SB Nation 2022 Mock Draft Extravaganza - The Commanders are nearly on the clock! Day 2

Each year, just before the actual draft, enterprising individuals from various SBNation blogs take it upon themselves to organize a site-wide full mock draft, with (ideally) writers/posters from each of the team blogs picking on behalf of their team. This year, I will be picking on behalf of the Washington Commanders and tracking progress here. The draft will take place on Discord.

Think of this draft as a series of thought exercises, not simply a rote duplication of what we can expect come late April in Las Vegas. It’s not going to be to everyone’s taste.

Schedule

4/8 – 8 PM EDT / 5 PM PDT (Round 1)

4/9 – 1pm EDT / 10 AM PDT (Rounds 2-3)

4/10 – 1pm EDT / 10 AM PDT (Rounds 4-7)

This page should be updated in fairly close to real time once the Day 2 begins on 4/9.

Pre-Draft Trade: Washington sends WR Terry McLaurin to the 49ers for picks 25, 83, and LB Dre Greenlaw. Rationale: I love Terry McLaurin. We all do, but the wide receiver market is heavily overbought at this point, and paying Terry (or any WR) $23-24M per year would begin to constrain team building in important ways beginning in 2023. Selling high on Terry now, before the draft puts the team in a good position to re-stock.

First Round Trade: Washington sends CB Kendall Fuller to the Seahawks for pick #40, freeing up $8M in cap space in 2022 and $8.5M in 2023. As legendary baseball GM, Branch Rickey said, “Trade a player a year too early rather than a year too late.”

Round 1, Pick 11

Garrett Wilson (WR) - Ohio State - With Terry McLaurin traded away, wide receiver became an existential need. Surely some will object that this is a violation of the First Draft Commandment, and in the strictest sense, they would be correct. However, as the First Commandment pertains to wide receivers, the injunction not to draft them in the first derives not from the fact that first round WRs aren’t good, it’s rooted in the fact that very good ones can be found in the second round as well. The McLaurin trade necessitated, and allowed, this move. Wilson would not have been the choice without the McLaurin trade, my second pick, Matt Corral, would have.

Interestingly, mock drafters took 8 WRs in the first round, a clear indication to me that the out of control veteran WR market is driving up the draft value of WRs on rookie deals. The selection of Wilson here essentially represents a conversion of massive salary cap capital into a significant draft investment. We’ll see if it pays off.

Round 1, Pick 25 (from San Francisco)

Matt Corral (QB) - Ole Miss - I have been, and remain, insistent, that Washington must leave this draft with a Plan B option at QB. Corral is the best of the bunch, but even so, taking him at #11 would have felt like a bit of a reach. Nevertheless, I was prepared to do it. The McLaurin trade opened up a world of options, allowing #11 to be used on a true BPA, and allowing #25 to be used on a quarterback who is athletically talented, but could absolutely use a year of seasoning behind a veteran. Two draft priorities down, Day 2 leaves open a tremendous set of options.

Round 2, Pick 40 (from Seattle)

Kyler Gordon (CB) - Washington - It was no secret that the Kendall Fuller trade opened up a spot in the secondary. Nevertheless, I wasn’t going to reach to fill it. Thankfully, Kyler Gordon, who played opposite first round pick, Trent McDuffie, was there waiting for me. The Draft Network evaluation is below, with a comp to former top 10 pick, CJ Henderson, of the Jaguars:

Kyler Gordon is an exceptional athlete with explosive and dynamic movement. In the run game, he comes up hard when he is the force player in zone. He is an eager participant in the run game and does a good job as a tackler on the perimeter and in space as a core special teamer. In the passing game, he is exceptional. His outstanding agility and quickness in coverage help him stay in phase. From press alignment, he often uses bail technique and closes quickly when he can play with vision. From off man, he can get a little “nosey” with his eyes but obviously trusts his athleticism in these instances. In the NFL, he has the athleticism and hips to be a starting outside corner. However, his tackling ability, instincts, and agility also project him favorably to playing inside, giving him true inside/outside flexibility.

Round 2, Pick 47

Jalen Pitre (S) - Baylor - I profiled Pitre earlier this year here, and my excitement for him has only grown since that point. Pitre is a brainy, versatile athlete who has spearheaded Dave Aranda’s ferocious defense at Baylor.

