Tag: Top 30

Did Georgia OT Amarius Mims visit the Commanders ahead of the NFL draft?

Could Mims be a Washington target if the Commanders move back into the first round?

The Washington Commanders received a lot of attention last week for their group top-30 visit that featured four of the top quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL draft. The quarterbacks present were Drake Maye (North Carolina), Jayden Daniels (LSU), J.J. McCarthy (Michigan) and Michael Penix Jr. (Washington).

The four quarterbacks arrived in town the night before, as the Commanders took them out for some fun at Top Golf. The reason? To see how the players interacted with one another. The group visit didn’t go over too well with Daniels’ agent.

One person who enjoyed the event at Top Golf was Maye. In an appearance on “This is Football” with Kevin Clark, Maye talked about the experience and mentioned seeing some of the other prospects, such as McCarthy, Daniels and also Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims.

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While Maye didn’t say Mims was in Washington for a top-30 visit, it did sound like the prospective first-round pick was in town, too.

“To be around the other guys, I got to meet a lot of different guys throughout the process,” Maye said. “And a lot of guys I saw in high school recruiting; I remember Amarius Mims; I tried to get him to committed to Alabama when I was committed there in high school……….I think it was a really good experience for me; I think we all got our separate time with the coaches, and when we needed to; it’s not like we didn’t do any of that, but Top Golf was a way for us to get out and do something fun the evening before.”

Mims is one of the more intriguing players in the 2024 draft. At 6-foot-8, 340 pounds, he is massive but moves like a tight end. He will certainly land somewhere in the first round. How high? Mims could go from anywhere in the teens until the final pick in the first round.

Could the Commanders look to move into the first round and select Mims as their left tackle of the future? Washington currently holds the No. 36 and 40 selections in the second round, as well as three third-round picks, giving them plenty of ammunition to move back into the first round.

Commanders hosted Notre Dame OL Blake Fisher on a top 30 visit

Joe Alt gets the recognition but Blake Fisher could be a steal on Day 2 of the draft.

The storyline surrounding the Washington Commanders this offseason has been centered around the quarterback position and the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

However, Washington has been focused on other positions, too. The Commanders were active in free agency, addressing a 4-13 roster by signing over 20 external free agents and allowing some of their own top free agents to depart.

One area Washington didn’t address in free agency — outside of re-signing veteran Cornelius Lucas — was offensive tackle. Lucas has started 31 games at left and right tackle during his four seasons in Washington, but is best suited to be the team’s swing tackle.

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With a deep offensive tackle class in the draft, the Commanders are rumored to be interested in using some of their nine draft choices to move back into the first round to select one of the top tackle prospects.

Washington has hosted multiple offensive line prospects on top-30 visits, and we recently learned of another visit: Notre Dame offensive tackle Blake Fisher, according to Matt Freeman.

Fisher is a 6-foot-6, 310-pound redshirt sophomore who left the Fighting Irish with two years of eligibility remaining. In 2021, Fisher became the first player in school history to start at left tackle as a true freshman, but unfortunately suffered a knee injury and redshirted.

He took over as Notre Dame’s right tackle the past two seasons, starting a combined 25 games. He and Joe Alt proved to be one of the best tackle duos in college football.

Fisher is extremely athletic and talented. With strong coaching, he could prove to be a steal on Day 2 of the draft. Currently, the Commanders have five selections in the second and third rounds.

Fisher has the potential to be a long-term starter at either tackle spot in the NFL. There is some technique work that needs cleaning up, but Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network sees the upside with Fisher, ranking him as his No. 54 overall prospect in a loaded offensive tackle class.

 

West Virginia CB Beanie Bishop has top 30 visit with Commanders

Washington hosted another cornerback on a top 30 visit.

The Washington Commanders spent a considerable portion of the pre-draft process evaluating offensive tackles and cornerbacks. Washington used several of its top 30 visits on the two positions, often evaluating players who will be drafted after the first round.

We’ve learned of another cornerback Washington recently hosted on a top-30 visit. According to Justin Melo of The Draft Network, the Commanders recently hosted West Virginia cornerback Beanie Bishop.

As noted with several of Washington’s other visitors, Bishop has high-level traits. The 5-foot-10, 184-pound Bishop has blazing speed, running a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the Big 12 pro day. The knock on Bishop is his size.

Bishop began his career at Western Kentucky, playing there for three seasons. In 2022, he transferred to Minnesota. He moved to West Virginia in 2023, looking for a more defined role. The move served Bishop well, as he led the nation in pass breakups, had four interceptions, and was named an All-American.

Bishop’s size would lead you to believe he’d play the slot in the NFL. However, he played outside at West Virginia, and that versatility will serve him well at the next level.

