Perfect Picks 2023: Washington Commanders

With the NFL Draft approaching we will be looking at each team and evaluating where they need to improve. In this particular series we will run a seven round mock using the Pro Football Network Mock Draft Simulator and find the ‘Perfect Picks’ for each franchise.

We will highlight four players that could help each team. This will feature picks 1 and 2, a mid round gem and a late round sleeper.

Round 1 - Trenton Simpson (Linebacker, Clemson)

The Commanders have picked in the middle portion (between 13 and 22) for six out of the last seven drafts. Which is to say, with the exception of the Chase Young pick in 2019, they’re rarely bad enough for a marquee first round pick. 16 is another intriguing spot for what is likely Ron Rivera’s make-or-break season under potential new ownership.

Jack Del Rio played three linebackers on just four snaps (yes, four) all of last season. They utilise an extra lineman and safety on the vast majority of plays. Despite that, losing Cole Holcomb in free agency was an eyebrow raiser, and they’ll need to bring in bodies at the spot. Simpson ticks all the boxes that this staff seem to love: physical, well regarded, military background and, most of all, versatility. A premium athlete with a similar profile to 2021 first rounder Jamin Davis, though with more college experience, Simpson’s best trait is speed, which shows up on tape consistently. He can run down ball carriers and spy mobile QBs.

Perhaps his biggest weaknesses are size, which looks a little light for playing inside, and a lack of consistency in certain coverages. Both can be addressed through conditioning and coaching respectively.

Round 2 - Emmanuel Forbes (Cornerback, Mississippi State)

Corner is another spot Washington needs help. It is arguably the weakest position on what has become a top 10 defense. Adding a rangey, ultra-competitive guy in Emmanuel Forbes would help. The former four start recruit played receiver in high school and has developed into one of the best intercepting corners in college football. He is slender and long and projects as a true outside corner. Despite his slight build, Forbes plays physical and does not shy from contact – something Jack Del Rio emphasises in his secondary.

He is aggressive, perhaps touching on the over-aggressive at times, and will need some help developing more nuanced coverage skills, but Forbes could be a welcome addition to bolster the Commanders’ impressive defense.

Mid Round Gem - Trey Dean III (Safety, Florida)

Washington has two excellent young safeties in Kam Curl and Darrick Forrest, but they lost veteran Bobby McCain in free agency, and Jeremy Reaves is a special teams ace rather than a bona fide option. Dean originally enrolled as a CB at Florida but moved to safety and never looked back. He’s played the full five seasons, showcasing growth each year. A big hitter, Dean projects more as a strong safety or in the box hybrid type – think Landon Collins in terms of positional flex. He’s unpolished but tough, physical, aggressive downhill and has shown proficiency in covering guys out of the slot.

Late Round Sleeper - Max Duggan (Quarterback, TCU)

It’s hard to convince people of the efficacy of drafting late round quarterbacks, but I suggest Washington should do so every year, so here goes. After the disastrous Wentz trade last off-season, I was glad to see the team sign Jacoby Brissett, a player I’ve always admired. Brissett and Howell will compete for the starting job in training camp but the team doesn’t have a third QB on the roster and I would be shocked if they didn’t draft one toward the latter part of the draft.

My sleeper signal caller this time round is Max Duggan out of TCU. Duggan is no stranger to adversity – after being diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, an electrical pathway condition which causes a fast heartbeat, he had a nine-hour surgery and a subsequent emergency surgery for a blood clot from the initial procedure. At TCU, he saw two coaches come and go in his first two seasons, and finally assumed the starting role in 2022 after an injury to Chandler Morris in week two. He never looked back, throwing for 3,698 yards, 41TDs and just 8 picks and leading the Horn Frogs to a CFB playoff berth, beating Michigan before succumbing to Georgia in the National Championship.

Duggan is athletic, an exceptional run threat at the position, and superb in the red zone. Of course, he is not projected as a NFL starter, but is probably on a few front offices’ radars for a late round flier. His tape against Kansas is worth a watch:

Draft In Full:

Round 1 – Trenton Simpson (Linebacker, Clemson)

Round 2 – Emmanuel Forbes (Cornerback, Mississippi State)

Round 3 – Cameron Latu (Tight End, Alabama)

Round 4 – Trey Dean III (Safety, Florida)

Round 5 – Sean Tucker (Running Back, Syracuse)

Round 6 – Max Duggan (Quarterback, TCU)

Round 6 – Antonio Mafi (Offensive Guard, UCLA)

Round 7 – Karl Brooks (Defensive Tackle, Bowling Green)

JOSH IS AN NFC EAST SPECIALIST AND LONG SUFFERING COMMANDERS FAN BASED IN LONDON. CHECK OUT HIS ARTICLES HERE AND FOLLOW HIM @JOSHWA_1990 ON TWITTER FOR SOME WRY CYNICISM

Perfect Picks 2023: Washington Commanders