Pitre is the sort of weapon that a creative defensive coordinator can - and has - use(d) to anchor his top end defense. Does Jack Del Rio’s defense fit that bill? It’s not entirely clear that it does, but we know that this coaching staff does value defensive positional flexibility. Pitre’s ability to play in the slot, at nickel, or either of the safety positions seem to be well suited to the direction of the modern NFL.

Round 3, Pick 83 (from San Francisco)

Cade Otton (TE) - Washington - Otton’s production numbers in college weren’t spectacular - he was injured during much of 2021, and his offense at Washington was terrible - but he possesses the tight end fundamentals, including accomplished blocking, to be able to make an easy transition to the pros. The Draft Network comps him to a “Pat Freiermuth & Zack Ertz combo.” From Lance Zierlein’s review on NFL.com:

“I think he is the best I’ve seen so far (in 2021) at just getting himself open with his routes. That is a really big deal for me when I watch tight ends.” — Scouting director for NFC team

Round 4, Pick 113

Round 6, Pick 189

Round 7, Pick 230

Round 7, Pick 239

I look forward to your thoughts in the comments below:

Draft Progression:

1. Jets - KAYVON THIBODEAUX, EDGE, OREGON
2. Lions - EVAN NEAL, RT, ALABAMA
3. Texans - AIDAN HUTCHINSON, DE, MICHIGAN
4. Jets - AHMAD “Sauce” GARDNER, CB, CINCINNATI
5. Giants - CHARLES CROSS, OT, MISSISSIPPI STATE
6. Panthers - IKEM EKWONU, OT, NC STATE
7. Giants - KYLE HAMILTON, S, NOTRE DAME
8. Lions - MALIK WILLIS, QB, LIBERTY
9. Seahawks - JERMAINE JOHNSON DE, FLORIDA STATE
10. Jaguars - TREYLON BURKS, WR, ARKANSAS
11. Commanders - GARRETT WILSON, WR, OHIO STATE
12. Eagles - DRAKE LONDON, WR, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
13. Packers - ANDREW BOOTH JR, CB, CLEMSON
14. Ravens - DEREK STINGLEY JR - CB, LSU
15. Eagles - DEVIN LLOYD, LB, UTAH
16. Eagles - TYLER LINDERBAUM, OL, IOWA
17. Chargers - JAMESON WILLIAMS, WR ALABAMA
18. Vikings - TRAVON WALKER OLB/DE GEORGIA
19. Eagles - NAKOBE DEAN, LB, GEORGIA
20. Steelers - TREVOR PENNING, OT, NORTHERN IOWA
21. Patriots - ZION JOHNSON, OT/OG, BOSTON COLLEGE
22. Texans - JORDAN DAVIS, DT, GEORGIA
23. Lions - TYLER SMITH, G, TULSA
24. Cowboys - GEORGE KARLAFTIS, EDGE, PURDUE.
25. Commanders - MATT CORRAL, QB, OLE MISS
26. Jets - CHRIS OLAVE, WR, OHIO STATE
27. Bucs - DEVONTE WYATT, DT, GEORGIA
28. Packers - JAHAN DOTSON, WR, PENN STATE
29. Chiefs - CHRISTIAN WATSON, WR, NDSU
30. Chiefs - TRENT MCDUFFIE, CB, WASHINGTON
31. Bengals - KAIIR ELAM, CB, FLORIDA
32. Falcons - GEORGE PICKENS, WR, GEORGIA

