The 2025 NFL Draft is inching closer, and the Washington Commanders have the ability to vastly improve their roster during the process.
A great draft class could propel the Commanders to true Super Bowl contention. In this mock scenario, the perfect player to fill the void left at safety falls to Washington in the first round.
During free agency, general manager Adam Peters improved the roster and brought back the players he deemed necessary for the right price. However, there are still holes that have been there since last season and were re-opened during the offseason.
The Commanders currently have five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft to fill the various holes. Peters would like to get that number up, but that's where Washington stands right now.
Washington lost one of its few bright spots on the defensive side of the ball in free agency. It was widely expected that Jeremy Chinn would get another deal, but he signed a two-year agreement with the Las Vegas Raiders instead.
Peters signed Will Harris on a two-year deal to attempt to replace Chinn. Although the veteran is a fine player and can be a competent replacement, there could be a better option out there.
Commanders projected to select Nick Emmanwori in Field Yates' mock draft
Field Yates from ESPN recently released a two-round mock draft. The analyst had the Commanders taking the perfect replacement for Chinn. The pick was South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori at No. 29 overall.
"The Commanders added veteran defensive back Will Harris in free agency to replace Jeremy Chinn, but Emmanwori could have some appeal to their defensive staff, given Dan Quinn's history of using safeties in creative ways. Emmanwori's physical tools are off the charts; he ran a 4.38 in the 40 at the combine despite weighing 220 pounds. He also jumped 43 inches in the vertical. Emmanwori is a menace with the football in his hands and took two of his four interceptions to the house last season."Field Yates
The first thing you realize when watching Emmanwori is how quick and athletic he is for his size. He stands at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, but ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash and had a 43-inch vertical at the NFL Scouting Combine. Those are cream-of-the-crop numbers for a safety prospect no matter how big or small.
Emmanwori racked up 90 tackles, 19 defensive stops, four interceptions, and three pass breakups last season. while only allowing 200 receiving yards and zero touchdowns. He earned a 79.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus for his efforts.
The Gamecock prospect plays just as fast as his NFL Scouting Combine testing indicates. This elite speed allows him to shoot downfield like a missile and punish ballcarriers. It makes him a dominant force in run support.
Due to his superb ability to process what the offense is doing, Emmanwori's speed also allows him to blow up gaps on run plays and screens immediately. He is a headache for offensive play-callers trying to game plan against him.
Although he can be a liability in zone schemes, it can be developed. Emmanwori makes up for this with his ball skills and ability in man coverage. He also has a notable athletic edge when matching up against tight ends.
Emmanwori would be a dream for Dan Quinn. The head coach would be able to use him like a chess piece in defensive packages and create nightmares for offenses with him.
Whether he'll be around by the time Washington goes on the clock is another matter.
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