Bishop is viewed as a Day-3 pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

Iowa tight end Erick All to visit the Commanders

An Iowa tight end is visiting the Commanders.

Some of the NFL’s best tight ends are from the University of Iowa. An Iowa tight end, Erick All, is available in next week’s 2024 NFL draft for teams needing a tight end.

The Washington Commanders need a tight end and are hosting All on a top 30 visit, according to Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report.

All, a 6-foot-4, 252-pound prospect, spent his first four collegiate seasons at Michigan before transferring to Iowa in 2023. It was a good move for All, considering the Hawkeyes’ reputation for developing tight ends.

In 2023, a healthy All was off to a strong start with 21 receptions for 299 yards and three touchdowns in seven games. Unfortunately, All tore his ACL in an October game against Wisconsin, and he missed the remainder of the season.

All’s 2023 injury came one year after his final season at Michigan ended prematurely with a back injury. In 2021, All had a terrific season for the Wolverines with 38 receptions for 437 yards in a low-volume passing attack and looked on the verge of a huge 2022 season before the back injury.

All has been a popular player over the past few months as NFL teams reviewed his medicals. Many believe he can be an effective starter at the next level if those medical reports are positive.

Commanders host Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders on a top 30 visit

One of the draft’s top tight ends visiting Washington.

The Washington Commanders could use a young tight end in the 2024 NFL draft. Ja’Tavion Sanders of Texas is arguably the second-best tight end in the draft, behind Georgia’s Brock Bowers.

The Commanders like Sanders and will host him on a top-30 visit, according to Josh Newman of LoneStarLive.com and GulfLive.com.

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Sanders was a two-time All-Big-12 selection at tight end over the past two seasons. Sanders is considered a likely day-two selection, meaning he could go in the second or third round. Washington has five selections on day two, with two second-round picks and three third-round selections.

The Commanders signed veteran tight end Zach Ertz to start in 2024. However, it is just a one-year deal, and Washington will likely draft a tight end at some point during the draft.

The Commanders currently have John Bates, Armani Rogers and Cole Turner on the roster. Rogers is coming off an  Achilles injury, and Bates is primarily a blocking tight end. Turner faces a make-or-break summer entering year three of his career.

Commanders to host Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker on top 30 visit

The Commanders will host a raw but talented pass rusher next week.

The Washington Commanders are using several of their 30 pre-draft visits on specific positions, such as offensive tackle and defensive end. Outside of Penn State’s Chop Robinson, none of the edge rushers the Commanders are bringing to Ashburn ahead of the 2024 NFL draft are considered potential first-round picks.

Washington general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn are bringing in players with high-quality athletic traits on visits. The latest is Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Booker will visit Washington next week.

After beginning his college career at Minnesota, Booker transferred to Kansas. In his one season with the Jayhawks, the 6-foot-4 1/2, 240-pound Booker played in 12 games with one start and finished with 56 tackles, including 12 for loss and eight sacks. He was named first-team All-Big 12 Conference and was the Big 12 top newcomer.

There was some buzz around Booker entering the NFL combine, where he ran a disappointing 4.79 seconds in the 40-yard dash. The good thing for Booker is teams love his film. He plays much faster than his speedwatch time. However, his lack of overall snaps may concern some. He is extremely raw and could be a boom-or-bust pick.

The Commanders signed Dante Fowler Jr., Dorance Armstrong and Clelin Ferrell this offseason, and re-signed veteran Efe Obada. Washington returns second-year players K.J. Henry and Andre Jones Jr.

Booker is expected to go sometime in the second or, most likely. the third round. The Commanders currently have three third-round picks.

As expected Commanders hosting Maye and Daniels next week

The Commanders get some face time with Maye and Daniels next week — one week before the NFL draft.

Well, that didn’t take long.

Just 24 hours ago, Commanders Wire encouraged Commanders fans not to make too much of Tuesday’s announcement that Jayden Daniels would visit the Commanders next week.

Though Adam Schefter, Brian Kelly and Colin Cowherd had all said in the past week that the Commanders were going to draft Daniels, we said, yes, the Commanders may draft Daniels, but those guys don’t actually know whom the Commanders are going to select.

We also declared that Adam Peters would certainly have Drake Maye visit the facility and perhaps J.J. McCarthy as well.

So, Wednesday brought the announcement that North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye will also visit Ashburn next week.

Indeed, Adam Peters, Dan Quinn, and owner Josh Harris have wisely not given any indication to anyone in the media who the Commanders will select with that No. 2 overall selection.

The possibility exists that the three may not only be acting wisely to not publicly declare their intentions. Seeing these three quarterbacks are also receiving such varied evaluations from the draft analysts, could it be that the Commanders trio of Peters, Quinn and Harris honestly, have not yet been able to be in unison regarding the selection?