Round 2

1. Cowboys - DAXTON HILL, SAFETY, MICHIGAN
2. Cardinals - KENYON GREEN, OG, TEXAS A&M
3. Titans - TREY MCBRIDE, TE, COLORADO STATE RAMS
4. Giants - DAVID OJABO, EDGE, MICHIGAN
5. Texans - QUAY WALKER, LB, GEORGIA
6. Jets - BERNHARD RAIMANN, OT, CENTRAL MICHIGAN
7. Bears - ALEC PIERCE, WR, CINCINATTI
8. Commanders - KYLER GORDON, CB, WASHINGTON
9. Seahawks - DESMOND RIDDER, QB, Cin
10. Colts - TARIQ WOLSON, CB, UTSA
11. Browns - Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan
12. Browns - Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota
13. Ravens - Lewis Cine, S, Georgia
14. Cardinals - Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State
15. Commanders - JALEN PITRE, S, BAYLOR
16. Bears - ABRAHAM LUCAS, OT, WASHINGTON STATE
17. Titans - COLE STRANGE, G, TENNESSEE-CHATTANOOGA
18. Chiefs - JAQUAN BRISKER, S, PENN STATE
19. Jaguars - ZYON MCCOLLUM, CB, SAM HOUSTON STATE
20. Steelers -KENNY PICKETT QB PITTSBURGH
21. Texans - NICHOLAS PETIT-FRERE, OT FROM OHIO STATE
22. Patriots - CHRISTIAN HARRIS, LB, ALABAMA
23. Cardinals - Travis Jones, NT, UConn
24. Titans - CALVIN AUSTIN III, WR, MEMPHIS
25. Bills - Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State
26. Falcons - SAM HOWELL, QB, NORTH CAROLINA
27. Packers - Perrion Winfrey, DL, Oklahoma
28. Colts - JOHN METCHIE III, WR, ALABAMA
29. Saints - BRANDON SMITH, LB, PENN STATE
30. Chiefs - NIK BONITTO, EDGE, OKLAHOMA
31. Bengals - Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina
32. Steelers - DeMarvin LEAL IDL TEXAS A&M

Round 3

1. Falcons - DRAKE JACKSON, EDGE, USC
2. Steelers - CHAD MUMA, ILB, WYOMING
3. Giants - LEO CHENAL, LB, WISCONSIN
4. Saints - Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
5. Eagles - LOGAN HALL, DL, HOUSTON
6. 49ers - Cameron Thomas, EDGE, San Diego State
7. Bears - Troy Anderson LB Montana State
8. Seahawks - CHANNING TINDALL, LB, UGA
9. Buccaneers - SEAN RHYAN, G, UCLA
10. Saints - ISAIAH SPILLER, RB, TEXAS A&M
11. Falcons - MARTIN EMERSON, CB, MISSISSIPPI STATE
12. Ravens - Darian Kinnard, OG, KENTUCKY
13. Titans - BRIAN ASAMOAH II LB OKLAHOMA
14. Browns - JAMAREE SAYLER G GEORGIA
15. Chargers - MAX MITCHELL, OT, LOUSIANA
16. Jaguars - Jelani Woods, TE, UVA
17. Giants - Jalyn Armour Davis, CB, ALABAMA
18. Chiefs - Marcus Jones, CB, Houston
19. Commanders - CADE OTTON, TE, WASHINGTON
20. Lions - ROMEO DOUBS, WR NEVADA
21. Patriots - JOSH WILLIAMS, CB, FAYETTEVILLE STATE
22. Steelers - DANIEL FAALELE, OT, MINNESOTA
23. Vikings - BREECE HALL, RB, IOWA STATE
24. Cowboys - JACK SANBORN, LB, WISCONSIN
25. Bills - KHALIL SHAKIR, WR, BOISE STATE
26. Broncos - JOSH PASCHAL, EDGE, KENTUCKY
27. Buccaneers - JAMES COOK, RB, GEORGIA
28. Packers - CAM TAYLOR-BRITT, CB, NEBRASKA
29. Falcons - DAVID BELL, WR, PURDUE
30. Chiefs - JALEN TOLBERT, WR, SOUTH ALABAMA
31. Bengals - KERBY JOSEPH, S, ILLINOIS
32. Broncos - CORDALE FLOTT, CB, LSU
33. Lions - JT WOODS, S, BAYLOR
34. Eagles - BO MELTON, WR, RUTGERS
35. Browns - CAM JURGENS, C, NEBRASKA
36. Ravens - LUKE GOEDEKE, G, CENTRAL MICHIGAN
37. Eagles - BAILEY ZAPPE, QB, WESTERN KENTUCKY
38. Dolphins -
39. Chiefs - MATTHEW BUTLER, DL, TENNESSEE
40. Rams - DYLAN PARHAM, G, MEMPHIS
41. 49ers - NICK CROSS, S, UMD