2022 NFL Draft: Commanders pre-draft rumors roundup before Day 1
By Jerry Trotta
The Washington Commanders are just hours away from making their first-round selection. With the No. 11 overall pick and the first 10 picks being as unpredictable as any draft in recent memory, the possibilities are endless.
In a vacuum, the draft’s foremost experts and even team insiders have found it impossible to predict who will go first overall or how many QBs will get taken in the first round. All of the mock drafts are a reflection of that.
Like most teams, Washington will have to adjust on the fly and react to how the board unfolds, whether it be beneficial or suboptimal. What happens if the top receivers AND Kyle Hamilton are both off the board?
What happens if they can choose between Hamilton, Drake London, Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley? With Ron Rivera being outspoken about wanting to protect Carson Wentz, what if one of the top tackles is available?
These are all relevant questions, and ones that Rivera and GM Martin Mayhew have likely laid out countless times over the last few months. They’re not easy calls to make, but that’s why they get paid the big bucks, right?
With so much unknown, let’s dive into a little pre-draft rumors roundup to see if we can establish some closure before things get underway.
Within the past week, as the draft has drawn closer, multiple teams in the top half of the draft have inquired with others to try to trade back in the first round, per sources. So far, the interest in moving back in Thursday’s draft has greatly exceeded the interest in moving up.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 25, 2022
What should the Commanders do with their first-round pick?
We already touched on this report, but it bears repeating as a potential trade back, whether Washington’s involved or not, could shake up the team’s draft plans. Additionally, the Commanders fit the bill of a team in the top half of the draft, so maybe the front office has something up its sleeve.
It’s something to keep an eye on, for sure.
Next up is the polarizing topic of Kyle Hamilton. Not polarizing in the sense that we question his talent. We’ve just noticed fans butting heads about whether the Notre Dame star would be the right pick for Washington at No. 11 overall when the team’s decision-makers could find a Buffalo nickel in the second round.
If you asked NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, he wouldn’t think twice about drafting Hamilton that early if he’s there.
"Yeah, for me he would (be a must-draft). I know teams have different varying opinions I should say on the value not only of safeties, but when you take into account that maybe he didn’t run as fast as everybody would have hoped with Hamilton. But again, he’s my fifth player. I couldn’t pass on him at that point in time. Whatever the knocks are, this is just too good of a value."
Jeremiah added that Garrett Wilson is the only receiver he would take ahead of Hamilton, including Jameson Williams and Drake London.
"“I would take Kyle Hamilton knowing you’ve still got other options here. You’ll be able to find some guys. You’re not desperate at that position. They’ve got wideouts. They’ve got some talent there. To me I would probably just sit there and take best available.”"
Speaking of wideouts, another prominent draft experts believes Washington should go a different route with their first-round pick.