D-
Washington Commanders
The Commanders bet the future on Maye. The board says D-.
by gavin ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 3 steals
· 0 reaches
You can lose a draft before you make a pick. The Commanders did it at the trade table, overpaying to chase players the board did not price nearly as high.
So much rides on Drake Maye that the rest of the class almost grades on a curve behind him. Leaving edge rusher unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. However the rest shakes out, Wilson at that price is a win they earned.
They went 5 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
Add it up and it is a weekend the front office will hope everyone forgets, edge rusher very much included.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 2 they get a long-term answer under center. A real need, handled.
They paid sticker price for Jordan Morgan in the Round 2 slot, and that is fine. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They took Keon Coleman at par in the 40th pick, which is nothing to complain about. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
A slide stopped in pick No. 67, with Payton Wilson worth more than the price. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Cade Stover in No. 78 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Andru Phillips in pick 100 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Chau Smith-Wade at slot 139. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
A straight-up fair deal on Kitan Oladapo at the 152nd overall pick, value and slot in agreement. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
They let Caedan Wallace come to them and pounced at Round 7, Pick 2. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.