C+
Washington Commanders
A franchise passer in Williams headlines a C+ weekend for the Commanders.
by RSW ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 2 steals
· 3 reaches
The search is over. The Commanders handed the keys to Caleb Williams, and the whole operation now runs on his development. Fine in stretches, shaky in others: a C+.
If Okie-Anoma pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. For all the activity, interior defensive lineman went untouched, which is hard to explain. That is a running back worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly.
Job largely done: wide receiver settled and 7 of 8 of the wish list covered.
The verdict is a shrug for now, with the swing picks left to write the real ending.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get the arm they will build around. A real need, handled.
They took Edgerrin Cooper at par in No. 40, which is nothing to complain about. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
A straight-up fair deal on Patrick Paul at the 66th pick, value and slot in agreement. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Khyree Jackson in the 88th overall pick is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Brenden Rice at slot 101 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Blake Corum in pick 103 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Theo Johnson at Round 4, Pick 27 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Christian Jones at pick No. 137 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Kamal Hadden at the 181st pick is money in the bank, a cornerback taken below his worth. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Jaylen Harrell in Round 6, Pick 29 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Good price on Michael Barrett in the 220th overall pick, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Eyabi Okie-Anoma this early at No. 222. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.