B+
Washington Commanders
The Commanders bet the future on Williams. The board says B+.
by Maynot ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
Start where it matters. The Commanders took Caleb Williams to run the offense for the next decade, and every other decision this weekend bends around that one. They moved the roster forward and banked a B+ for it.
Every board in the league had Milton III lower, and that gap is the story. Landing Braswell that late papers over a lot of smaller sins. The trade ledger is the best part of the whole weekend.
If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through wide receiver. The Commanders indulged a want in Eichenberg while a need in wide receiver and interior defensive lineman stayed open.
In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 4 they get the arm they will build around. A clean fit for the roster.
In slot 27 they get a building block for the line at fair value. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Good price on Kool-Aid McKinstry in pick No. 35, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
By-the-book stuff, Ja'Tavion Sanders at the Round 2 slot squarely in line with his ranking. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
No edge and no loss on Edgerrin Cooper in the 40th pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Blake Corum in the 67th overall pick is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
A edge rusher of that caliber at No. 78 is the definition of value, full stop. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Roger Rosengarten at Round 3, Pick 37 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
They zigged when the board said zag, taking Tommy Eichenberg at linebacker with wide receiver and interior defensive lineman open.
Christian Jones at pick No. 139 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Joe Milton III at slot 152 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Steele Chambers in the 222nd overall pick should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.