Hogs Haven
A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders
This week, we’re focusing on a mock draft from FOX Sports’ Rob Rang, who thinks Washington could take one of the best safeties in the class.
The safety position didn’t start as a need for the Commanders this offseason, but it certainly became one once Jeremy Chinn agreed to terms with the Las Vegas Raiders on a two-year contract.
Washington has since addressed the position by adding veteran Will Harris, who has experience playing alongside cornerback Marshon Lattimore. At 29 years old, Harris is the physical, competitive player head coach Dan Quinn desires on his roster. He’s a willing tackler and can handle himself in coverage — two qualities the Commanders needed more of on their defense in 2024.
Even with Harris’ addition, the Commanders could benefit from finding a young player who could immediately fall into the rotation while developing into a more impactful player. And with safety not being considered a “premium” position similar to offensive line, cornerback and pass rusher, there’s a chance such a prospect falls to them at No. 29.
Fox Sports’ Rob Rang has the Commanders taking Malaki Starks, widely considered one of this year’s best safeties, off the board and bolstering their secondary.
“Washington addressed the issue in free agency by signing Will Harris from the Saints, but should the instinctive Starks still be on the board, the Commanders would be wise to double down at the position,” Rang wrote.
There are other safeties in this draft class with a more athletic profile than Starks. For example, South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori — Starks’ best competition for being the best safety in the draft — drew attention at the combine for recording a 4.38 40-yard dash in addition to position-best numbers in the vertical jump (43 inches) and broad jump (11-foot-6). Like Starks, Emmanwori is physical and excels at the line of scrimmage with 88 tackles and four interceptions in 2024.
However, Kiper ranks Starks as the best safety on his board because of his position flexibility, overall talent and intelligence. Most analysts view him as someone who can start and raise a defense’s ceiling as a rookie.
Last week in the State of the Roster breakdowns I wrote, I said I believed defensive end was the biggest need for the Commanders going into the draft, so this week I’m going to look at some edge rushers.
One of the most common names I’ve seen linked to the Commanders at 29, and one of the most requested names I received on twitter for a breakdown, was Donovan Ezeiruaku. Ezeiruaku comes out of Boston College and at the NFL combine he measured in at 6-foot-2, 248 pounds...
