The Commanders were tipped to focus their early draft resources on defense.
The 2025 NFL Draft is fast approaching. The first round is on tap for Thursday night, while the final picks will be made on Saturday afternoon this coming weekend.
The Washington Commanders possess five selections (No. 29, No. 61, No. 128, No. 205, and No. 245) as things stand. Whether those picks hold or general manager Adam Peters decides to make some trades remains to be seen. But for now, it can be assumed that five new players will join the roster before the undrafted free-agent frenzy.
Operating under that assumption, Chad Reuter from NFL.com published a seven-round mock draft in which the Commanders are projected to make several intriguing selections. The first three have something in common: all are defensive players.
Commanders load up on defense in Chad Reuter's latest 2025 NFL mock draft
At the end of the first round, Reuter has Washington taking edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku. The Boston College prospect has been a late riser and would fill an important need for the Commanders after the losses of Dante Fowler Jr. and Jonathan Allen on the defensive line.
According to Reuter, Ezeiruaku "brings speed off the edge as well as a very effective spin move." These are traits the Commanders lack currently.
In the next round, the Commanders are projected to take UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger. With Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu firmly set as starters, this would be a developmental pick for Washington and an understandable one given the former Utah State standout's age.
Though Wagner has denied retirement being on the horizon, the future Pro Football Hall of Famer can't be expected to play more than another season or two, even if he finishes his career in D.C. Schwesinger has the talent to fill the void.
The Commanders' next pick in this mock goes to Florida cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. late in the fourth round. The defensive backfield remains an area that could use some improvement or a backup plan, given Marshon Lattimore's age and injury concerns.
If Lattimore is back to his Pro Bowl-caliber self after a full offseason to get healthy and to acclimate himself to the system, then he and Mike Sainristil will be a formidable pairing. If not, others need to step up.
Finally, Reuter had the Commanders addressing the offense with their final two picks. Arkansas wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa in the sixth round and Syracuse running back LeQuint Allen in the seventh were the choices.
TeSlaa would provide more depth to a receiving corps that has already added Deebo Samuel Sr. and Michael Gallup this offseason. Allen would have a chance to develop behind Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler, both of whom are on expiring contracts this upcoming season.
This is a solid haul for the Commanders. Whether any will end up in Washington is another matter.
