B+
Washington Commanders
A sensible, unshowy class lands the Commanders a B+.
by bshea ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 13 picks
· 4 steals
· 4 reaches
Nobody had Joe Milton III this high, and it is not close. The Commanders reached 26 spots to get him at the 174th pick. It does the job without flash, and the B+ reflects it.
If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through edge rusher. The Mitchell value carries more weight than any single miss elsewhere.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get a long-term starter on the line. The biggest hole, addressed.
The board had Quinyon Mitchell higher than Round 2, Pick 4, and the cornerback fell to them anyway. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
J.J. McCarthy slipping to pick No. 38 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Kiran Amegadjie in the 65th pick is fair value, right on his grade. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A market-rate interior defensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Ruke Orhorhoro. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A slide stopped in slot 78, with Devontez Walker worth more than the price. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Khyree Jackson at the 89th pick is right where the board had him, plain and simple. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Blake Corum at the Round 3 slot is money in the bank, a running back taken below his worth. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They jumped the gun on Theo Johnson, taking him earlier than his grade liked. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Johnny Wilson at slot 114 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
They reached into another round for Joe Milton III, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Trevin Wallace in the 222nd overall pick is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. It adds depth where they could use a little.
By-the-book stuff, Jalen Sundell at pick No. 246 squarely in line with his ranking. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.