2023 Mock Draft 1.0: Commanders take lockdown cornerback in Round 1
The Washington Commanders front office is continuously thinking about prospects for the future. Team scouts are undoubtedly attending college games each week and they are actively compiling a list of players who could be targets in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Team planning and building will never take a holiday or a vacation. The process of scouting players is a continual endeavor that consumes a lot of time and effort from coaches, front office personnel, and scouts from across the nation. Knowing that building a successful NFL team is a 24-7-365 marathon, yours truly has decided to bring you a mock draft today. Also, this is going to be the first of a new in-season series.
Welcome to the first in-season Commanders mock draft. This is going to be an adventure every two weeks during the season from this day forward. These mocks will allow you, the fans, to build your own prospect database in the coming weeks and months. Late April is seven months away, but it is never too late to take a look at potential future Commanders.
With that in mind, our focus today will be on current team needs. While it is difficult to know exactly how the front office in Ashburn will construct their draft board next winter and spring, we will start this particular process today.
Current team needs at this time are offensive line depth, defensive line depth, linebacker, and cornerbacks. For now, we are not concerned with the salary cap or what may happen in free agency next spring. We’re only focused on the 2023 draft. Let’s dive right in!
Commanders 2023 Mock Draft 1.0
Round One
***Trade***
For the second straight year, the Washington Commanders trade down in round one and gain second and sixth-round selections.
- Cam Smith, Cornerback, South Carolina
When in doubt, draft yourself a player from the Southeastern Conference – the best of the power five conferences. Cam Smith is one of the better corners in the nation. He is a junior this season, but there is a better than average chance he will enter the draft a year early.
Cornerback is very likely to be a major priority for Washington in April. The elite corners are typically found in the first round of each draft and the Commanders will need to address this position in the offseason.
Round Two
Carson Wentz is very likely to play more than 70% of the team snaps this season and this will require the Commanders to give their second-round pick to the Colts (via the trade earlier this year). However, they will retain the third-round selection and use the newly acquired second-round pick at this juncture
- Henry To’oTo’o, Linebacker, Alabama
The Burgundy and Gold head down to sweet home Alabama and continue a draft tradition of selecting Alabama players. To’oTo’o is the kind of linebacker that is sorely needed in Washington. He is solid in rushing defense. He is solid in pass defense.
With the first two draft choices, the Commanders are able to fill two huge needs on the defense, but they are not through just yet. More changes are needed on the defense.