B
Washington Commanders
The Commanders bet the future on Daniels. The board says B.
by gd ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 4 steals
· 0 reaches
Thirty-one other rooms let Jaylen Wright slide, and the Commanders were the ones holding the card at pick 139. Highway robbery.
They have staked the next five years on Jayden Daniels, which is the only story that really matters here. They punted on tight end, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. Job largely done: wide receiver settled and 6 of 8 of the wish list covered.
Almost all the early capital went to that side of the ball.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but tight end.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 2 they get their quarterback of the future. A real need, handled.
The board had Graham Barton higher than pick No. 36, and the offensive lineman fell to them anyway. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Taking Quinyon Mitchell in slot 40 is close to grand larceny; a cornerback that good had no business lasting this long. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Jaden Hicks in Round 3, Pick 3 lands just on the right side of the ledger. A minor need, but a need all the same.
A clean, defensible pick in pick No. 78 with a little surplus value in Marshawn Kneeland. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Roger Rosengarten in the Round 3 slot is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Jaylen Wright at the 139th pick is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Luke McCaffrey at No. 152 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Grayson Murphy in the 222nd overall pick is a gift, value that borders on unfair. It patches a soft spot without any drama.