It is officially NFL mock draft season, and for the Washington Commanders in the 2023 NFL draft, the team has eight picks to try and keep up with the Jones’s (and Mara’s and Lurie’s) in the NFC East. In this Commanders mock draft, we’ll look at all eight picks and predict what the Commanders will do to hopefully help them get back to the postseason for just the second time under head coach Ron Rivera.
From the 2022 NFL Draft, all eight Commanders draft picks played at least one game. Wide receiver Jahan Dotson and running back Brian Robinson Jr. played significant roles. Cornerback Christian Holmes, defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis, safety Percy Butler, tight end Cole Turner, and offensive lineman Chris Paul all contributed. And quarterback Sam Howell got one start and is now the franchise’s QB of the future.
In the 2023 NFL Draft, the Commanders have needs at cornerback, offensive line, pass rush, tight end, and maybe even quarterback. With that in mind, here is our 2023 Commanders mock draft.
Washington Commanders: 2023 NFL Mock Draft
Round 1, 16th overall pick: CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
Most Commanders mock drafts you will see have Penn State cornerback (and son of former NFL All-Pro linebacker Joey Porter), Joey Porter Jr., going to Washington. That’s because CB is a major need for the Commanders, and Porter Jr. is a great fit.
Porter Jr. is a strong, physical CB who has at least some of his dad’s toughness. He’s not a perfect fit for every system, as he’s not a blazing-fast press man guy, but under Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio, he should flourish with what he does well.
Round 2, 47th overall pick: TE Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
Logan Thomas has been a productive starting TE in this league, but at 32 once the season starts, age and injury have severely hampered his production the last few seasons. Whether the next Commanders QB is Sam Howell or someone else, they will need all the weapons they can get, and an upgraded TE would be one of those weapons.
Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave is shooting up draft boards as teams get a look at his smooth receiving skills. At 6-foot-6, 256 pounds, he is the same size as Thomas and much more polished coming out of college. Together, Musgrave and Thomas will give new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy a lot of options in two TE sets.
Round 3, 97th overall pick: OL McClendon Curtis, Tennessee-Chattanooga
The Commanders did a good job of upgrading the offensive line in free agency this offseason, signing Andrew Wylie, Nick Gates, Trenton Scott, and Tyler Larsen. The team still needs to add more depth and competition, though.
Tennessee-Chattanooga offensive lineman McClendon Curtis started at right guard, left guard, and left tackle in his college career, and at 6-foot-6, 324 pounds, he’s built like a prototypical NFL right tackle. By taking Curtis in this NFL mock draft, the Commanders get a player to challenge four of their starting O-linemen and maybe even steal one of their jobs.
Round 4, 118th overall pick: QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA
Ron Rivera and Eric Bieniemy seem to be confident with Sam Howell as the QB1 heading into the 2023 NFL Draft. However, is anyone else? The Commanders shouldn’t take a QB high with Howell on track to start, but in the later rounds, picking the big-armed, athletic UCLA signal-caller Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who might remind Bieniemy a tiny bit of a smaller and less polished Patrick Mahomes.
Round 5, 150th overall pick: EDGE Isaiah McGuire, Missouri
Even with Montez Sweat and Chase Young — back and healthy finally after a (mostly) lost 2023 — you can never have enough pass rushers in the NFL. Missouri DE Isaiah McGuire is a pure power rusher with an NFL frame (6-foot-4, 268 pounds) who would be a good rotational rusher to complement Sweat and Chase or even play with them on select 3rd downs.
Round 6, 193rd overall pick: C Juice Scruggs, Penn State
We’ve already discussed the Commanders NFL draft needs of depth and competition on the O-line, and as the best available player in Round 6, this Commanders mock draft has the team taking Penn State center Juice Scruggs as part of that. He was a Nittany Lions team captain and can play both center and guard, which will only strengthen this position group.
Round 6, 215th overall pick: S Anthony Johnson Jr., Iowa State
Another team captain, Anthony Johnson Jr. started 54 games at Iowa State, first as a CB and then as a safety. With his physicality and versatility, he can play deep safety, nickel corner, or even jump up in the box despite his smaller 6-foot, 205-pound frame. Playing multiple positions is what will get Johnson Jr. on the field for Washington as a rookie.
Round 7, 233rd overall pick: WR Derius Davis, TCU
In this 2023 NFL mock draft, the last Commanders pick is a speed-burning wideout to help Sam Howell and complement Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samuel. TCU’s Derius Davis is a 5-foot-8, 165-pound gadget player who ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at the combine. Bieniemy should be able to find creative ways to use him, and he can return punts, too.
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