Ohio State WR to Commanders in New NFL Mock Draft

One on each side of the ball for the Commanders who look to win the arms race in a passing league

Mock draft season is up to full speed right now with everyone trying to figure out which direction the Washington Commanders will go with the 11th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. 

Even more fun than a standard first-round mock, is a multi-round glimpse at what the future may hold, looking at how each pick impacts the other. 

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Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton is a popular prospect for the Washington Commanders at No. 11 in the 2022 NFL Draft

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Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson is another popular name tied to Washington with their first pick in 2022

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Seems like forever now since we've seen quarterback Kenny Pickett out of Pittsburgh mocked to Washington in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft

ESPN's Todd McShay took a look at the first round but then built upon that to see how the second round might turn out. 

In the first round, Washington went with a familiar position group, just not the name we've been seeing the most as Ohio State's Chris Olave is the pick in this mock.

"Let's get new Washington quarterback Carson Wentz a second high-end target beyond Terry McLaurin," McShay wrote. "Olave is a smooth route runner with soft hands and excellent speed. Pairing him with McLaurin...would immediately challenge NFC East defensive backs and open things up for Curtis Samuel out of the slot."

McShay mentions in his writing that McLaurin will be entering free agency next year unless Washington can sign him to an extension or decides to use the franchise tag on him next offseason. 

Adding Olave not only helps Wentz and Samuel, but it'll also draw attention away from McLaurin and help him fully maximize his abilities in Washington. 

In the second round, McShay stays focused on the passing game for the Commanders but looks to the other side of the equation, selecting cornerback Roger McCreary out of Auburn.

"Depth at cornerback behind William Jackson III and Kendall fuller remains a concern," wrote McShay. "McCreary excels in press-man coverage and has the ball skills to make big plays...but he will have to improve against the run, and some questions remain about his speed."

Not just speed, McCreary doesn't measure as the preferred physical specimen at cornerback for the Commanders. 

That being said, his physical shortcomings haven't proven detrimental up to this point. 

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Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave joins the Commanders in Todd McShay's latest mock draft for ESPN

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Auburn cornerback Roger McCreary also lands with Washington, in the second round

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With Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker still on the board when the Commanders take McCreary, perhaps this pick would come under some scrutiny, after the fact

Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker and Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam look to fit what Washington needs in the secondary a bit more, and both were available when McShay chose McCreary instead. 

Another mock in the books, more to come, and plenty of opinions to go around. The NFL Draft continues to come into sight, and soon we won't have to guess who the Washington Commanders will pick, we'll get to react to it instead.