Commanders take QB with top-five pick in PFF’s latest mock draft

It’s only six games, but Washington Commanders fans might already be looking forward to next year’s NFL Draft. Entering Week 6, the Commanders -33 point differential is the second-worst in the league. If that was the ultimate tiebreaker, Washington would have the fifth-worst record.

And despite being winless, Houston only has a -13 point differential.

But we digress. Let’s talk the draft. At this rate, the Commanders are headed for at worst a top 10 pick in the 2023 showcase. If the season ended today, they’d own a top-10 pick. It’s unclear if the current regime will still be around to oversee the draft, but the team’s current position opens an interesting conversation.

With so many needs on the roster, including offensive line, cornerback and linebacker, they could go several different directions in Round 1. One thing all fans can agree on, though, is not spending another first-round pick on a defensive linemen.

But what about a quarterback? Might not be a crazy idea if Carson Wentz continues on his current trajectory and Sam Howell isn’t ready to start.

In Pro Football Focus’ latest mock draft, analyst Mike Renner has the Commanders taking Kentucky’s Will Levis with the No. 5 pick.

Commanders take Kentucky QB Will Levis in latest PFF mock draft.

"“Hailing from a pro-style offense with all the physical tools you could want at the position, Levis is an evaluator’s dream,” Renner wrote. “It’s worrisome that he has more turnover-worthy plays (six) than big-time throws (three) this season, but a prospective team is likely banking on what he could become. He could even learn for a year behind Carson Wentz if the Commanders choose to bring the veteran back (what not to do, of course).”"

The dig at Wentz wasn’t necessary, but it’s a fair point by Renner. Through four games, Wentz hasn’t showed anything to suggest he’s the long-term answer. In fact, all of the quarterback’s flaws that drove Philadelphia and Indianapolis (after just one season) to trade Wentz have already reared their ugly head, including poor pocket awareness, wonky accuracy, and just woeful decision-making.

Levis is very much a developmental prospect, but NFL scouts are enamored with his physical intangibles. One NFL personnel director, who’s scouted Levis and watched him perform live this season, told ESPN’s Chris Lowe he sees a lot of Josh Allen in the Kentucky QB as far as “arm strength, athletic ability and physical size.”

Like Levis, Allen was very raw coming out of Wyoming in 2018. The Bills superstar admittedly landed in the perfect spot in Buffalo. Do you trust Washington’s current regime to develop Levis into a stud?

That’s up for debate, but the idea of the Commanders taking a quarterback isn’t farfetched if GM Martin Mayhew and Ron Rivera are let go. If the new regime steps in, they might want to do so with their handpicked quarterback.

With all due respect to Wentz, what newly-hired general manager would want to tie his or her job security to a volatile QB who refuses to change his style of play?

It’s impossible to predict what happens six months from now, but we wouldn’t rule out the Commanders taking a quarterback in 2023 if they’re in a position to take Levis — a consensus top-three QB along with Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s CJ Stroud — and Wentz doesn’t show improvement.