Commanders get steal in first round of ESPN’s new mock draft

The Washington Commanders’ personnel is in great shape heading into the offseason. With the defensive line, wide receiver, running back, and safety positions representing the roster’s biggest strengths, the front office doesn’t have to search far and wide for prospects that could help plug the remaining holes.

Quarterback is obviously the biggest question mark, but Washington has flexibility with Carson Wentz’s contract. They could ditch Wentz, and re-sign Taylor Heinicke to battle with 2022 fifth-rounder Sam Howell. Bottom line is they aren’t taking a QB in the first round unless “their guy” falls into their lap.

Linebacker is a tricky one, but Cole Holcomb could re-sign, and Jamin Davis’ Year 2 ascension has quelled a lot of concerns about the position’s outlook.

At the end of the day, cornerback and offensive line are the roster’s most glaring pitfalls. This is where the “best player available” strategy makes sense. Take the highest-ranked player on your board, and draft the next position with your next pick.

That’s exactly what the Commanders did in ESPN expert Todd McShay’s initial mock draft. Wedged between the Giants and Titans at No. 21 overall, McShay has Washington taking Georgia corner Kelee Ringo in the first round.

ESPN mock draft has the Commanders taking Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo in the first round.

Here’s what McShay said of the pick (subscription required).

"Here come all the corners in a hurry! Washington moved on from the struggling William Jackson III at the trade deadline and now needs depth at cornerback. Ringo has the length at 6-foot-2 and man coverage skills to perfectly fit Jack Del Rio’s defense and help boost the Commanders’ takeaway count (seven interceptions this season, tied for 24th). He has great speed, and I’m expecting him to rise draft boards after he shows off those wheels at the combine."

Ringo has a penchant for being overaggressive in man coverage, but that might be his biggest flaw. And what immensely-gifted corner doesn’t love gambling every now and then? Explosive athletes are becoming a commonality among cornerbacks, and Ringo checks every box in that regard. He’s battle-tested in the SEC, which breeds NFL wideouts, and can thrive on the boundary or in the nickel.

At pick No. 21, Ringo is the top CB available in McShay’s mock. In order, Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. (No. 16) and Christian Gonzalez (No. 19) were off the board. South Carolina’s Cam Smith, another option for Washington, went No. 23 to the Chargers, Utah’s Clark Phillips went No. 25 to the Ravens, and Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon landed with the Bengals at No. 26 overall.

Porter vs Smith is an interesting debate, but the Commanders would likely be thrilled with either prospect.

In terms of offensive linemen, however, McShay only had four drafted before Washington at No. 21: Northwestern OT Peter Skoronski (No. 7), Ohio State OT Paris Johnson Jr. (No. 9), Georgia OT Broderick Jones (No. 15), and Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence (No. 17).

Again, depending on who’s available, the Commanders could go offensive linemen in Round 1, and pivot to cornerback with their next pick. While there isn’t a surefire superstar at corner in the 2023 class like Sauce Garder in 2022, the position boasts more first-round prospects than it did last year.

The opposite can be said for the offensive line. In 2022, Ikem Ekwonu, Evan Neal, Charles Cross, Keynon Green, Zion Johnson, Tyler Linderbaum, Tyler Smith, and Trevor Penning all came off the board in the first round.

What do you think, Commanders fans? Would you be happy with Ringo in Round 1? Would you prefer another corner, or is offensive line such a big weakness that the front office should punt on a CB and take the best available OL?

Potential offensive free agent targets for Commanders in 2023

The Commanders' offensive personnel is in good shape, but they might think about pursuing these free agents during the 2023 offseason.