UKHTTC Draft '22 Round One Discussion

On the 28th of April 2022, the Washington Commanders will be taking another step in their goal of turning around a franchise that has flattered to deceive over the best part of twenty years.

Head Coach Ron Rivera has been in bullish mode this off-season, both in action and in words.

He has acquired QB Carson Wentz via trade with the Indianapolis Colts and the evidence points to Rivera having a strong belief that he now has his guy under centre for the burgundy & gold.

The NFL schedule in ’22 is less daunting than that which was thrown up in ’21 as a result of the NFC East divisional title. For Ron and the coaching staff in D.C, there will be high expectation that a play-off berth can be secured.

Getting the draft right would go some ways to achieving post-season football and here at UKHTTC, we took time out to discuss the Commanders pick in the first round of Draft 2022.

First up, regular contributor, Tony Wheat of Full Press Commanders

Washington has a number of potential directions that they can go in with the 11th overall pick of the draft. The team has a number of needs, and with this year’s draft lacking any stand out superstars, but flush with high quality players, it’s difficult to project how the draft will go in picks 1-10.

One thing that seems to be off the table now is a QB, at least in the first round. The trade for Carson Wentz means that he’s the man for 2022, and while that doesn’t guarantee that the Commanders won’t take Pickett/Willis if they’re available, there are likely to be players available that address immediate needs in premium positions.

My instinct is that the NFL is such an offense dominant league that the Commanders should be looking to offer Wentz some support in the form of more weapons. That would mean a wide receiver at 11. There are so many flavours of receiver available this year, it could depend on who the coaches prefer stylistically.

The big bodied, physical guys like Drake London or Treylon Burks would provide Wentz with guys who can dominate the contested catches and provide a nice contrast to the speed and precision of Terry McLaurin.

Then there are the likes of Garrett Wilson, Jahan Dotson, Chris Olave, and Jameson Williams, who could all be options, such is the depth of the receiver group. My preference would be Garrett Wilson which would give the Commanders an Ohio State Buckeye on each flank. Wilson clocked a 4.38 in the 40 at the combine and his speed and smooth route running should give the Commanders two quality options in the passing game.

Should the Commanders choose to look beyond the receiver position, the next target should be an elite cornerback, of which there are several in this draft.

Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardener may be gone by 11, but it’s so hard to predict how the top 10 will play out. He’s a big corner at 6ft 3 and 200lbs but is fast and hugely competitive. If he’s there at 11 and the top receivers remain on the board then it’ll be a tough choice.

Other options at the position include Derek Stingley and Trent McDuffie, both of whom may still be there at 11. Both are also expected to go in the first half of the round, so they would also be excellent options should this be the chosen route.

Those would be the 2 positions I’d look at, but there is a potential wildcard option.

Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton has been spoken of as the best safety for a number of years and many people have him as a Top 5 player in the draft (Daniel Jeremiah has him at 4).

However, safety is not considered to be a premium position and if there’s a rush on edge guys, tackles, or corners, and even the possibility that a couple of QB’s go top 10 which isn’t inconceivable, Hamilton may somehow slide to 11.

If that is the case, then there is a real decision to make. The role of the safety arguably is even more important than ever and could now be considered a premium position, so if there’s a generational talent available, should the Commanders take him?

The final option is to trade down if someone wants to come up into the 11th spot. The Commanders are down a 3rd round pick this year after the Wentz trade, so moving back a few spots may pick up another 2nd or 3rd, and in a draft, that’s considered to be star light but depth heavy, an extra pick or two might be a good option.

To conclude, as it stands, I’d take Garrett Wilson if available, but if Kyle Hamilton is still there then it’s a tough call to ignore him.

Offering his thoughts, Christian Burt, UKHTTC founder.

For the first time in a while, I would love to be a fly on the wall in the Washington draft room on the 28th of April, and there are two reasons for that.

The first reason is that the eleventh pick in the draft is a real intriguing one. If looking at BPA, it is a near certainty that you’ll have the option of picking a guy who is the best at what he does coming out of college.

Even if the Commanders might feel stacked in a position group, a sure-fire Day One starter might be very difficult to overlook. As mentioned by Tony, would Washington really want to pass-up a potential generational talent like Kyle Hamilton?

My second reason is that in Martin Mayhew (GM) and Marty Hurney (Executive vice president of football for player personnel), the Commanders hired two experienced personnel who have walked the draft a rookie QB path.

If they both really like a guy under centre (like Malik Willis or Kenny Pickett) might it be that, even in an apparently less than stellar QB class, they are able to influence the ultimate decision maker in the room, Head Coach Ron Rivera?

In guessing what the Commanders will likely do, I would suggest they draft one of the vaunted WRs in this draft. Rivera seems fully behind the Carson Wentz acquisition, and, therefore, it is vital to give #11 as many weapons as possible.

The Terry McLaurin contract situation is not resolved, and can Washington really trust the body of Curtis Samuel after his wiped out ’21? If he is there at the eleventh pick, I am taking the all-round play of Garrett Wilson (although you would also have to think long and hard about Jameson Williams WR Alabama who runs a 4.25 40!).

As an extra thought regarding the pick of a WR, the Commanders extended OC Scott Turner this off-season. After several first-round drafted players on the opposite side of the ball, I would expect that Turner might have a reasonably loud voice this draft, to ensure he has enough talent to spread the football around.

Next up, making his UKHTTC debut, Joshua Edwards, with a quick take.

I am drafting the best available player from a prioritized subset of positional team needs.

For me, the top 3 (not in order) are ILB, WR and CB.

I also wouldn't rule out trading up or down to select a guy at one of those positions depending on what the board looks like.

So, to summarise: BPA but from a subset of key positional needs, be flexible, and don't let Dan Snyder anywhere near the war-room!

And finally, it is UKHTTC regular, Simon Thurston.

Best Player Available. We hear it all the time, in the period leading up to the draft.

But does any team ever consistently take the best player available? Or do they have half an eye on need, too? This, for me, is the dilemma that the Washington Commanders have for this year's NFL Draft.

Prior to the acquisition of Carson Wentz, all eyes were on Washington's QB situation. And arguably for many, that may still be the case.

Every year, what happens at the Combine can influence a lot of draft boards. The best college draft prospects get to show off their athleticism, size and speed, and this year they can do this face-to-face again, unlike last year. It's clear that some QBs in this year’s draft are great athletes. But equally, some have question marks over their overall game.

By holding the eleventh pick, Washington has a great opportunity to draft an elite talent. And I have a sneaking suspicion that it won't necessarily be the BPA this time.

And here's why.

Yes, Wentz may not be the QB of the future. Indeed, currently Washington has the option of cutting him after one year with no future impact on their cap number. But with a draft deep with talent, the Commanders may still be able to pick up a QB in the second round. Desmond Ridder and Carson Strong are names I've heard mentioned.

I believe Washington goes WR with their first-round pick. The team has holes on both sides of the ball, but it's an offensive league these days and you need to be able to put up points.

The defense will improve this year, I believe, and so I'd prefer adding some offensive talent with their first pick. And with only five picks in the entire draft, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that they trade down in round one, as risky a strategy as that may be.

Chris Olave from Ohio State is one whose name has been bandied around as a possibility. He has good size and speed and would not only provide another offensive weapon for Wentz, but would certainly help Terry McLaurin's game, too.

Drake London and Garrett Wilson (Olave's teammate at Ohio State) are two other names that fans have spoken about. Wilson may not be there at 11, such is his talent, and London is a larger receiver that may offer something a little different to Washington's arsenal.

There's also been chatter about a LB, safety, or CB, too. Washington could certainly do with additions in these positions but having been relatively conservative (to this point) in free agency and without a bounty of picks this year, some holes may remain unfilled.

Alternatively, we may see some rough diamonds remain undrafted, although this wasn't a route used by Coach Rivera during last year's draft.

So, it's offense for me. I don't expect Washington to be able to significantly upgrade all weaknesses this offseason - the team is potentially another year away from that. But a solid draft and with some free agency talent still available, it could be an interesting few weeks yet.