Perhaps, being undecided, the Commanders are still continuing to do their necessary homework. If that is the case, could it be that this final visit/interview for each next week may be the determining factor in the end?

It’s a huge decision for Quinn and Peters. Just last year, the Panthers took Bryce Young, yet the guy selected next was C.J. Stroud, who had a much better rookie season.

With that in mind, the Commanders may want to conduct one more face-to-face interaction to observe how the young men refer to surprising questions or statements.

Ron Rivera chose Chase Young at No. 2 when quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert were not chosen until the fifth and sixth selections. Rivera never recovered and never obtained the quarterback he needed, either.

 

Commanders to host TCU tight end Jared Wiley on top 30 visit

Wiley caught 12 touchdown passes over the past two seasons.

The Washington Commanders released starting tight end Logan Thomas this offseason and signed veteran Zach Ertz to replace him. Ertz joins John Bates, Cole Turner and Armani Rogers as tight ends on Washington’s roster.

Ertz was signed to a one-year deal, meaning the Commanders likely still view tight end as a need heading into the 2024 NFL draft.

Washington brought in Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders on a top-30 visit. Saunders is widely viewed as the second-best tight end in the draft behind Georgia’s Brock Bowers. We can now add another tight end to the Commanders’ visit list.

According to Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report, TCU tight end Jared Wiley will visit Washington.

Wiley is a 6-foot-6, 249-pound prospect from Temple, Texas, and began his career at the University of Texas. After three seasons in Austin, Wiley transferred to TCU, where he played his final two seasons. In three years at Texas, Wiley had 19 receptions. Over the past two seasons, Wiley caught 71 passes for 765 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Wiley would be a good day-three pick for the Commanders.

Commanders to host Washington OT Roger Rosengarten on top 30 visit

Roger Rosengarten was a two-year starter for college football’s best offensive line.

We know the Washington Commanders will be heavily involved in the offensive tackle market during the 2024 NFL draft. While the Commanders will likely select a quarterback second overall, they also have two second-round picks and three third-round picks.

The Commanders hosted offensive tackles Jordan Morgan (Arizona) and Kiran Amegadjie (Yale) on top 30 visits. Morgan could go late in the first round or early second round, while Amegadjie will go sometime on day two.

Now, Washington will host another offensive tackle on a top-30 visit.

According to Justin Melo of The Draft Network, the Commanders will host Washington offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten on a pre-draft visit.

Rosengarten, a 6-foot-5, 308-pound redshirt junior, has started the past two seasons for the Huskies at right tackle. Like Amegadjiem, Rosengarten is expected to be drafted sometime on day two. Once all of the top tackles are gone, how high in the second round will Rosengarten go?

The Huskies won the Joe Moore Award in 2023, which is given annually to college football’s best offensive line.

Report: Saints to host Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley on pre-draft visit

Report: New Orleans Saints to host Western Kentucky slot receiver Malachi Corley on official 30 visit before 2024 NFL draft

Malachi Corley is a popular name in the final weeks leading up to the 2024 NFL draft. The Western Kentucky wideout will be making an official 30 visit to meet with the New Orleans Saints in Metairie, per uSTADIUM, which reports that ten different teams are flying Corley in for formal meetings at their headquarters.

Often mischaracterized as “top 30 visits,” these consist of interviews with team brass as well as position coaches and tours of the facility. Teams like the Saints aren’t necessarily targeting the 30 highest-rated players on their board, so much as seeking more information on prospects who they don’t know that well. That could be due to either playing at a smaller program, incomplete athletic testing in combine drills, or simple scheduling conflicts earlier in the process. Draft prospects with medical questions or character concerns are also often brought in for these official visits, which are capped at 30 for each team.

So what’s the deal with Corley? He weighed in at 5-foot-10 and 215 pounds (closer in size to Alvin Kamara than any receivers on the Saints’ roster) and posted good, not great, times in the 40-yard dash (4.49) and short shuttle (4.22). That gave him a tentative Relative Athletic Score of 7.76 which is beneath the Saints’ usual standards, so it’s possible they want him to run the three-cone drill and go through the vertical and broad jumps privately in order to round out his scouting report.

But enough about that: what can he do on the field? Corley was a dynamic slot receiver at Western Kentucky, lining up outside on just 13.5%, 7.7%, and 3.0% of his routes the last three years. He’s impressive after the catch — Corley averaged 8.6 yards after the catch per reception last year, a yard shy of his average (9.7) the year before. He’s scored 29 touchdowns and converted 137 first downs in his Hilltoppers career. He’d be a good fit in Klint Kubiak’s offense as someone who can make a play with the ball in his hands. Corley currently projects as a second-round draft pick.

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