NFL Mock Draft: Does Washington Find Wentz Replacement?
Draft season is never over!
With college football and the NFL season on the horizon, DraftWire conducted a two-round 2023 mock draft.
The experts projected the Washington Commanders to have the 11th pick, the same as in 2022, and the 42nd pick.
Washington took Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski in the first round and Kentucky quarterback Will Levis in the second.
Levis being picked in the second round definitely garners attention. After trading for Carson Wentz and drafting Sam Howell in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, taking Levis likely signals neither move panned out for the Commanders.
In what’s expected to be a much better draft class to take a quarterback, Levis is projected by some analysts to be a first-round pick.
Levis, 23, transferred from Penn State to Kentucky in 2021 and led them to a 10-3 record, including a 20-17 win over Iowa. Levis threw for 2,826 yards and completed 24 touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions.
Skoronski, who is heading into his junior season, would become the first offensive lineman Washington has taken in the first round since 2015 when it drafted Brandon Scherff.
“Depending on how the 2022 season plays out, the Commanders could end up needing a long-term upgrade at left tackle,” DraftWire said. “Skoronski is a tough, athletic blocker who could shore up a premium position for Washington, after being tested by some of the nation’s top edge rushers.”
Skoronski plays at the same school that produced Rashawn Slater, who was drafted 13th overall in 2021 by the Los Angeles Chargers. Slater made Second-Team All-Pro in his rookie season.
Adding a left tackle that could potentially play to that caliber would be a welcome sight for Commanders fans regardless of who’s blindside he’s protecting.
