Commanders Day 2 NFL mock draft: Brandon Aiyuk trade edition
By Dean Jones
Commanders draft D.J. James
- Cornerback | Auburn Tigers
- Round No. 3 | No. 67 overall
The Washington Commanders must also focus on the defensive side of things at some stage on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.'s presence in the war room will likely dictate as much. There are also a couple of glaring holes that must be addressed as a matter of urgency looking at how the depth chart looks right now.
One of these is the cornerback spot. The Commanders have serious questions to answer after Kendall Fuller left for the Miami Dolphins in free agency. Michael Davis should help as a situational presence, but going into the campaign with Emmanuel Forbes and Benjamin St-Juste as the outside coverage tandem represents a gamble of epic proportions.
There are still some enticing options available. The likes of Kool-Aid McKinstry and Cooper DeJean fell out of the first round, but it's highly unlikely they're going to last much longer looking at their respective talent levels. If the Commanders opt to wait until the third round, someone like D.J. James looks like decent value.
James put together a fantastic college career at Auburn and seems to be ascending at the right time. His capabilities in coverage are sensational more often than not, displaying the agility and football nuance to mirror opposing wide receivers at all three levels of the field with minimal fuss. The prospect's ball skills are opportunistic, making him a turnover threat when opportunities present themselves.
Once the player adds a little extra muscle mass and learns to be less aggressive in coverage, it's all systems go. James also looks like the sort of player Quinn and Whitt - two notorious defensive back developers - have had success with previously. With a smooth transition, there's nothing to suggest he couldn't play a key rotational role before emerging as a starting-caliber option during his rookie season.