Commanders make some questionable picks in four-round mock NFL Draft

Mock drafts are tricky, and nobody in the media ever truly knows exactly what the Washington Commanders are going to do.

We do, however, have some tendencies to look at, even with just one year of Adam Peters operating as the general manager of a Commanders' team built on brotherhood, aggressive action, and togetherness.

So when you're looking for future players to wear the uniform that represents the Washington D.C. area and all its fans, those are just some of the characteristics you should be eyeing. From there, some offshoot characteristics can be assumed for the sake of accuracy.

In Chad Reuter's latest effort for NFL.com, he makes some questionable choices when looking at it through that lens.

Marshall Thundering Herd defensive lineman Mike Green (15) celebrates after sacking Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback. | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

1ST ROUND, PICK NO. 29: EDGE MIKE GREEN, MARSHALL

"Head coach Dan Quinn takes a shot on Green's speed late in the first round. He'd be a designated pass rusher as a rookie but could round out his game to become a starter pretty swiftly," Reuter says of the selection.

If this is a video game where off-the-field matters simply don't, then the pick is sound. Green is viewed as a high-energy pass rusher with power and enough bend to have an immediate impact on an NFL roster while developing into a full-time player in the next two or three seasons.

What he lacks in physical measurables–coming in slightly short in arm length and size–he makes up for with athletic prowess and true football talent.

Here comes the but...

But, Green also has a checkered past.

Twice in his life, Green has been accused of sexual assault. One incident dates back to high school while the other happened while he was at the University of Virginia and led to his suspension and eventual transfer to Marshall.

At the NFL Scouting Combine this year, Green said in both incidents he'd "done nothing wrong" and pointed out that he's never even been questioned in either matter, let alone formally accused.

“You can ask anybody that knows me how I am," Green also said. "I think what everybody just needs to know is I’m not this guy that everybody’s trying to portray me to be."

Less than one year ago, the Commanders released kicker Brandon McManus after similar accusations surfaced. The NFL deemed there to be insufficient evidence to suspend the kicker, and McManus eventually caught on with the Green Bay Packers.

Iowa State defensive back Darien Porter. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

2ND ROUND, PICK NO. 61: CB DARIEN PORTER, IOWA STATE

The questions around this pick don't come off the field, but on it.

Don't get us wrong, there is a clear upside to Porter as an NFL prospect. He ran a 4.3 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine for starters, and beyond that, he has the length to develop into a solid cornerback in the league.

When you look at him as a long-term project, he's only been playing corner at the collegiate level for three seasons after switching from wide receiver to defense in 2022.

However, he also only started for one season with Iowa State, hasn't shown much in man coverage because of the lack of experience and opportunity, and graded out with a dismal 36.8 run defense grade according to Pro Football Focus in 2024.

He has similar upside potential to that of receiver Luke McCaffrey, who Washington drafted last year out of Rice despite his relative lack of experience at his position after transitioning from quarterback. But this isn't the last pick in the third round, it's the second pick of the entire draft for the Commanders, and we're just not sure another rail thin corner who can't tackle is the right fit for Peters or what defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.'s squad is all about.

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Cody Simon. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

4TH ROUND, PICK NO. 128: LB CODY SIMON, OHIO STATE

In a mock draft version of Goldilocks, we get 'just right' with the Commanders' third pick in this mock draft, linebacker Cody Simon.

Simon projects to be an immediate impact player on special teams while potentially developing enough to earn a rotational role, helping to keep future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner fresh for the long season ahead while getting valuable reps in the meantime.

Toughness is one of Simon's calling cards, and that brand of physical play with mentorship from Wagner will help the young linebacker unlock everything he can in himself.

While there are no guarantees the fourth-rounder would become the heir to Wagner's inside linebacker throne, pairing Simon with second-year player Jordan Magee gives Washington two really good opportunities to see if they can find one before the need truly rises to the surface.

THE CLASS

Overall, this defense-heavy mock draft class for the Commanders is full of raw talent, but there are questions. If Washington is convinced in talking to Green that he's on the right side of things, then landing a talent like his at pick No. 29 could prove to be a steal.

Meanwhile, the raw athletic ability in Porter is hard to deny, and no staff is immune to believing they can take that kind of talent to the next level. Simon is where we and Reuter see eye-to-eye, though some will look at prospects such as interior offensive lineman Joshua Gray from Oregon State, who has five years of collegiate starting experience and was a team captain, and wonder why he isn't a more immediate fit for Washington.

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