Washington Commanders mock draft 2023: Pick-by-pick predictions

No. 97, Round 3: Sydney Brown, S, Illinois

The Commanders address their secondary in Round 3 by going back to the Big Ten for Brown who has 3,168 career snaps to his name. The 5-foot-10, 211-pound Brown would be a nice addition to a safety room that currently consists of Kamren Curl and Darrick Forrest, especially after Bobby McCain – who started 32 games at safety for the Commanders over the last two years – signed with the New York Giants this offseason.

Illinois' Sydney Brown had six interceptions in 2022 — from the slot, the box, cornerback alignment, and the deep third. NFL teams valuing do-it-all coverage defenders should start lining up. This year's Jalen Pitre? pic.twitter.com/uqYUGpEtRk

— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) February 26, 2023

Brown had six interceptions and six more pass breakups in 2022 and has the range to play all over the field. His versatility and explosiveness makes him a prime target for Washington at No. 97 overall.