General manager Adam Peters doesn't have many draft picks at his disposal this year. But the Washington Commanders did manage to get one back in return after trading running back Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Commanders gave Robinson countless opportunities in Year 1 under head coach Dan Quinn. His production was solid enough, but nothing that would have warranted a long-term commitment. Jacory Croskey-Merritt's summer surge cast another cloud on his future, and Peters decided to call time on this experiment.
Robinson was shipped to the Niners for a sixth-round selection, which turned out to be No. 209 overall. And a respected Commanders' insider had Peters spending this pick on an overlooked playmaker who could become an absolute steal.
Commanders use Brian Robinson Jr. trade pick on Zavion Thomas in new mock draft
Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic chose LSU wide receiver Zavion Thomas at No. 209 overall in the final mock draft. She highlighted his speed to stretch the field, big-play potential, and special-teams prowess as reasons this might be a risk worth taking for Washington.
"[Zavion] Thomas gives them another big-play threat, thanks to his speed (4.28 40 at the combine), his ability to win at the line of scrimmage and his competitive fire. He also gives the Commanders another option in the return game; Thomas returned two kicks and one punt for touchdowns during his time at Mississippi State and LSU.
"A Mississippi State transfer, Thomas lined up primarily outside (79 percent) at LSU and collected the majority of his yardage (55 percent) after the catch for an average of 6.3 YAC per reception."
The Commanders would be wise to take a receiver much higher than this. Peters may take two; there is just no telling for sure in one of the more unpredictable drafts in recent memory.
Thomas racked up 64 receptions for 706 receiving yards and six touchdowns during his two seasons with the Tigers. Not exactly elite-level production, but teams don't primarily draft based on college output. They care much more about what a prospect could become in the pros with further development, which makes this an intriguing Day 3 possibility to mold over time.
There is a lot to like, but there are also several flaws. Thomas is one of the quickest receivers in this class. He is a significant threat after the catch, boasting the competitive fire and versatility that only adds to the intrigue. And as Jhabvala stated, he's a home-run threat in the return game from the moment he gets into the NFL.
The wideout isn't the biggest, which limits his ceiling. Thomas's route tree is limited and needs refinement. There are also concerns about why he wasn't able to put up better numbers in college with the athletic gifts at his disposal.
Even so, Thomas' ceiling is high. And if the Commanders believe it's the right thing to do, David Blough's scheme could provide the spark.
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