B-
Washington Commanders
The Commanders cashed the board's mistake on Burke: B-.
by g ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 4 steals
· 4 reaches
When a board-topper like Denzel Burke slides to slot 100, you do not overthink it, and the Commanders did not.
If Hartman pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. They will answer for taking TE-EDGE early while tight end, edge rusher and other spots went begging. They covered a lot of ground and still skipped tight end, which is a strange place to end up.
Nothing here to lose sleep over, and plenty to feel decent about.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 7 they get a cornerstone up front at fair value. The biggest hole, addressed.
A tidy bit of business in No. 36, where Taliese Fuaga graded well above the range. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Edgerrin Cooper at the Round 2 slot. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Value said wait; Jackson Powers-Johnson in the 71st overall pick says they were not listening. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Somehow Denzel Burke was still sitting there in the 100th pick, and they pounced on premier cornerback value. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A want over a need in Round 4, Pick 7: Cade Stover adds a TE-EDGE while tight end, edge rusher and other spots keeps waiting.
They liked Will Shipley enough to skip the value, taking him in pick No. 144. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Ainias Smith is a better player than pick 185 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Sam Hartman in the 228th pick, miles early. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.