In assembling a mock draft, most make their choices based on team needs. There is also who is available at the time each team picks. For instance, if a team desperately needs a quarterback, but the draft class doesn’t have one graded as a top-ten talent, should the team pick a quarterback inside the top 10?
The 2022 NFL draft has several solid quarterback prospects. However, the consensus is none of the passers are worthy of a top-10 selection. Fortunately for the Washington Commanders, they addressed the quarterback position via trade, landing Carson Wentz last month, meaning they aren’t desperate to select a rookie at No. 11 overall.
Cynthia Frelund is the analytics expert at NFL.com, and her mock drafts are predictably analytics-driven. She recently released her latest mock draft, and it does not feature a quarterback in the first round. Frelund admits that is unlikely to happen, but her model is highlighted by win-share value for the upcoming season. Frelund considers some of the offseason moves and even factors in some potential moves that could be coming.
It makes her mock drafts different than most — and that is a good thing.
Who does Frelund have the Washington Commanders selecting at No. 11 overall?
Much like her colleague at NFL.com, Bucky Brooks, Frelund also has LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. heading to Washington.
Here is her analysis:
PFF charted Stingley’s LSU career completion percentage allowed at 41.1. That kind of sticky coverage would be a huge boon to a Commanders defense that just allowed a 100.8 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks in 2021. Pairing Stingley with Kendall Fuller, who was the bright spot of this secondary last season, creates the most value.
There are questions about Stingley, but they aren’t talent-related. He’s arguably one of the five most talented players in the 2022 NFL draft. He’d be a plug-and-play option for the Commanders at cornerback, joining Kendall Fuller and William Jackson III in what would be an excellent trio of cornerbacks.