spots, it was not enough to justify him being the franchise guy. At this spot in the draft, they will have at least 1, if not both of the top QB options coming out of college with Caleb Williams, and Drake Maye. We will all wait and see what the Chicago Bears do in this situation. Will they trade Justin Fields? Will they trade the first overall pick? Will they take Marvin Harrison Jr. and build around Fields? It all remains to be seen. This simulation as the Bears taking Marvin Harrison, but we will not bank on that for our draft pick right here. The Commanders decide to take their guy for the future, and enter the Dan Quinn Era with a new face at Quarterback.

Pick: Drake Maye, Quarterback, North Carolina

• Drake Maye had a much better 2022 than he did 2023, setting him up as a very early draft pick for this season well before the 2023 season began. Now that is not to say his 2023 season was bad, he still had 3600 yards, 24 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, and a passer rating of 100.2 on 63% completion percentage. His 2022 season was a better team, and a better year, with almost 4300 yards, 37 touchdowns, 7 interceptions with a passer rating of 109.7 with 65% completion percentage. Drake Maye checks all of the physical boxes that people want in their franchise quarterback as well, standing at 6’4, 230 lbs. His combine and pro day performance may push him ahead of Caleb Williams, as well as his lack of talking to the media about where he will and where he won’t play, which is what Caleb Williams is doing right now. Washington couldn’t ask for a better quarterback to build a franchise around, and it will give Terry McLaurin, and Brian Robinson someone in the offensive backfield who can control the tempo and flow of a game, even as a rookie.

Round 2, Pick 36

After drafting what should be the future of the Washington Commanders, the focus should shift to the trenches. Best available offensive lineman, ideally a center or an offensive tackle, if there are premiere ones still on the board. Jackson Powers-Johnson out of Oregon will likely be off of the board by this point, so the focus would turn to West Virginia center Zach Frazier. If Frazier is available, he should be the pick, but in this simulation, he was also off of the board. The Commanders would turn to the best tackle available at this time to protect the blind side of Drake Maye.

Pick: Amarius Mims, Tackle, Georgia

• Mims is a mountain of a man, standing at 6’7, 340 lbs, and he moves very well for a man his size. One thing that Mims has against him is his injury history. He injured his ankle in the 3rd game of the season for the Bulldogs, and had to have tight rope ankle surgery, which caused him to miss 6 games this last season. In his 3 year career at Georgia, every snap that Mims played, he played at right tackle. A spot where the Commanders could use someone of his skillset. In 30 games that Mims played in, he allowed a total of 6 hurries and 0 quarterback sacks. It is entirely possible that a team could take Mims in the first round, and he would be unavailable for the Commanders at this spot. But if he is available, and should the Commanders like the tape, this is someone who can be an All Pro caliber tackle in this league, should he stay healthy.

Round 2, Pick 40

Surprisingly, the Chicago Bears were buyers last year before the trade deadline, and decided to trade the 40th overall pick in this years draft to the Commanders for Montez Sweat. Sweat played fairly well for the Bears, and has since signed a 4 year extension to stay in the windy city. The Commanders now have the opportunity to get another talented player that has potential to contribute early and often. What the Commanders have lacked in all of these years us a consistent, deadly offense. As per their first two picks, that has been the focus. That will continue to be the focus here, as the Commander look to pair Drake Maye with an offensive weapon who can open the field up in many different aspects.

Pick: Ja’Tavion Sanders, Tight End, Texas

• The 6’4 Tight end from Austin has been a solid weapon for the Longhorns for the last two seasons. Playing over 1500 snaps, and catching 99 balls for nearly 1300 yards are fantastic numbers for a team that loved to run the ball with Bijan Robinson and Johnathan Brooks. What makes Sanders an even more enticing prospect, is that he had 0 drops in 2023, and was ranked tied for 7th for Tight ends in contested catches, with 7. Sanders has also seen his yards per reception go up, from 11.4 in 2022, to 15.2 in 2023. Sanders also had a 75.5 season grade from PFF, ranking him 20th out of 468 eligible Tight ends in 2023. Terry McLaurin has long been the only decent offensive weapon in Washington. Adding Sanders with Mims and Maye in the first two rounds of the draft, would put the Commanders offense leaps and bounds ahead of where it was in 2022 and 2023.

Round 3, Pick 67

After spending their first 3 selections of the 2024 Draft on the offensive side of the ball, it is time that the Commanders move to the defensive side. Trading Montez Sweat and Chase Young last season has left a gaping hole at the Edge / Defensive End position. There is also a need for a Cornerback, as well as a Linebacker at some point. I fully expect the Commanders to address one or both of those needs in Free Agency, but it is always helpful to address them in the draft as well.

Pick: Austin Booker, Edge, Kansas

• Booker is someone that was on no one’s draft radar until this season. He saw minimal playing time in 2022 as a Redshirt Freshman, playing in 3 games, and only totaling 1 QB hurry and 1 QB hit. In 2023, it was a very different story. Playing in 12 of the 13 games for the Jayhawks, Booker totaled 482 defensive snaps played, and had 9 sacks, 2 QB hits, 27 QB hurries, and 1 batted ball. With a season grade of 82.2, Booker ranked 61st out of 837 eligible edge defenders in 2023. Booker’s draft stock will only continue to rise with the completion of the NFL combine, as well as the Kansas pro day. If Booker falls to this point, the Commanders would be foolish to pass on him. I expect Booker’s stock to rise, and he may hear his name called in the second round of the 2024 draft.

