Grading final three Washington Commanders mock drafts

When the middle of winter rolls around each year, a plethora of Washington Commanders‘ mock drafts appears on the internet and social media.  Grading the mock draft pundit returns once again.

The mock draft season is firmly in the rear-view mirror and analysts have been in draft evaluation mode in recent days.  Grading each team is another time-honored tradition, but we are taking a much different approach for you today.  Yes, it is time to grade yours truly.  This yearly tradition is a bit painful, but it is also transparent and brutally honest.

We will use three mocks to grade – the full final mock that was posted just over one week prior to the draft, the “day two” mock, and the “day three” mock.  The formula that will be used is taking all three mocks collectively into consideration and grading the picks and trades.  Let’s see how it all measured up!

Round One

***Team Decision

• Trade – the Washington Commanders traded from pick number eleven and landed the sixteenth overall selection.
• The choice – Jahan Dotson, Wide Receiver

***The Mock Drafts

*Final Mock Draft

• The choice – Drake London, Wide Receiver.  A partial hit for predicting a wide receiver.
• Trade – A trade was predicted in the next round, a partial hit.

Grade: C

Round Two

***Team Decision

• The Choice – Phidarian “Phil” Mathis, Defensive Tackle

***The Mock Drafts

*Final Mock Draft

• A trade – Adding picks in the later rounds.  This occurred in the first round.  A partial hit.
• The Choice – Troy Andersen, Linebacker – This is a miss.

*Day Two Mock

• The Choice – Jalen Pitre, Defensive Back – This is a miss.

Grade: D-

Round Three

***Team Decision

• The Choice – Brian Robinson, Jr., Running Back

***The Mock Drafts

*Final Mock Draft and Day Two Mock

• Breece Hall, Running Back – A partial hit twice for predicting a running back.

Grade: C+

https://twitter.com/Commanders/status/1522640600171954176

Round Four

***Team Decision

• The Choice – Percy Butler, Free Safety
• Trade – Adding two fifth round selections.

***The Mock Drafts

*Final Mock Draft

• Chris Paul, Offensive Guard – A faint, partial hit (chosen in the seventh round).
• Trade – No trade predicted.

*Day Two Mock

• The Choice – Darrian Beavers, Inside Linebacker – This is a miss.
• The Choice – Lecitus Smith, Offensive Guard – This was a total miss, did not anticipate a trade.
• Trade – No trade predicted – a miss.

*Day Three Mock

• Tariq Woolen, Cornerback – This is a miss.
• Trade – This was a direct hit.

Grade: C-

Round Five

***Team Decision

• The Choice – Sam Howell, Quarterback
• The Choice – Cole Turner, Tight End

***The Mock Drafts

*Final Mock Draft

• Trade – One did happen (one round earlier).  A partial hit.
• The Choice – Reed Blankenship, Buffalo Nickel/Free Safety – A complete and total miss.
• The Choice – Did not expect another pick in this round.  Complete miss.

*Day Two Mock

• No picks anticipated – A major disaster and total miss.

*Day Three Mock

• The Choice – Cordell Volson, Offensive Tackle/Guard – This is a miss.
• The Choice – Cole Turner, Tight End – With the trade (correctly predicted in round four) one round earlier, the sixth rounder was given to New Orleans.  Cole Turner was chosen, but he was our sixth round choice.  The trade made this pick actually happen.  This is a direct hit.

Grade: C-

Round Seven

***Team Decision

• The Choice – Chris Paul, Offensive Guard
• The Choice – Christian Holmes, Cornerback

***The Mock Drafts

*Final Mock Draft

• The Choice – Otito Ogbonnia, Defensive Tackle – This is a miss, but there is a slight hit with originally picking Chris Paul in the fourth round.
• The Choice – Jalen Wydermyer, Tight End – This is a miss.
• Trade Anticipated – Noah Elliss, Defensive Tackle – This is a miss on the anticipated trade and player.

*Day Two Mock

• The Choice – Jalen Wydermyer, Tight End – This is a miss.
• The Choice – Chance Campbell, Inside Linebacker – This is also a miss.

*Day Three Mock

• The Choice – Reed Blankenship, Strong Safety/Buffalo Nickel – This was an obvious miss.
• The Choice – Chance Campbell, Inside Linebacker – We close out with another miss.

Grade: F

Overall Grade

It was a below average year for this old brain, but there were two direct hits and that is something to build on for next year.  Predicting trades is a difficult endeavor, but to have a direct hit on one is rather special.

There were also plenty of misses and there are no excuses.  Yours truly will try to do better next year.

Grade: C-

Coming soon, we will have a 2023 mock draft and then it is on to the rest of this offseason.  See you as we go along.