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The 2023 NFL Draft arrives in a little over three weeks and teams are finalizing their meetings with college prospects, including the Washington Commanders. The front office in Ashburn is likely putting the finishing touches on their draft board and the focus is likely to be the offensive line, cornerbacks, and overall depth, especially at the linebacker/safety hybrid position.
Hello, I’m the new kid in town and you have probably seen me on social media or elsewhere. The offseason is my specialty and college prospects will be a primary focus. Mock drafts are a given, including today. This particular mock will feature no trades, but it is understood that the Commanders are always looking for more draft picks and additional depth.
Offensive linemen are expected to receive plenty of attention in the first three rounds of the draft and Washington has multiple needs at tackle, guard, and center. Free agent additions at guard and tackle have addressed some concerns, but more is needed and the draft provides more opportunities.
The cornerbacks are expected to be reinforced with another prospect, probably with a higher pick on day one or day two. A linebacker/strong safety for depth purposes is certainly a focus as well.
Round One, Pick #16
Darnell Wright, Tennessee
Offensive Tackle – 6’5”, 330 lbs
Darnell Wright has been steadily rising up draft boards for several months now and the Commanders have held meetings with him (formal and informal) at least five times. He is a right tackle and could start immediately. His presence would allow new offensive lineman Andrew Wylie to move to right guard and third-year linemen Sam Cosmi to shift over to left guard.
If Darnell Wright gets his hands on you, defenders usually aren’t going anywhere… pic.twitter.com/Y6XbMwA0Ju
— Mark Tyler(Hogs Haven) (@Tiller56) April 3, 2023
A consensus five-star recruit, Darnell Wright delivered a highly productive career at Tennessee. He became a starter as a freshman at right tackle in 2019 and started every game there in 2020 before moving to left tackle in 2021 and then finishing his career back at right tackle in 2022. His experience against top competition, ability to play both sides, and growth in every season is a notable part of his evaluation.
Tape/games to watch:
Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and Alabama
Round Two, Pick #47
Steve Avila, TCU
Offensive Guard/Center – 6’4”, 332 lbs
At the Senior Bowl, Steve Avila and the Commanders connected many times with various informal meetings and the adoration for one another was very mutual. Avila is a versatile lineman, a trait that the Commanders value in many of their players. Also, Avila could possibly be drafted to play the center position. As a leader for the national runner-up Horned Frogs, Avila was never shy about engaging defensive linemen or linebackers.
As a run blocker, Avila has an aggressive temperament and immediately seeks defensive linemen to engage with. Once engaged, Avila does a good job of using his mass to lean on defensive linemen and making it difficult for them to shed him. Avila’s natural strength is evident in how he is able to displace defensive linemen off the ball and create running lanes for the ball carrier.
In pass protection, Avila shows best when dealing with power rushers. When Avila is facing a power rusher, he does a good job of anchoring and stopping defenders from penetrating into the backfield and getting pressure on the quarterback. Avila’s strength combined with his mass allows him to win most physical matchups that require strength.
Tape/games to watch:
Baylor, Texas Tech, Iowa State
Round Three, Pick #97 (Compensatory)
Tyrique Stevenson, Miami (FL)
Cornerback – 6’0”, 198 lbs
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Tyrique Stevenson is a very physical cornerback and he is expected to play within the perimeter his first year or two in the league. After learning the nuances of the pro game, he is likely to be placed on the boundary where his talents can be used extensively in press man or various zone schemes.
Big cornerback with the size and play strength to help match up with bigger receivers in the league. Stevenson is patient but physical in press-man and has good recovery speed when he falls behind. He struggles as a pattern matcher in off-man and had issues with busts in zone, so he might be scheme-dependent. Stevenson is talented when attacking the catch point and has the ball skills to make plays on 50/50 throws. He needs to become more consistent in run support but has the physical attributes to become a starter in a press-man scheme.
Tape/games to watch:
Georgia Tech, Duke, Virginia
Round Four, Pick #118
Trey Palmer, Nebraska
Wide Receiver – 6’0”, 192 lbs
Did you really think that this mock draft would forget about new associate head coach and offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy? The Commanders lost wide receiver Cam Sims in free agency, but here is a solid play-making wide receiver for the new coach. Trey Palmer has plenty of upside and would be a good fit for the Burgundy and Gold. Oh, and he is a solid kick/punt returner with 4.3 speed.
