A marquee Week 10 matchup between No. 11 Notre Dame and No.
1 Miami drew a heavy NFL presence, with scouts from 25 of the league’s 32 teams in attendance. The Washington Commanders were among them.
Washington likely wasn’t there to focus on the quarterbacks. Notre Dame’s CJ Carr and Miami’s Darian Mensah are both viewed as draft prospects, but the Commanders’ attention was probably elsewhere. Miami receiver Malachi Toney would have been a name to watch, too, but he was sidelined by a high-ankle sprain.
The more obvious area for Washington was defense, where several prospects stood out as possible targets. Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore may have been the top player the Commanders were watching.
He’s considered a possible top-five or top-10 pick, which would put him in range if Washington’s current record holds. Moore finished with four tackles, including a tackle for loss.
He was an All-American last season and picked off five passes, though he’s still searching for his first interception this year.
Miami’s defensive front also offered names worth tracking. Justin Scott and Ahmad Soten both fit the kind of players Washington could be considering, especially with the Commanders dealing with injuries at defensive tackle.
Scott is regarded as the stronger prospect of the two, with first-round upside but a more likely landing spot in the second round. Soten is seen as a day-two option and could slide into the third day of the draft.
Neither player did enough in this game to make a major move in the draft conversation.
In Other News...
Commanders Center Problem Has Become Impossible To Ignore
Sundays loss to the Rams pushed Washington to 2-5-1 and put an even brighter spotlight on an offensive line that has been struggling to hold up its end. The center spot, in particular, has become a weekly problem, with the Commanders trying to patch together stability after an offseason that included moving on from Tyler Biadasz and banking on Nick Allegretti to handle the job.
The latest hit only sharpened the concern. Lucas Patrick was forced out of the game for a concussion check, and the ripple effect from there underscored how thin the room has become at a critical position. For Adam Peters, the decision to reshape the middle of the line is looking harder to justify by the week, and Washingtons inability to settle the center spot is now one of the clearest reasons the offense keeps fighting uphill. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Left Tackle Problem Is Becoming Impossible To Ignore
The Commanders move to Brandon Coleman at blindside tackle was supposed to steady things after Laremy Tunsil went down with a torn triceps in training camp, but the transition has not gone smoothly. Coleman has had a difficult time holding up in the role, and his issues were especially visible in the recent game against the Los Angeles Rams, where the protection problems only added to the concern around Washingtons most important spot up front.
With little proven depth behind him, the situation has become more than just a short-term patch job. Washington is now weighing its options at left tackle, and the internal conversation has turned to whether a change is needed before the problem gets any bigger, with the practice squad offering at least one possible path if the Commanders decide to make a move. [Read more 🡒]
Giants QB Injury Scare Just Changed The Commanders Short-Week Watch
A short-week matchup already comes with enough uncertainty, and the Commanders got a little more of it after J.J. McCarthy left the Giants Week 9 win over the Eagles with a hip pointer. The injury briefly raised questions about New Yorks quarterback situation heading into Thursday night, especially with only a few days to recover before a divisional game that matters to both teams.
Giants coach John Harbaugh addressed McCarthys status in a Monday press conference and said the quarterback is expected to be ready for Week 10. Even with the quick turnaround, McCarthy is likely to start against Washington, which means the Commanders will have to prepare for the same opposing quarterback they expected, just with a little extra concern attached to his health. [Read more 🡒]