Commanders 7-round 2023 NFL mock draft: Final countdown edition

Commanders draft Juice Scruggs

• Offensive Line | Penn State Nittany Lions

The offensive line has two new starting options in the form of Nick Gates and Andrew Wylie. In this scenario, the Washington Commanders have already added another after taking Anton Harrison in the first round, which should help enormously.

One cannot dismiss the possibility of another piece coming into the organization a little later in the draft. Those currently on the depth chart haven’t exactly shone of late, so an injection of energy from a deep class of interior linemen is almost assured at some stage.

Juice Scruggs is a fascinating prospect worthy of consideration. The Penn State product was utilized primarily as a center throughout his stint in college, but there seems to be enough athleticism for a transition to one of the guard positions if Washington sees fit.

Scruggs’ main asset is his quickness to get off the block and to the point of contact. He is a powerful presence with heavy hands that finishes off plays with ruthless efficiency that’s hard not to love, boasting enough core functional strength to keep opposing linemen at bay more often than not.

While Scruggs might not have a big ceiling, he’s as dependable as they come. There’s nothing flashy about his work, but the prospect does the little things well and could become a core depth piece at worst with additional technical refinement.