#Nebraska wide receiver Trey Palmer is a very dangerous man:
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 24, 2023
pic.twitter.com/NRACAUDuZN
Few wide receivers this season have done more with their opportunity than Palmer. Palmer exploded onto the scene with a highly-productive season, serving as the big-play catalyst for the Cornhuskers offense. He’s got good initial quickness and effective vertical speed in the passing game, offering smooth acceleration to steadily reach his top speed. He’s not the biggest nor the strongest and he’s not the MOST explosive, but he’s a plus athlete to play in any alignment for Nebraska. His ball-tracking skills are among his best traits and he wins routinely deep over the middle of the field in these instances. He makes good adjustments to the football. Playing him in off coverage is asking for trouble, as he sets up his breaks well and he is effective to expose when teams try to match him with safeties in these deep portions of the field.
Tape/games to watch:
Purdue, Iowa, Indiana
Round Five, Pick #150
Marte Mapu, Sacramento State
Linebacker/Strong Safety – 6’3”, 210 lbs
How about a backup to Kamren Curl and a depth option at linebacker? Marte Mapu easily fills that need.
Long, rangy, and physical are all the key adjectives to describe Mapu’s game. Serving a plethora of roles for the Sacramento State Hornets, Mapu’s physical traits were used to their fullest extent, lining up primarily as a nickel safety but also consistently making appearances as a stack backer, force player, and even as a single high safety. His athleticism quickly jumps out on film, pairing elite closing speed with innate lower-body fluidity that allows him to be extremely effective in both the pass and run game.
Tape/games to watch:
Northern Iowa, Colorado State, Montana
Sacramento State LB/S Marte Mapu
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) March 25, 2023
6025 | 217 pounds
33 3/8 arm
80 wing
19.08 GPS mph
Former QB pic.twitter.com/fSoGXYkroS
Round Six, Pick #192
Eric Gray, Oklahoma
Running Back – 5’9”, 206 lbs
The Commanders have met with Eric Gray on multiple occasions. Here is another chess piece for Coach Bieniemy.
Decisive, creative runner with the size and skill set for three-down consideration on the pro level. Gray won’t be a home run hitter in the open field, but his short-area burst and oily hips open access to the entire field, with cuts coming suddenly and at unpredictable angles. He’s a less powerful finisher than his size might indicate and needs to keep from spilling runs wide unnecessarily. He is a reliable threat out of the backfield with soft hands and a willingness to block. Gray has the potential to find work quickly as a three-down backup with future starter potential.
Tape/games to watch:
Kansas, West Virginia, Nebraska
Sacramento State LB/S Marte Mapu
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) March 25, 2023
6025 | 217 pounds
33 3/8 arm
80 wing
19.08 GPS mph
Former QB pic.twitter.com/fSoGXYkroS
Round Six, Pick #215 (Compensatory)
Tyson Bagent, Shepherd
Quarterback – 6’3”, 213 lbs
The Commanders are very likely to draft a developmental quarterback.
Shepherd quarterback Tyson Bagent projects as a developmental quarterback at the pro level. He’s been superbly productive for the Rams program across his collegiate career, posting monster numbers and giving opposing defenses fits with his ability to get outside the pocket and attack all levels of the field. Bagent is going to be a project for an NFL franchise, but he should be a fun one with his natural ability as a passer.
Tape/games to watch:
None are available, but here is a video to watch and enjoy.
Round Seven, Pick #233
Aubrey Miller Jr., Jackson State
Linebacker – 6’2”, 225 lbs
Drafting a special teams standout is always a good option in the late rounds. Aubrey Miller Jr. can also provide superb depth at a position of need.
Miller brings a lot to the table as a prospect. A fluid and smooth athlete who plays behind his pads, Miller has no issue punishing opposing ball carriers when he has the chance. In the box, he’s able to make dynamic tackles and always works to find an angle to get involved in stopping the run. He plays low and downhill as a blitzer and poses lots of issues for offenses as a sideline-to-sideline runner.
Despite being used a lot in pressures, I felt that Miller was serviceable as a coverage linebacker, primarily in the hook zone area of the field, but also has the speed to stick with backs on wheels and delayed routes.
Tape/games to watch:
Campbell, Grambling, Southern University
@GoJSUTigersFB Pro-Day
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) March 28, 2023
Aubrey Miller Jr. didn’t get Combine invite after strong @seniorbowl but, if we’re being real, NFL teams that like him don’t really care what he does in shorts.
We can say this, whoever drafts @Loose_Qannon is getting a physical dude who loves football. pic.twitter.com/fDiDNgQcsX
I look forward to giving everyone more information on draft prospects in the next few weeks. See you as we go along.
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