Commanders 2-Round Mock Draft: What Does Washington Prioritize?

The Washington Commanders need help on both sides of the ball in this year's NFL Draft.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 11, 2023

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Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders are nearly two weeks away from welcoming their newest draft class.

There's a number of different directions the Commanders can go in at the top of the draft, but Sports Illustrated believes that Washington will take Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr.

"The best player available meets the team need scenario," SI writes. "The addition of Porter Jr. to the Commanders' defense fits right in with the team identity. A lengthy, physical defender who has shown a propensity for making game-changing plays, Porter Jr., following in his father’s footsteps, has superstar written all over him."

Porter Jr. is seen as one of the best cornerbacks in this year's class alongside Oregon's Christian Gonzalez and Illinois' Devon Witherspoon.

There's a chance all three of those players could be off the board when the Commanders are on the clock, which could mean a potential trade up earlier in the round.

The Commanders also need an interior offensive lineman, specifically at the center position. There isn't a prospect worth taking at center with the No. 16 pick, but it could make sense for Washington to take someone at the position in the second round. In SI's mock draft, Luke Wypler is the pick at No. 47.

"Wypler is a technically sound center in pass protection with decent movement skills, but his awareness, arm length, and play strength are below the level of an NFL starter," SI writes.

The Commanders could take a gamble on someone like Wypler because the team signed some players that could fulfill the center role in free agency. Former New York Giants lineman Nick Gates or Chase Roullier would likely be the Week 1 starter if there's no rookie drafted.

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Published Apr 11, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.