Commanders mock draft: What if a top QB falls to them at 16?

Published Apr. 20, 2023 12:07 p.m. ET

There are a lot of reasons why the Washington Commanders are committed to having Sam Howell as their quarterback next season. One big reason is because their other options were mostly unappealing.

They did not want to ride on the quarterback carousel again and find another Carson Wentz-like veteran trying to reclaim his career. Lamar Jackson and Aaron Rodgers were certainly better options, but like it or not, they deemed the price of them to be far too high. And while finding a quarterback in the draft was definitely a more viable option, picking in the middle of the first round was problematic. They knew it wouldn't put them within reach of the top quarterbacks in this year's draft class.

But what if they're wrong? What if one of the top quarterbacks slips all the way to them at pick No. 16?

That's the scenario explored in this Commanders 7-round mock draft, version 2.0, where one of the four best quarterbacks in the Class of '23 slips farther than expected and leaves the Commanders with a tough decision to make:

First round, No. 16 overall: Kentucky QB Will Levis

They'd have to take him, right?

If you believe the experts and almost every NFL source I know, Alabama's Bryce Young, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and Florida's Anthony Richardson aren't getting out of the top 10 — probably not even out of the top 5. But Levis is another story. He could certainly go to Tennessee at 11 or Houston at 12. But if he gets past them there's not an obvious landing spot for him until Tampa Bay at 19.

Some NFL sources — though not many — think there's a chance he could slip all the way out of the first round.

But if he's sitting there at 16, how could the Commanders say no to the best arm in the draft and a player who so many have compared to Buffalo's Josh Allen? Maybe they have good reason to love Howell's potential, but he's a fifth-round pick and their investment in him is small. Why not bring in Levis and let the two of them battle it out?

I'm not 100 percent sure they would, but I think they should. The 6-foot-4, 229-pound Levis has been outstanding in his two seasons as the Wildcats starter after transferring from Penn State. He threw for 43 touchdowns and ran for 11 more. Yes, he did throw 23 interceptions leading to all sorts of questions about his accuracy. But he also completed 65.7 percent of his passes in those two seasons.

You know who else was criticized for having a strong, but inaccurate arm in college before he was drafted? Buffalo's Josh Allen. And everyone knows how that worked out for the Bills.

Maybe Levis will never be Allen, but the Commanders can't pass on talent like that. They're just not sure enough about Howell to do it. They won't even commit to Howell as their starter next season. They even guaranteed journeyman Jacoby Brissett $7.5 million for 2023 and offered him a chance to beat Howell out.

Given that uncertainty, passing on Levis would be another in a long line of errors for the Commanders at the quarterback position. They can't let a player like him slip through their grasp.

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Second round, No. 47 overall: Iowa TE Sam LaPorta

If they do draft a first-round quarterback they've got to make sure he's surrounded with the best weapons they can find. And the Commanders have built a pretty good arsenal at every position except tight end. They got mostly nothing out of Logan Thomas last season (39 catches, 323 yards, one touchdown) and he'll be 32 in July. LaPorta may not remind new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy of Travis Kelce, but the 6-3, 425-pounder has 4.59 speed and averaged 12 yards per catch for the Hawkeyes over the last two seasons. With Washington's talented receiving trio stretching the field, a tight end like LaPorta would be a great weapon underneath.

Third round, No. 97 overall: Illinois CB/S Jartavius Martin

The Commanders need depth at cornerback and safety, and the 5-11, 194-pound Martin provides both. He played just about everywhere in the defensive backfield for the Illini and there isn't much consensus among NFL scouts about where he can play in the pros. He's got the potential of a slot corner, an outside corner or a safety. He showed he had a nose for the ball with three interceptions last season and he impressed everyone with a 4.46 in the 40 at the combine. He'd fill a lot of different roles with the Commanders, all depending on how defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio thinks he fits best.

Fourth round, No. 118 overall: Ohio State C Luke Wypler

The Commanders have a lot of questions about the long-term future of their interior offensive line. Center is a particular problem, even after they signed Nick Gates away from the Giants. Gates is a fine, short-term answer at the position, but the Commanders need depth both at guard and center. And while it's not a great draft for centers, the 6-3, 303-pound Wypler would be great value here. He was a two-year starter for the Buckeyes and very athletic for someone his size.

Fifth round, No. 150 overall: Clemson Edge K.J. Henry

Their history suggests they will address this earlier than the fifth round, but edge rusher has to be addressed somewhere because it's a big need for the Commanders. It's possible both Montez Sweat and Chase Young will be entering the final year of their contract (if they don't pick up Young's fifth-year option) and there's not much depth behind them. At 6-4, 251, Henry is probably more of a linebacker than a defensive end. Then again, he's not all that much smaller than Young and Sweat, so it's all about how he's used.

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Sixth round, No. 193 overall: Mississippi G Nick Broeker

Ron Rivera said the offseason work on the offensive line is basically done, but he was talking more about the starting group than the overall depth. He knows they need more help in the interior, especially for the future. So even if they add a center or guard early, don't be surprised if they add another one late. The 6-4, 305-pound Broeker probably needs to add strength and work on his technique, but the potential to be a future starter is definitely there.

Sixth round, No. 215 overall: Northwestern RB Evan Hull

It's not yet clear exactly what Bieniemy's offense will look like and whether he'll lean on the running game as much as Rivera has always wanted to do. But they need depth behind Brian Robinson regardless, especially with Antonio Gibson in the final year of his contract and not thrilled with his secondary role. What the 5-9, 209-pound Hull brings is excellent straight-ahead speed (4.47) and a terrific ability as a receiver. He caught 88 passes for 810 yards and four touchdowns over the last two seasons for the Wildcats. Bieniemy can find room in his offense for passing-game production like that.

Seventh round, No. 233 overall: Duke LB Shaka Heyward

The Commanders need help and depth at linebacker, no doubt, and they could do worse than taking a late flyer on this aggressive, hard-hitting, 6-3, 235-pounder. He probably needs to bulk up to contribute on defense. But he was a terrific special teams player for the Blue Devils, and that's really what teams look for this late in the draft.

Ralph Vacchiano is the NFC East reporter for FOX Sports, covering the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.

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