Commanders 7-round 2023 NFL mock draft 10.0: Trading Daron Payne

Which way could the Commanders go with their 2023 NFL Draft selections if they decided to acquire extra capital by trading Daron Payne?

A quick look at the calendar on your refrigerator reminds you that the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City is coming next month. The college all-star games are in the history books and each of the prospects had one final opportunity to impress NFL teams on the playing field.

The Washington Commanders coaches and front office are looking to fill three major needs in the draft.

The NFL Scouting Combine is over as players endeavored to impress NFL teams with their skill sets and knowledge of the game in interviews. Pro Days are just around the corner and the top 30 meetings begin very soon.

Welcome to Mock 10.0 and our latest look at college prospects. With the hiring of new assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy from the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, the offense suddenly becomes a major focal point in the offseason.

This mock draft will reflect that change.

Washington placed the franchise tag on defensive tackle Daron Payne recently and it gives the front office several options. First, he can play with the tag in place for 2023. Second, the team has the option to work out a long-term deal. Finally, Washington can negotiate a trade for Payne.

Commanders trade Daron Payne to the Cincinnati Bengals

The deal is for Cincinnati’s first-round pick in the draft and a fourth-round selection in 2024. The Bengals understand that the Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be a factor in the AFC for many years as they add a sack specialist.

With two first-round picks for the Commanders, let’s jump right to Mock 10.0.

Commanders draft Darnell Wright

• Offensive Tackle | Tennessee Volunteers

Here is an interesting observation from the NFL Scouting Combine in the last few days. The Washington Commanders met with 33 players formally and 20 of them were offensive linemen.

This fits a pattern that we witnessed at this time last year when wide receivers were given the most attention in formal meetings. Current wide receiver Jahan Dotson was selected in the first round and history could repeat itself in the coming weeks.

Darnell Wright is a right tackle and would be a starter from Day 1. This draft choice would shift current right tackle Sam Cosmi to right guard to form a powerful tandem.

When Wright gets to the second level in the rushing offense, he can make a narrow lane become a wide interstate highway. In pass pro, the former Tennessee standout is able to use his massive body and long arms to stop the best pass rushers in their tracks.

Washington selected Dotson a bit earlier than the original projections last year. Taking Wright at this juncture would be a similar tactic that should pay huge dividends for many years.

Tape/games to watch:

Vanderbilt, Clemson, Kentucky, Alabama, and Pittsburgh.

Commanders trade their additional first-round pick

Washington is able to facilitate a trade with the Green Bay Packers and acquire their second and third-round draft picks. The Commanders now own 11 choices.

Commanders draft Julius Brents

• Cornerback | Kansas State Wildcats

There were a number of prospects that elevated their draft status at the NFL Scouting Combine and Julius Brents was certainly one of those. He is a physical cornerback and plays quicker than his straight-line speed would indicate.

Brents would be a solid fit in Washington Commanders’ defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio’s zone scheme. With a wing span of nearly seven feet, he is continuously disruptive to opposing receivers on the boundary and especially in the red zone.

He compares favorably to last year’s rookie phenom, Tariq Woolen.

Tape/games to watch:

Kansas, Baylor, Iowa State, West Virginia, and Texas Tech,

Commanders draft Steve Avila

• Offensive Guard | TCU Horned Frogs

The Commanders must love Steve Avila. They met with him multiple times at the Senior Bowl and both sides were truly enamored with one another.

The love affair continued at the NFL Scouting Combine when team officials met with Avila formally for the entire 20-minute time limit. The interest on both sides seems truly genuine.

Avila is very quick coming off the line and is solid in pass protection. He is agile at the initial point of attack and will need to work at being effective in open space downfield.

Tape/games to watch:

Kansas State, Texas Tech, Iowa State, Texas, and Baylor.

Commanders draft Tyjae Spears

• Running Back | Tulane Green Wave

It came as a mild surprise when the Washington Commanders selected Alabama running back Brian Robinson in the 2022 NFL Draft. Don’t be surprised if the Burgundy and Gold add another in the third round next month.

The team is likely to move on from J.D. McKissic. Antonio Gibson will probably continue his migration to being more of a receiving back under Eric Bieniemy.

Tyjae Spears burst onto the college football scene and helped to propel Tulane to a magical season. With his elusiveness, superb footwork, and solid vision as the play develops, Spears is a good complement to Robinson and they could be a formidable tandem.

Tape/games to watch:

Southern California (Cotton Bowl), Houston, Cincinnati, Tulsa, and Central Florida.

Commanders draft Dorian Williams

• Linebacker | Tulane Green Wave

Like Spears, Dorian Williams was a major factor in Tulane’s special season as well. He steadily improved throughout the year, including a solid outing in the Green Wave’s stunning upset of USC in the Cotton Bowl.

Williams is at his best covering tight ends, slot receivers, and running backs on medium routes and passes over the middle. His pass rush is above average and he is good against the run.

Tape/games to watch:

Memphis, Alcorn State, Central Florida (twice, including conference championship), and Houston.

Commanders draft Olusegun Oluwatimi

• Center | Michigan Wolverines

Olusegun Oluwatimi began his football career at the Air Force Academy, but he didn’t receive any playing time. After his lone year with the Falcons, he transferred to Virginia and anchored the Cavaliers’ stout offensive line for three seasons.

In his third season, Virginia’s quarterback was one of the top passers in the nation. Oluwatimi transferred to Michigan for his final year of eligibility and as a result, Virginia’s offensive production suffered greatly in 2022.

Oluwatimi was widely considered to be the true leader on the offensive line for the Cavaliers and Wolverines. Extensive experience and strong leadership will be the two main attributes that should serve him well at the next level.

His intelligence is not to be questioned. That is to be expected after attending three highly respected academic institutions over the last five years.

Oluwatimi is solid in all phases of the offense and he is also durable. However, life in the NFL is much more difficult and he should add about five to ten pounds of muscle to his frame.

It will take him a few games or possibly an entire season to adjust to life in the NFL as a lineman. But Oluwatimi could eventually be the top center in this class, which is an area the Washington Commanders could upgrade.

Tape/games to watch:

Ohio State, Purdue, Rutgers, Colorado State, and Indiana.

Commanders draft Aubrey Miller Jr.

• Linebacker | Jackson State Tigers

Coming out of high school several years ago, Aubrey Miller Jr. was a four-star recruit and signed with Missouri. He faced major competition during his two-year stay with the Tigers and generated little playing time.

He decided to transfer to Jackson State and play for legendary NFL cornerback Deion Sanders, who took the HBCU program to new heights and became an FCS powerhouse in just three seasons.

Miller benefited greatly from the change in scenery and thrived with his new team. He received an invitation to the Senior Bowl and had a solid week of practice against many quality players from Power 5 conference programs.

The linebacker probably rates as a sixth-rounder at this juncture, but his draft stature has been slowly rising. The upcoming team pro day and private workouts should help Miller’s status over the remainder of this pre-draft process. He is a physical player and will provide reliable depth in his first season.

Look for Miller to quickly become a special teams ace from Day 1. He is a leader on and off the field and linebacker is one of three main needs for the Washington Commanders.

Miller is a good option here.

Tape/games to watch:

Alabama State, Campbell, Grambling, Southern University, and Tennessee State.

Commanders draft Andrew Vorhees

• Offensive Guard | USC Trojans

The game of football can be very rewarding and it can be very cruel. Before the NFL Scouting Combine, Andrew Vorhees was widely considered to be a third or fourth-round prospect and then the unthinkable happened.

On the next to last day of the Combine, the former USC standout tore his ACL during drills. He went on to post an impressive 38 reps at 225 pounds the very next day. Obviously, he will be on the injured reserve list for the 2023 season.

If the Washington Commanders choose to draft Vorhees at this juncture, they are investing in the future and it would be a wise investment. He is excellent in pass pro and is able to regularly open wide running lanes.

Tape/games to watch:

California, Stanford, Colorado, Washington State, and Fresno State.

Commanders draft Trey Dean III

• Safety/Linebacker | Florida Gators

The front office has made it known that they are looking for depth behind strong safety Kamren Curl and Trey Dean III can be that guy. The Buffalo nickel/hybrid role is coveted by many NFL teams today and Washington is no exception.

Dean can provide depth and can also serve as a special teams gunner.

Tape/games to watch:

South Carolina, Oregon State, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and Texas A&M.

Commanders draft Clayton Tune

• Quarterback | Houston

The Washington Commanders are widely expected to sign a veteran signal-caller when free agency begins next week. Sam Howell has the inside track to be the 2023 starter and a late-round quarterback could also be on the agenda for the front office.

Also, another quarterback could be signed immediately following the draft – an undrafted free agent (UDFA).

Clayton Tune possesses the prototypical size for an NFL quarterback. But he lacks the arm strength and downfield accuracy to be considered nothing more than a late-Day 3 pick.

However, he is accurate within the perimeter on shorter and intermediate routes. Some scouting services have placed Tune as a fourth or fifth-round prospect, but that is way too optimistic.

The Houston Cougars run an RPO and Air Raid type of offense and it is very quarterback friendly. This system has allowed Tune to artificially inflate his numbers, but he does have potential at the next level – especially if the new system features RPO mixed with an old-style West Coast offense.

Tune flashes enough talent and is worthy of being chosen in this round.

Tape/games to watch:

Tulsa, East Carolina, South Florida, Louisiana, and Rice.

There is the latest mock draft from yours truly. Mock 11.0 will come one week after the beginning of free agency. See you as we go along.