Commanders 7-round 2023 NFL mock draft: Striking lucky edition

Commanders draft Will Mallory

• Tight End | Miami Hurricanes

One of the biggest conundrums facing Eric Bieniemy during his first season with the Washington Commanders is finding better productivity at the tight end position. There’s a chance the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator rolls with the current options, but this is a deep draft class that shouldn’t be dismissed entirely.

Bieniemy relied heavily on the tight end position producing the goods during his glittering spell with the Kansas City Chiefs. Not many turn out to be Travis Kelce, obviously, but Will Mallory could be a high-value option to consider on Day 3 that can rapidly emerge into a productive performer under the play-caller’s guidance.

Mallory has eye-catching athleticism and caught the attention of scouts at Miami’s pro day with an outstanding demonstration of exactly this. He is the prototypical size for an NFL tight end and has the versatility to line up anywhere in pursuit of creating the mismatches needed.

The prospect represents a big-bodied presence that can assist across the middle with relative comfort as a chain mover. Mallory is also a red-zone weapon thanks to his wide catch radius and ability to get the football from its highest point.

While Mallory is a work in progress from a blocking standpoint, there’s a lot to like overall. And there would be no better place for any tight end hopeful to land thanks to Bieniemy’s presence.