Washington has six picks in the upcoming draft, held April 28-30 in Las Vegas, beginning with the No. 11 choose in the first spherical. As analysts and followers alike mock up the draft in practically each approach possible, Washington’s projections typically heart on some notable positions. The Commanders want assist in the secondary and at broad receiver, and so they additionally may use a center linebacker and one other guard after shedding Brandon Scherff and Ereck Flowers. And the workforce wants depth throughout the board.
Multiple draft analysts, together with ESPN’s Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr., have projected Washington to show to its defense on Day 1 and take Kyle Hamilton, a security out of Notre Dame, at No. 11.
“It’s exactly what they’re looking for, that kind of player,” Kiper mentioned on a latest convention name with reporters.
Hamilton (6-foot-4, 220 kilos) is extensively considered the greatest security in the class of 2022 due to his dimension, versatility and playmaking capability. At Notre Dame, he totaled 24 passes defended and eight interceptions, was an all-American choice all three seasons and was voted a workforce captain in 2021. He missed the latter half of final season with a knee damage, and he has fallen on the draft boards of some analysts due to his 4.59-second 40-yard sprint at the NFL mix.
“Good evaluators will make note of the 40 time, but you have to watch how he plays, and he plays like he’s the best player in the draft,” NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks mentioned. “You could make the argument that Kyle Hamilton is the best player in the draft based on how he plays his position compared to everybody else. He doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses. He has great ball skills. He’s an excellent tackler. He can come down in the box and take on running backs in the hole.”
Rivera has cited Washington’s division as an vital issue when evaluating expertise. The workforce’s playoff hopes begin with its capability to win towards NFC East opponents.
“To be able to run the alley against a team like the Cowboys, who want to run the football, he’s got that ability to play high and then really get to the alley quickly and be able to help you in run support there as well,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah mentioned. “So I just think the overall skill set that he has is pretty unique for his size, and you just need more guys that can make plays back there.”
Brooks, a former NFL defensive again, had the Commanders taking cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. at No. 11 in his newest mock draft. The LSU product led the SEC with 21 passes defended and 6 interceptions as a freshman in 2019, however his manufacturing fell over the following two seasons.
“His 2019 film, he was the best cornerback in college football as a freshman,” Brooks mentioned. “He has size. He has length. He has ball skills. He can challenge you. He can play a variety of ways and play at a high level. However, in 2020 and 2021, injuries and inconsistency marred his play. So the biggest challenge is [predicting] which one is going to show up in your building.”
Having a flexible defensive again can be a boon for Washington, which performs the majority of its snaps in nickel, with 5 defensive backs. Last 12 months, it performed its greatest down the stretch when it relied closely on its “Buffalo” nickel package deal, with three safeties and two cornerbacks.
“With the game changing, you talk about big nickel, now [the safety] really has to be a decathlete that can do a bunch of different things, meaning he can play high as a center fielder, he can drop down in the box and play like a linebacker, he can go out wide sometimes and handle the tight end, and you also have to be able to chase down the athletic quarterbacks,” Brooks mentioned.
Should the Commanders flip to offense with their first-round choose, broad receiver stands out as a notable want.
The workforce already has a pair of Ohio State wideouts in Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel. Perhaps they seize a 3rd in Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave, two gamers Rivera spoke with in Columbus, Ohio, throughout their professional day.
“I think Garrett Wilson is going to be an explosive player at the next level,” mentioned Jim Nagy, the govt director of the Senior Bowl. “He has real playmaking ability. I think Chris Olave is a really smooth player, a really polished player. He can really run. You worry a little bit about size and substance and play strength, but I think at minimum, he’ll be a solid number two receiver in the league.”
Nagy doesn’t imagine this 12 months’s broad receiving class is as robust as that of previous years, but it surely has loads of depth for groups to search out high quality gamers even on Day 2 and Day 3 — gamers reminiscent of Christian Watson, a 6-4 wideout from North Dakota State who ran a 4.36-second 40, or Alec Pierce out of Cincinnati.
Taking a lineman in the first spherical, particularly at No. 11, won’t excite followers, however Washington’s O-line was the crux of its offense final 12 months. Without Scherff and Flowers, the Commanders may use the assist of a participant from a reasonably deep group of guards.
“My favorite one is Zion Johnson from Boston College,” Nagy mentioned. “I think he’s going to be a Pro Bowl player. … He’s smart off the charts. I feel the same way about Zion as I did about Terry McLaurin. He’s got that kind of character. That’s the type of human that you’re dealing with in Zion Johnson is a Terry McLaurin-level human being. He’s not going to allow himself not to be great.”
Jeremiah is keen on Kenyon Green, from Texas A&M.
“Maybe it’s a little bit early where [the Commanders] are picking, but I think he’s the best guard in the draft,” the NFL Network analyst mentioned. “Maybe that’s a trade-back scenario, you try and land him.”
Trading again would give Washington one other crack at touchdown a direct contributor or extra depth later in the draft. Day 2 is once they may discover Chad Muma of Wyoming and Troy Andersen from Montana State, linebackers who may very well be choices in the center of the discipline.
“With the size that they have and the speed and the range that they have, and then you add to that the instincts, I just think that’s what teams are looking for in off-the-ball linebackers right now,” Jeremiah mentioned. “Those two guys are great examples of why I think it could push down Devin Lloyd or Nakobe Dean or even Quay Walker a little bit because teams are saying, ‘Well, those are great players, but if I could get an Andersen or a Muma in round two, I would be quite okay with that.’ ”
Nagy views Muma as a direct starter at center linebacker, a spot Washington has struggled to fill in latest seasons.
“Everyone sees him as an NFL starter,” Nagy mentioned. “I haven’t talked to anybody that sees him as a backup, really. He’s a really good player. He is everything you want.”