Commanders Mock Draft: New regime embarks on rebuild by selecting QB Drake Maye
By Hunter Haas
More pieces for the Commanders at offensive line
Round 3, No. 67: Zach Frazier, OL, West Virginia
Protecting the quarterback should be priority No. 1 for any NFL franchise, but especially one with a rookie starter behind center. Speaking of, why not bring in the other half of the quarterback-center pairing at No. 67 overall? Enter West Virginia’s Zach Frazier.
Frazier is a bully-ball blocker, using his remarkable core strength to anchor in vs. the pass rush and to out-leverage run stoppers in the ground game. He is quick off the snap, instantly shooting up and taking on the physically imposing interior defenders.
The Mountaineer veteran logged over 3,000 snaps in his collegiate career. He only allowed five total sacks in that span but didn’t surrender a single one in his final year on campus. Frazier rarely finds himself out of position, and he is a clean player, only being charged with a handful of penalties over the past two seasons.
He is an immediate improvement at center for the Commanders. Along with Patrick Paul earlier in the mock draft, Washington is building a wall around young quarterback Drake Maye. Ideally, another starting-caliber lineman will come via free agency, but this serves as quite the “jumping off point” of the rebuild.
Ending the mock draft with a weapon for QB Drake Maye
Round 3, No. 100 (via SF): Cade Stover, TE, Ohio State
After assembling a strong presence on the offensive line, the Commanders can add an actual weapon to the passing game, while also beefing up the blocking unit, too — all in one fell swoop. Cade Stover, a former defender turned tight end, profiles as a difference-maker in multiple areas for the offense.
Stover thrives in a scrum, using his sheer power to outmuscle assignments. Whether it be in the run game, clearing the way for his ball carriers, or as a pass catcher by boxing out his defender and giving his quarterback a massive target. The OSU alum is a chain mover at the next level.
Maye likes to use his tight end as a safety valve, and Stover can be exactly that as a rookie. Teammates gravitate toward Stover’s innate leadership ability; the Commanders select a future team captain at No. 100 overall, capping off this three-round mock draft.
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