2025 NFL Mock Draft: Washington Commanders choose edge rusher

Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College

Everything is all gumdrops and lollipops down in the DMV. After a surprising season that saw Washington ride a rookie QB all the way to the NFC Championship, expectations are higher than they’ve ever been. As any Commanders fan will tell you, they would have won that game if ​​they didn’t have all those turnovers and if the NFL would have just allowed Frankie Luvu to keep leaping over the neutral zone a dozen more times. It’s a shame the refs awarded the Eagles 55 points, otherwise the Commanders would be Super Bowl winners once again.

Since then, GM Adam Peters is showing Jerry Jones what it means to go “ALL IN”. The Commanders signed 23 players to 1-year contracts, most in the NFL. 12 of these guys are 30+ years or older. Some may say that this is Washington’s attempt to “Win now” but they are not exactly building for the future. It is imperative for jersey sales that they get a rookie who will be around long enough for fans to remember his name. But for which side of the ball?

The Commanders are reasonably set on offense. Currently the best blocker on the team is Jayden Daniel’s Mom (AND AGENT!?) who has seemingly prevented Jayden from getting sacked by a female for 24 years. She truly is the Lane Johnson of Helicopter Moms. R.I.P. to poor Juju Watkins. Outside of that, Adam Peters has “upgraded” the LT position by trading for Laremy Tunsil, who led the league in penalties last season with 19 fouls. Jayden Daniel’s security blanket, Zach Ertz, was re-signed for another season. The GM must have been disappointed with the low level of tantrums he saw last year, so he traded for Deebo Samuel to bolster the wide receiver corp. This also gives Marshon Lattimore someone to slap fight with during practice. The running backs are either old or bullet riddled so that position is a definite need!

Saquon Barkley would gleefully tell you that the Commander’s defense ranked 3rd worst in rushing yards allowed (2337 yards) and yards per carry allowed (4.8). The Commander’s defensive line has a lot of question marks. Adam Peters overpaid for Javon Kinlaw, who is coming off a down year with the Jets. Daron Payne has been subpar since signing a big contract extension in 2022. Dante Fowler Jr., Washington’s 2024 sacks leader with 10.5, went to the Cowboys as a free agent. Jon Allen was due $15.5 million this season so he was cut and signed with the Vikings. Dorance Armstrong Jr. is a good pass rusher, but he statistically takes a breather on running plays. Deatrich Wise Jr., Jacob Martin, and Clelin Ferrell are random NPCs generated by an xbox that will battle it out for the other defensive end position. Jalen Hurts is looking at this defensive line and yawning.

Drafting a running back would help Jayden Daniel’s Mom from spending hours washing grass stains from his jersey after every game. But as an Eagle’s fan and pretend Commanders GM, the philosophy is to build through the trenches first. Most importantly, The Washington Commanders need more explosiveness within their edge-rushing unit. That’s why the Commanders select Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge from Boston College.

Let me start out by saying, I am so sorry, Eagles fans. Ezeiruaku deserves to be an Eagle. He grew up in Williamstown, New Jersey, which is about 25 miles southeast of Philadelphia. Like Quinyon Mitchell, Donovan could have chased riches in the transfer portal, but he stayed loyal and remained at BC his entire college career. He’s a Ted Hendricks award winner, He tied Harold Landry’s record for most sacks in a single season at Boston College, led the ACC in tackles for loss, won ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and earned consensus All-American honors. He was a senior bowl standout and we know how much Howie loves those guys. It pains me as an Eagles fan to draft him to a rival when he feels like a natural Eagle.

Pros:

• 60 total pressures were the 4th most among players in this draft class

• 20 QB hits lead the whole draft class

• He was second in Run Stops (30) among edge defenders in this draft class.

• A healthy relationship with his Mom and has normal parental boundaries.

Cons:

• The experts say he’s a bit undersized. Just like they said about Nolan Smith and we all know how that turned out!

• Lacks the raw strength to overpower opponents

• At the combine, He did not run the 40 so I assume that means he might be kinda slow. Or he’s so fast, no one even realized he ran it.

