B+
Washington Commanders
Grand theft in the Round 7 slot: the Commanders steal White and grade out a B+.
by mlutman1981 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 2 steals
· 0 reaches
You could see the war room lean forward. Ricky White at slot 225 is the sort of fall that does not happen, except it just did. Good, not great, and the B+ says as much.
For all the activity, quarterback went untouched, which is hard to explain. The Darius Slayton deal gives the class an established piece to lean on. Job largely done: wide receiver settled and 6 of 8 of the wish list covered.
It is a bet on later, and a defensible one for a team playing the long game.
Nothing here to lose sleep over, and plenty to feel decent about.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 15 they get protection for the quarterback. The biggest hole, addressed.
JT Tuimoloau at No. 37 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. It fills a real need, too.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Edgerrin Cooper at Round 2, Pick 15. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Sedrick Van Pran in the Round 3 slot is exactly on the number, no argument either way. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
D.J. James in pick 79 is fair value, right on his grade. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Zak Zinter at the 100th pick is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the offensive lineman. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A reasonable price with a little left over, Will Shipley in the 104th overall pick. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
No drama and no debate, Payton Wilson went about where he belonged in pick No. 141. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
Theo Johnson at No. 182 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Ricky White in slot 225 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.