Having deployed a Terry McLaurin-dependent receiving corps for the past three years, Washington appears determined to find help for its top target in this draft.
The Commanders are “all in” on finding another receiver, per Todd McShay of ESPN.com, and this interest points to an investment with their No. 11 overall pick. This follows a report indicating the Commanders have indeed done extensive homework at the position. As to which wideout the team is targeting, it might be down to two.
[RELATED: Commanders Expect To Complete McLaurin Extension]
USC’s Drake London and Ohio State’s Chris Olave loom as potential targets, with McShay indicating the Commanders’ preference is viewed differently by various GMs around the league. The two wideouts went through “30” visits with the Commanders during the pre-draft process. They supply differing skillsets, with the 6-foot-3 London an outside threat and the 6-foot Olave a shiftier target in the McLaurin mold. Olave, who played four seasons with the Buckeyes, was McLaurin’s teammate as a freshman in 2018.
Commanders GM Martin Mayhew has called around about first-round trades in recent days, via the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala (on Twitter), indicating some interest exists in moving up or down. While such dialogue is expected ahead of every draft, the Commanders being locked in on one wideout may require a move up the board. Otherwise, the team would seem set to land one of this draft’s top pass catchers at 11.
A first-round receiver pick would give Washington a few notable investments alongside McLaurin. Although Curtis Samuel battled injuries last season, Washington gave him a three-year, $34.5MM deal. The team also drafted Dyami Brown in Round 3 last year. Still, a familiar statistical gap — one that featured McLaurin’s yardage total (1,053) nearly 700 north of any other Washington wideout — emerged in 2021, likely heightening the importance of the Commanders adding more help here.
Rather draft Breece Hall and move Gibson to a Hybrid Deebo type role
They already signed Samuel and re-signed McKissic. I think they’re good on hybrid receiver types. They could use another actual good wide receiver.
please take London
Treylon Burks is the WR to take in this class.
I’m open to the idea that he could be great, but he’s never had to show much route running ability and his testing and conditioning concern me. Again, I could see him working out great, but there are four receivers I’d take ahead of him.
Sort of odd that Washington wouldn’t have picked up one of the available free agent receivers with some gas still in the tank (Landry, Fuller, or Beckham), as last year proved that McLaurin can’t do it all by himself.
Rookie contract vs. 15-20 mil/ yr.
I’m hoping for a trade down and a few extra picks ..