The Washington Commanders don\u2019t know who they\u2019re taking with the seventh pick in the NFL Draft. They don\u2019t know how the six draft slots ahead of them will fall, and though that could become clearer as the draft nears, they may not know fully until they\u2019re on the clock in two weeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But after months of scouting followed by draft meetings and pro days and more draft meetings and top-30 visits and more meetings, the Commanders have gotten to know a number of prospects quite well \u2014 and they know they have a number of good options.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Washington\u2019s draft is wide open and part of that is intentional.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have to pick a certain position,\u201d GM Adam Peters said last week at the NFL\u2019s annual meetings in Phoenix. \u201c\u2026 With what we did in free agency, it\u2019s not like, \u2018OK, we have to go get this because we have a gaping hole here or there.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The Commanders added to nearly every position of need in free agency, signing a trio of new pass rushers, an outside linebacker, a safety and two corners, a couple of receivers, a pair of veteran running backs and a pass-catching tight end. They also re-signed their backup quarterback, Marcus Mariota, locked up their left tackle, Laremy Tunsil, for the long term, and brought back depth across the board.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yet, they didn\u2019t complete any one positional group. They could still take another pass rusher, or seek out a starter in the secondary. They could add another linebacker, or a playmaker at receiver or running back. None of those options would or should surprise at No. 7.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Over the last few months, one word Peters and coach Dan Quinn have both used repeatedly when talking about the prospect they hope to land is \u201cimpact.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201c\u200b\u200bPick No. 7\u2019s a big pick,\u201d Peters said. \u201cAnd so just finding someone who can really impact our team \u2014 impact our team right away and impact our team long term.\u201d<\/p>\n
With that in mind, there\u2019s an especially strong case to be made for a select few prospects, should they be available at No. 7.<\/p>\n
Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State<\/p>\n
The Athletic\u2019s Dane Brugler ranked<\/a> Styles as the fourth-best prospect in this draft class.<\/p>\n \u201cWith elite subpackage value, he has the talent to become an impact linebacker early in his NFL career,\u201d Brugler wrote in \u201cThe Beast<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Styles has the size, at 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, and the speed, as shown by his 40 time at the combine. He hit a top speed of 22.69 mph and crossed the line in 4.46 seconds. But what makes him rare is his range. Styles was recruited as a safety before switching to linebacker, so he can cover tight ends and slot receivers, rarely misses tackles and can diagnose and react quickly. Styles was also voted a senior captain last year and wore the green dot in Matt Patricia\u2019s defense.\u00a0<\/p>\n Said one NFC coach: \u201cThe guy\u2019s quick, he\u2019s athletic, he can do a lot. \u2026 This is a linebacker that can be an absolute every-down, call it, do it, lead it (player), and every team wants that.\u201d<\/p>\n In Washington, he\u2019d give defensive coordinator Daronte Jones another weapon to move around while immediately upgrading a linebacking corps that struggled with tackling and covering.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Commanders\u2019 defense has been a liability the last two seasons, and finding a Day 1 starter who could affect the run and pass game would be a boon. And although he doesn\u2019t play a premium position, he has the rare traits to be a long-term asset.<\/p>\n \u201cI had Fred Warner in San Francisco and I can\u2019t tell you how much that guy impacted our team,\u201d Peters said. \u201c\u2026 I would like to say take the best player who can help us now and in the future and worry about the second contract later.\u201d<\/p>\n Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame<\/p>\n It\u2019s not exactly groundbreaking to declare Love (or any of these options) a potential impact player at the pro level. But Love is an interesting case because of his position, and the rarity of taking a running back as high as No. 7.<\/p>\n Peters, whose approach as a GM is shaped by his experiences as a scout and executive in New England, Denver and San Francisco, was a part of only two teams that drafted a back in the first round. In 2006, when Peters was an area scout for the Patriots, they drafted Laurence Moroney with the 21st pick. Maroney never played a full season and was traded to Denver before his fifth NFL season. It was his last in the league.<\/p>\n Then in 2009, when Peters was a regional scout for the Broncos, they selected Knowshon Moreno with the 12th pick. Moreno became the first Bronco to top 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in a season (2013), but Denver didn\u2019t keep him. He played one more year in Miami, then was out of the league.<\/p>\n That isn\u2019t to say Peters wouldn\u2019t take a running back high. It\u2019s just that traditionally, most teams haven\u2019t placed that type of value on the position. There have been some recent notable exceptions, however \u2014 Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson \u2014 and Love is widely projected to have such potential.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, I wouldn\u2019t have any trepidation about taking anyone at seven that \u2026 we think can really help our team,\u201d Peters said in Phoenix. \u201cBut you know, we got (Jacory) \u201cBill\u201d (Croskey-Merritt) in the seventh round last year, so you can get running backs in a lot of different ways. \u2026 But if that person can impact your team in a certain way, then you would take them regardless of their position.\u201d<\/p>\n Peters was with the 49ers when they traded for McCaffrey, one of the most versatile backs in the NFL. Peters has also been on the losing end to the Philadelphia Eagles because of Barkley. So he understands the value of a truly elite back.<\/p>\n It seems unlikely that Love is around when the Commanders pick at No. 7 \u2014 Brugler ranks him as the No. 2 overall prospect\u00a0 But if he is, he would be difficult to pass up.\u00a0<\/p>\n Washington may not have to pick for positional need, but it desperately needs another top-tier playmaker on offense to complement Terry McLaurin. Love can affect both the run and pass game at an elite level.\u00a0<\/p>\n He has rare speed \u2014 he\u2019s 212 pounds and posted a 4.36 40 at the combine \u2014 and can run through contact. He can get to the edge quickly, allowing him to outrun a linebacker\u2019s leverage, and his ability in the pass game goes well beyond just catching the ball out of the backfield.\u00a0<\/p>\n