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Will the Washington Commanders have a quarterback before the 2022 NFL draft in April? If Washington coach Ron Rivera has his way, the Commanders will have their new quarterback in place long before April’s draft.
Early mock drafts understand Washington’s massive need at quarterback. Since the 2021 NFL season ended, almost every mock draft has Washington taking a quarterback at No. 11 overall, whether it’s Kenny Pickett, Matt Corral, Malik Willis, or Desmond Ridder.
Mocking quarterbacks to Washington is understandable. It’s doubtful the team will land a preferred top target such as Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, or Deshaun Watson, so using a draft choice on a quarterback is possible.
Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network is one of the premier draft analysts in the business. He’s not high on the 2022 class of quarterbacks, at least as high first-round picks. Jeremiah likes the passers but sees a big difference compared to last year.
Jeremiah released his second mock draft of the season Tuesday and didn’t choose a quarterback for the Commanders. Instead, Jeremiah gives Washington an offensive lineman. Jeremiah presumes, correctly, the Commanders will lose Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff in free agency.
The pick: Texas A&M guard Kenyon Green.
The Commanders could lose Brandon Scherff in free agency and Green would be a plug-and-play replacement.
Let’s take the quarterback out of the equation and focus solely on the pick. Green is a 6-foot-4, 325-pound guard who has the versatility to play multiple positions. He started games at four different positions for the Aggies in 2021. Green projects as a guard in the NFL and a high-level one. He is powerful and athletic, giving the Commanders a natural replacement for Scherff, who did so much in the run game.
While all eyes will be on Washington’s quarterback position, some outcomes could lead the Commanders to take another position in round one.