If the Commanders want a cornerback at No. 16 overall in this week’s 2023 NFL draft, will there be one good enough to be dependable for the next decade?
The vast majority of 2023 mock drafts have seen the Commanders select either an offensive tackle or a cornerback. Sunday, Commanders Wire looked into the various options the Commanders might have at No. 16 if they select an offensive tackle.
Today, what if the Commanders actually select a cornerback at No. 16? Is there a consensus on who the most likely candidates are for a cornerback to be chosen in the No. 16 position?
Overwhelmingly, there have been two consistent trends in nearly every mock draft regarding cornerbacks. Devon Witherspoon (Illinois) is most often the first corner to be drafted, and when not, I don’t know that I recall seeing him lower than the second corner chosen. The chances are highly unlikely Witherspoon will still be available at No. 16.
The other consistency has been Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State) has been the cornerback Washington has taken in the most mock drafts. Porter is virtually always seen as a No.12-No.20 selection.
A third option that has been observed is Washington at No. 16 selecting Maryland corner Deonte Banks. Banks has developed at Maryland, and his NFL combine numbers of 4.35 in the 40-yard dash with a 42-inch vertical and an 11-foot-4 broad jump certainly illustrated his explosiveness as an athlete.
One other possibility at corner for the Commanders would be to keep an eye on Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez. Most mock drafts have Gonzalez being selected prior to No. 16, but if for example there is a run on offensive tackles Thursday night in round one, that would mean some others will unexpectedly be available for the Commanders at 16.