Sunday, March 13, 2022

Washington Commanders 2022 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 5.0

Throughout the year and leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft, we will update our Washington Commanders Mock Draft Roundup showing picks for the Washington Commanders from several prominent sites and draft analysts.

The following are picks in recent mock drafts for the Commanders:

SI - Hanson (3/11)

11. Drake London, WR, USC

With the Commanders' trading for Carson Wentz, it's much less likely that they'll use this pick on Kenny Pickett (as they did in my Mock 1.0) or any other quarterback. Last season, injuries limited tight end Logan Thomas and wide receiver Curtis Samuel to only 294 and 84 offensive snaps, respectively, but Terry McLaurin (1,053 yards) was the Commanders' only pass catcher to exceed 400 yards.

Previously a member of USC's basketball team as well, London uses his 6'5" frame and large catch radius to turn contested catches into his advantage. London had 88 catches for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns before his season was cut short by an ankle injury.

Fun side note: Wentz will have three "revenge games" (Philly twice and Indy once) in 2022.

CBS Sports - Fornelli (3/11)

11. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

While opinions on Stingley vary wildly, the overall consensus is that he's a remarkable talent. However, there are questions about his "desire." Some teams feel he isn't physical enough, while others question his decision to shut it down in 2021 following an injury. Some of the concerns are warranted, but there were similar concerns about other LSU players like Leonard Fournette and Ja'Marr Chase, and those picks worked out all right. It's not Washington's biggest need, but it could prove a brilliant choice.

San Diego Union Tribune - Brown (3/10)

11. Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa

The Commanders dealt for Carson Wentz so I doubt they will invest this pick in the position. They could lose some significant contributors to its offensive line in free agency, which would knock wide receiver and cornerback down a notch on their list of priorities. Penning finished tied for 10th in the Walter Payton Award voting, an award given to the most outstanding offensive player in Division I FCS. He faced superior competition in Mobile for the Senior Bowl and didn't flinch while showcasing his athleticism at the combine.

The Draft Network - Crabbs (3/9)

11. Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

Willis is off the board regardless here, but with Washington pulling the plug on their aspirations for a big name at QB and their original pick at QB no longer on the board, we're going to go land an ideal pass-catcher to pair with Terry McLaurin in Jameson Williams. Suddenly this skill group looks quite loaded.

ESPN - McShay (3/9)

11. Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah

Well, the Commanders certainly no longer need a quarterback after trading for Carson Wentz. That changes things when it comes to the draft, since I had Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh) heading that way this morning before the deal was reported. The pivot has to be to the defense, which was 27th in yards per play allowed (5.7), 29th in opponent QBR (52.9) and 25th in points against (25.5) last season. Sure, the Commanders used a 2021 first-rounder on Jamin Davis, but his rookie season was up-and-down, and Lloyd's sideline-to-sideline range and versatility can help Washington in a bunch of areas. Lloyd filled the stat sheet with impact numbers in all facets of the game, registering 96 tackles, 8.0 sacks, 20 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions and 7 passes broken up last year.

NFL.com - Zierlein (3/8)

11. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

The choice here could be between QB Kenny Pickett, OG Kenyon Green and Wilson. Washington goes with the highest-graded player at a position of need.

Touchdown Wire - Schofield (3/8)

11. Matt Corral, QB, Mississippi

Washington could be another team that tests the veteran quarterback market, but with Taylor Heinicke already in place as perhaps that option, the Commanders might decide that now is the time to dip back into the rookie quarterback market. Matt Corral might face some questions about transitioning to an NFL offense and leaving Lane Kiffin's play calling behind, but he brings to the table some of the things that you cannot teach at the position, namely his ability to respond to multiple points of pressure in the pocket and make throws from a variety of different platforms under duress. With Heinicke in place Washington can give him a little breathing room to ease into an NFL system.

Plus, the growth that Corral showed the past two years, in cutting down the mistakes, will endear him to Ron Rivera and the Washington coaching staff. So too will his leadership qualities, which he put on display during his media session at the Combine.

MORE TEAMS: All NFL Team Mock Draft Roundups

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