The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.

Draft season is upon us, and the Washington Commanders have a chance to grab one of the best playmakers in this year's class.

The Commanders' 2025 season did not go as planned following their NFC Championship performance in 2024. A mixture of injuries and overall performance resulted in them finishing with a 5-12 record, including an eight-game losing streak from Weeks 6-14. Head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters promised that changes would be coming, and so far, they have restructured their coaching staff with David Blough and Daronte Jones in as the new offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively. Their next task is to retool the roster, with changes likely coming on both sides of the ball.

The Commanders' first-round pick, which is the No. 7 overall selection this year, will play a critical role in that. There are several positions they could address with the pick, from pass rusher to receiver, but regardless of who they take, there's a good chance that player will be an immediate contributor.

Over the next last few months, Commanders.com has been highlighting one mock draft from a draft expert each week to delve into how that player would fit with Washington. This week, we're moving back over to the offense to break down a player with potential to be a No. 1 wide receiver.

Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

No one, including Peters, knows what the Commanders are going to do at No. 7, but when it comes to offensive playmakers, most of the debate comes down to two players: Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.

Although it could make sense for the Commanders to address either position, receiver is certainly the more dire of the two. They don't have a solid answer on who will be the No. 2 player opposite Terry McLaurin, and there are no guarantees on his future after 2026. There could be a scenario where the Commanders will significantly rework their receiver room next season, and it's possible Tate would be a foundational piece in that effort.

Regardless of what the Commanders choose to do in 2027, they do need another player to help stretch the field. Tate could help them do that, but Draft Wire's Kurt Popejoy has another player in mind: Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson. There's a bit of risk involved with picking him, but many analysts agree that on paper, he's one of the best offensive weapons in the class.

"Our prediction for Jordyn Tyson is that he blows teams away at his private pro day and shows his hamstring injury is behind him," Popejoy wrote. "This is enough for him to return to his spot as a Top 10 pick, where the Commanders scoop him up to line up with Terry McLaurin."

Tyson's injury history has dominated his evaluation in recent weeks. He didn't work out at the combine, aside from his 26 reps on the bench press, or his pro day, prompting many to wonder exactly how healthy he will be entering his rookie season. He also had a long list of injuries in college; he tore his ACL in 2022 with Colorado and only played in three games the following year. He also broke his collarbone in 2024 and dealt with hamstring issues in 2025. He never played a full season during his entire college career.

When he was on the field, Tyson showed several traits that excited NFL scouts. He caught 158 passes for 2,282 yards and 22 touchdowns in 33 games, averaging 14.4 yards per reception. He earned two all-conference selections in his final two seasons to go with two Third Team All-American nods. He can also take over a game, just as he did when he had 141 yards and two touchdowns in Arizona State's opener against Northern Arizona.

Still, analysts can't agree on what to do with Tyson. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has Tyson as the seventh-best player and top receiver on his big board, while NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah has Tyson at No. 21 in his top 50 mostly because of the injury history. But even Jeremiah, who wrote at the end of his evaluation that durability was "the only factor" that kept Tyson from being higher on his list, admits that Tyson offers plenty to like as a receiver.

"Tyson is an explosive receiver with a lot of "wow" plays littered throughout his tape," Jeremiah wrote. "He is a very fluid mover, and he incorporates a variety of releases and general creativity into his route-running. He has suddenness off the line and out of breaks down the field. He will weave and get cornerbacks off balance before exploding away from them."

If Tyson does have a strong private pro day and convince teams that his injury history is in the past, he does have the potential to be a No. 1 wideout. He's lined up as both a slot and perimeter player. He can also catch the ball from any spot on the field; although he was at his best in the deep right, according to Pro Football Focus, he also recorded grades of at least 91 on short and intermediate passes. He was also one of the most productive wideouts against man coverage with an 89 grade of PFF, catching five touchdowns on 23 receptions.

Tyson can also block, and he can thank Arizona State wide receiver coach Hines Ward for that. Ward was known for his skills as a blocker during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he has made sure to pass that skill, as well as his practice habits, on to Tyson.

"Just going about things day to day being an 'every day' guy, I would say," Tyson said. "Being a pro."

It looks like Tyson has fallen out of the top 10 at this point in the draft process, at least from analysts' perspectives. Many have him going No. 16 to the New York Jets, while NFL.com's Chad Reuter has him dropping to No. 22. Most of this stems from the injury issues, and people like Reuter might be correct when they predict that the lingering hamstring injury from the 2025 season might scare teams off from taking him higher.

However, it's also possible that Tyson could end up being a steal for a team if he does fall. There would likely be questions if the Commanders were to draft Tyson at No. 7, but there's enough positive film where the decision could make sense. Plus, NFL.com's Lance Zierlein sees similarities between Tyson and McLaurin, and if that is Tyson's potential, fans would probably sign up for more of that skill set.

"He's added size and improved his route running over the last two years, showing he can align at all three receiver spots," Zierlein wrote. "He occasionally rushes the route but has the short-area quickness and contested-catch toughness to find chain-moving grabs in high-leverage moments. He's not a blazer but has enough speed to work down the field. Also, he has the ball skills and body control to win above the rim with timing on 50/50 throws."

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