A-
Washington Commanders
The Commanders cashed the board's mistake on Harden: A-.
by bshea ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 18 picks
· 5 steals
· 7 reaches
Every so often the board makes a mistake, and the Commanders were there to profit. Myles Harden, the No. 209 name on the board, should have been long gone before the 256th overall pick. Add it all up and it grades out a clean A-.
Every deal seemed to tilt their way, which is not luck. The cost of the Owens reach is exactly the players who went right after him.
For all the activity, running back went untouched, which is hard to explain.
It is a haul that will look even better come September.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 20th pick they get a potential shutdown corner. Exactly the need they had to hit.
They will replay JC Latham at pick 36 for years; that is how good the value is. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Chris Braswell in the Round 2 slot is exactly on the number, no argument either way. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Nothing to complain about; Kingsley Suamataia went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Cade Stover in the 72nd overall pick is fair value, right on his grade. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
They paid sticker price for Calen Bullock in slot 78, and that is fine. A minor itch, scratched.
Khyree Jackson at pick No. 84 is a conviction pick that outran the value. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Brenden Rice at Round 3, Pick 31 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They paid a round early for Johnny Wilson in the Round 4 slot, more than the board wanted. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Nice patience on Theo Johnson, who had no business lasting to Round 4, Pick 33. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A reach for Jalyx Hunt in pick No. 139; a little patience would have been rewarded. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Isaiah Adams in slot 176 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Joe Milton III. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They jumped the gun on Trevin Wallace, taking him earlier than his grade liked. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
They talked themselves into Tyler Owens at pick 222, and the board did not agree. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.
Sam Hartman in the 244th pick is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. It fills a real need, too.
A quiet steal in the 251st overall pick: Michael Barrett for less than the market said. Nice player, but the depth chart did not need him here.
A cornerback of that caliber at the Round 7 slot is the definition of value, full stop. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.