Grading every Commanders pick from the 2023 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
How did each Washington Commanders grade out during what turned out to be another highly eventful 2023 NFL Draft for the franchise?
After a dramatic and exhausting three days, the Washington Commanders have their 2023 NFL Draft class. Ron Rivera and his staff stuck to their principles throughout, identifying needs and landing some top targets without sacrificing much in the way of capital, leaving the franchise with seven new faces that can hopefully transition well.
The Commanders did make one trade up the pecking order to ensure they got their hands on edge rusher K.J. Henry. However, those in power ended the speculation surrounding Chase Young’s future and also reaffirmed their faith in quarterback Sam Howell despite Will Levis and Hendon Hooker slipping into tempting areas.
There won’t be much time for Washington’s brass to bask in this glory. Senior figures return for the start of on-field voluntary workouts on Monday, with rookie minicamp, OTAs, and the team’s annual training camp also on the immediate horizon.
With the sale expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks, this is an exciting time for the Commanders. One that comes with genuine hope of sustainable, long-term success after languishing in mediocrity or worse for decades.
With that being said, we took a look at how things unfolded throughout the weekend and graded every pick from the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft class.