Round 3, Pick 101

As stated, the Offensive prowess of the Commanders has been abysmal in recent memory. I fully expect the Commanders to address the defensive side of the ball in the draft, but not to the extent of the offense. Plus, Dan Quinn will likely attract some Free agents to come in and sign on. Washington addressed the outside of the offensive line earlier in the draft, now it is time to address the interior.

Pick: Sedrick Van-Pran, Center, Georgia

• Having an animal in the middle of the offensive line is a theme that most successful teams have had in common in the last decade. Van-Pran has the potential to be that animal for the Commanders. Starting 34 games for the Bulldogs since 2021, he has been the image of health and consistency. Additionally, Van-Pran has allowed 32 pressures, 1 sack and 1 hit in that same time frame. He is also a brickhouse at 6’4, 310 lbs, meaning he should be able to hold his own against the larger defensive tackles of the league. Van-Pran ranked as the 8th best center, out of 295 eligible centers in 2023 per PFF, with a grade of 77.9. Loading up on players from great college teams is a good trend to follow, and the Commanders will load up on the Georgia Bulldogs offensive line here. Van-Pran can bring stability to the Commanders offense in the trenches, something they desperately need.

Round 4, Pick 103

After spending 4 of the first 5 picks on the offensive side of the ball, it is time to move back to the defensive side for the Commanders. After addressing the defensive line earlier in the draft, the Commanders need to move to the back end of their defense. At this point in the draft, it will be about finding the best available player at a position of need. Also, there will be players who fall in the draft that are not expected to, so if someone takes an unexpected fall, teams at the front of the 3rd and 4th rounds will be able to capitalize.

Pick: Renardo Green, Cornerback, Florida State

• At 6’0, 186 lbs, Green is not the most physically imposing cornerback in this class. Green has played 26 games for the Seminoles in the last 2 seasons, playing over 1200 defensive snaps. In that time, he gives up a 51.7% completion percentage, and has allowed 4 touchdowns, to only 1 interception. Green is a significantly better man coverage corner than a zone coverage corner, and forced 16 incompletions last season. Green will need to grow in the NFL, both physically and mentally. Being able to be more than just a man coverage guy will extend his lifespan in the NFL. Green is a guy that can pay huge dividends for someone that takes him in the 3rd or 4th round, and hopefully Dan Quinn can help him become a staple for the Commanders on the back end for years to come.

Round 5, Pick 138

For the Commanders, it is time to start taking chances on some guys who can hit big if things pan out the right way. Staying on the defensive side of the ball will likely be the move for the rest of the draft, and going back to the trenches to fill out the other side of the pass rushers is essential.

Pick: Nelson Ceaser, Edge, Houston

• At 6’3, 250, Ceaser has the size to contend at the NFL level, which is essential for the defensive line. Playing in 36 games over the last 3 seasons, Ceasar has had more than enough exposure and experience to be ready for this moment. Additionally, he has produced every season. Having at least 4 sacks in every season, Ceaser totaled 10 sacks in 2023, to bring his career total to 18. He also has 73 career QB hurries, and 13 career QB hits. Ceaser has been productive since he be came a Cougar, and he looks to continue this in the NFL. However, his 2023, he took a step back from his previous two seasons in terms of overall contribution and effectiveness. Ceaser obtained a 73.5 season grade, putting him at 21th9 out of 837 edges in 2023. He ranked 49th out of 858 in 2022, and 83rd out of 824 in 2021. It remains to be seen if this trend will continue, or if he can grow into the athlete that he looked like he could be early on in his career. Dan Quinn is a very good defensive minded coach, and he can get the best out of Nelson Ceaser.

Round 6, Pick 181

Continuing the trend of filling out the trenches, this next guy will likely be a practice squad guy or a backup for the majority of his career. If he grows and flourishes, and in the right situation, he can become a consistent face in the NFL for the Commanders.

Pick: Myles Murphy, Defensive Line, North Carolina

• Myles Murphy has played 40 games for the Tar Heels in the last 3 seasons, primarily as a B gap, 3 technique defender. Murphy has 4 sacks to his name in his college career, albeit they all came in his freshman season in 2021. At 6’4, 310 lbs, Murphy can move fairly well in that B gap for the Commanders, and he can become a plug and play defender for them if he grows. Murphy ranked 367th out of 883 defensive lineman in 2023. While that may not seem like it is worthy of a draft pick, Murphy is better than the ranking allows. Expect Myles Murphy to have his name called on Day 3 of the NFL draft, and expect him to be a good practice squad player for the first few seasons of his NFL career.

Round 7, Pick 220

Bringing a close to the Commanders 2024 NFL Draft, they will finally decide to address the Linebacker position. While I also expect them to address this position via free agency, this prospect is a very good downhill defender, though he could use some growth as a coverage linebacker.

Pick: Jaylan Ford, Linebacker, Texas

• 39 games in 3 seasons as a linebacker for the Texas Longhorns, Ford saw the majority of his action as a box defender. Ford totaled 199 tackles in his college career at Texas, but also missed 44 tackles over 3 seasons. Ford ranks as a much better run defender as opposed to a pass defender, with a PFF grade of 80.2 run grade vs 50.0 pass grade. Ford also ranked 372nd out of 775 linebackers in 2023 with a grade of 67.2. Ford would do himself a huge favor by showing out and performing well at both the NFL combine, should he be invited, as well as the Texas Pro day. Ford may not see his name called on draft day, but I expect a team like the Commanders to take a chance on a guy like Ford.

The Commanders are drafting 2nd overall for a reason: they did not have a good 2023. Nor do I expect them to turn everything around in 2024 like the Texans did this last season. What I do expect them to do, is build for the future, lay the framework to have a successful franchise, and in 2-4 years, be competing for the playoffs or maybe a division title. Up next in the NFC East: The New York Giants.