Subscribe
Follow Us
The Washington Commanders' first-round pick will likely be a cornerback. The position is one of the major Commanders draft needs, and there will be some good ones available at pick No. 16 in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, if the Commanders' draft gets a little wild and the team decides to hold out and select a CB later in the proceedings, here are three sneaky options for the No. 16 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
There are plenty of Commanders' draft needs they can address in this draft. In addition to CB, the team also needs safety and linebacker help as well as upgrades and depth on the offensive line and at tight end and wide receiver. A starting quarterback wouldn’t hurt either.
The 2023 NFL Draft does feature a deep and talented CB class, so if the player Ron Rivera and company love comes off the board before the Commanders' first-round picks, here are the other players they can target to address one of the needs mentioned above.
S Brian Branch, Alabama
Alabama defensive back Brian Branch is a tweener in the best sense of the word. While this label would have knocked his draft stock down in years past, in the modern NFL, versatility is the name of the game.
Branch is 6 feet and 190 pounds, giving him the size to play safety in the NFL. However, he was also an excellent nickel cover corner when Nick Saban utilized him in that capacity.
He is an incredibly intelligent football player and he has the speed and instincts to play single-high safety at the next level. Overall, Branch is one of the most solid players in this year’s draft, and whichever team drafts him will get a Week 1 starter who should be around for years.
If the corner that the Commanders' draft board has highest isn’t around at No. 16, the team can try and kill two birds with one stone by drafting Brian Branch. From a skills perspective, he has a lot of the same flexibility and traits as Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, who can play all over the secondary.
A player like this can help the Commanders' defense become much more unpredictable and do great things for all those past Commanders' first-round picks up front.
OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State
The Commanders learned the hard way last season that you can never have enough depth or talent on the offensive line. This offseason, the team worked hard to improve the unit, but there is still work to be done.
And whether Sam Howell or someone else is the starting QB in Week 1, that player will need all the protection they can get in the punishing NFC East. That’s why the offensive line is one of the top Commanders' draft needs.
At pick No. 16 in the 2023 NFL Draft, Washington could take Ohio State tackle Paris Johnson Jr. The big man is 6-foot-6, 313 pounds, and started at right guard and left tackle for the Buckeyes. He could truly play four line positions at the next level, meaning that Johnson Jr. could fill the role of left tackle of the future while also starting somewhere else as a rookie if need be.
The current Commanders offensive line consists of left tackle Charles Leno Jr., left guard Andrew Norwell, center Nick Gates, right guard Sam Cosmi, and right tackle Andrew Wylie. This is a solid group, but putting Johnson Jr. somewhere on this line after a training camp battle would make it that much better.
TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah
The Commanders will have a nice stable of weapons in 2023 for Sam Howell or whoever is under center for the team. The running back duo of Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson and the wide receiver trio of Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samuel are both among the best in the league.
One place the offense is weaker is at tight end. Logan Thomas is still a good player, but at 32, when the 2023 season starts, how many years does he have left in him?
The Commanders' draft needs at the 2023 NFL Draft include a tight end, and this TE class is one of the deepest position groups in the pool this year. So, even though a solid TE could be available later, why not take the best pass-catching one available?
Utah’s Dalton Kincaid isn’t the all-around TE that Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer is. But if you are looking for a glorified big WR type, Kincaid is the best prospect available. At 6-foot-4, 246 pounds, Kincaid is a move tight end who can play alone as the primary TE or with Thomas.
With all the attention the other Commanders' weapons demand, too, Kincaid can immediately become an impact player.
