5 wide receivers the Commanders could select in the 2023 NFL Draft

Commanders could draft Bryce Ford-Wheaton

Bryce Ford-Wheaton will be a draft-board riser based on his outstanding athleticism. During the college season, I think he may have been seen as a late Day 3 pick, or perhaps even an undrafted free agent. Now, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go in the fifth round.

If a team falls in love with the 6-foot-4, 221-pound wideout with 4.38-second speed, he might go in the fourth. It’s all about how the board plays out and which team deems the West Virginia product a good fit.

When you watch Ford-Wheaton, you don’t immediately see that speed. He is another glider, and though he is very dangerous in the open field, his challenge in the pros will be to prove he can separate from NFL cornerbacks.

He is very good at getting the football at its highest point, as you would expect from someone his size. What I like about Ford-Wheaton is his willingness to go down and grab low throws as well. You don’t often see that in a taller receiver.

Unlike Jake Bobo and Michael Jefferson, Ford-Wheaton projects as a legitimate outside Z receiver. He doesn’t seem like a sure enough thing to me to take in the fifth round, but were he there in the sixth, he would be a very good gamble for the Washington Commanders and one that could provide long-term upside.