• His name is really hard to spell.

• He went to college in Boston and Boston is the worst. He was coached by Bill O’Brien so it might take a while to get the stink off him.

In conclusion, Donovan has the potential to step in and make an immediate impact for the Commanders. He can get to the quarterback and is good against the run. The window to win is now and Dovovan might be a piece that helps them get to the Super Bowl. After years of having their owner run the franchise like a Batman villain, Commanders fans are finally feeling hopeful towards the future. But Philadelphians can tell you that success is fleeting under a Josh Harris ownership group, look no further than the flaming pile of soiled diapers that is now the 76ers. Enjoy it while you can, Commodes!

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Mailata_in_a_miata is a potential award-winning commentor based in the USA area who has commented on featured stories for SI.com, ESPN.com, NFL.com, MLB.com, Deadspin and The Philadelphia Daily News. Mailata_in_a_maita has commented on articles by award winning writers in his many years on bleedinggreennation.com. While he hasn’t won any awards for his comments, because such awards don’t exist, he totally, probably, (maybe?) could have won awards for his award worthy comments.

2025 BGN Mock Draft Order

1) Titans (JoeDirtsBarber): Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado2) Browns (kjb304): Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State3) Giants (The Player Formerly Known as Mousecop): Cam Ward, QB, Miami4) Patriots (ReginaldHtower): Will Campbell, OT, LSU5) Jaguars (eaglenomics): Mason Graham, DT, Michigan6) Raiders (dkays): Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State7) Jets (Stick19154): Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State8) Panthers (89Tremaine): Will Johnson, CB, Michigan9) Saints (FierceDisc65): Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia10) Bears (DrprofBubbles): Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia11) 49ers (granthill7): Armand Membou, OT, Missouri12) Cowboys (Be subpar for Ja’Marr): Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas13) Dolphins (thehead92): Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas14) Colts (green1us): Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State15) Falcons (All_Hail_Howie): James Peace Jr., EDGE, Tennessee16) Cardinals (Good Bad Ideas): Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona17) Bengals (ablesser88): Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M18) Seahawks (herbalonius): Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan19) Buccaneers (Hoosinole): Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama20) Broncos (Silverlark60): Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State21) Steelers (Dr.MidnightGreen): Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado22) Chargers (LancGuy): Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan23) Packers (Leo Bedio): Matthew Golden, WR, Texas24) Vikings (krikkebelgium): Malaki Starks, S, Georgia25) Texans (Aint1stULast): Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State26) Rams (Booth12): Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina27) Ravens (pheebthegoose): Landon Jackson, EDGE, Arkansas28) Lions (Neil Dutton): Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M29) Commanders (Mailata_in_a_Miata): Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College30) Bills (PhilaWolverine)31) Chiefs (niels.rosenquist)32) Eagles (Philly21)

Now it’s time for you to vote for who YOU think should be selected in the 2025 BGN Community Consensus Mock Draft.

1) Titans: QB Cam Ward2) Browns: EDGE Abdul Carter3) Giants: WR/CB Travis Hunter4) Patriots: OT Will Campbell5) Jaguars: DT Mason Graham6) Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty7) Jets: OT Armand Membou8) Panthers: CB Will Johnson9) Saints: EDGE Jalon Walker10) Bears: TE Tyler Warren11) 49ers: OT Kelvin Banks Jr.12) Cowboys: WR Tetairoa McMillan13) Dolphins: OT Josh Simmons14) Colts: TE Colston Loveland15) Falcons: EDGE Mykel Williams16) Cardinals: EDGE James Pearce Jr.17) Bengals: EDGE Shemar Stewart18) Seahawks: QB Shedeur Sanders19) Buccaneers: LB Jihaad Campbell20) Broncos: RB Omarion Hampton21) Steelers: QB Jaxson Dart22) Chargers: DT Kenneth Grant23) Packers: CB Jahdae Barron24) Vikings: S Malaki Starks25) Texans: OL Grey Zabel26) Rams: WR Emeka Egbuka27) Ravens: S Nick Emmanwori28) Lions: EDGE Mike Green29) Commanders: