5 quarterbacks the Commanders could select in the 2023 NFL Draft
By Jonathan Eig
Which quarterbacks could the Washington Commanders potentially target when the 2023 NFL Draft rolls around?
The Washington Commanders might go in one of several directions with their first-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft. If they stay at No. 16, an offensive tackle or cornerback is most likely.
Should they trade back, an interior lineman or (their denials notwithstanding) a tight end could come into play. And if Bijan Robinson remains on the board whenever they pick, they may feel it impossible to pass on such a game-changing running back. But one thing we can be certain the Commanders will not be doing: they will not be selecting a quarterback.
By the time they are picking, the four top prospects – Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis, and Anthony Richardson – will be long gone.
If history is any indication, one of them will be a star – my money is on the kid from Alabama. One will be a flop – my money is on Richardson. The others will float about, and if put in the right situation, could become top-tier passers.
But the Commanders won’t have any of them. Even if they were inclined to trade up – and there is little indication that they are – it would be almost impossible. Too many teams with more attractive draft assets also need a quarterback. The asking price would be extraordinary.
The Commanders will roll this season with Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett. I make it a 75 percent chance that the former fifth-round pick takes the majority of the snaps. The free-agent pickup has a 25% chance.
If anyone else ends up taking the majority of the snaps in 2023, it would be best for local fans to start preparing for the 2024 DC Defenders season. Because that would spell catastrophe.
That said, the Commanders may draft a quarterback this year. As much as I’d love to see them throw a dart at Hendon Hooker on Day 2, that doesn’t seem likely right now.
It seems far more likely that they will look for a young developmental signal-caller on Day 3. Such a player would compete with Jake Fromm to be the third option on the roster.
Washington has had either formal or informal meetings with about ten quarterbacks at this point. Here are five to keep an eye on.