B+
Washington Commanders
The Commanders robbed the room for Gabriel. Final grade: B+.
by MM ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 4 steals
· 0 reaches
Whoever sat across the table from the Commanders should ask for a receipt. They cleaned the room out, prying loose far more value than they gave up, and it was the quiet MVP of their weekend. More right than wrong, and a B+ to match.
The Gabriel pick alone nudges the whole weekend up a notch. For all the activity, interior defensive lineman went untouched, which is hard to explain.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the interior defensive lineman spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 6 they get a long-term starter on the line at fair value. The biggest hole, addressed.
They read the board right and Quinshon Judkins was the payoff at the Round 2 slot. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Tacario Davis at the 36th overall pick is money in the bank, a cornerback taken below his worth. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A clean, defensible pick in No. 38 with a little surplus value in Emery Jones. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
A tidy bit of business in pick No. 66, where Mitchell Evans graded well above the range. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Dillon Gabriel in pick 98 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. It fills a real need, too.
Antonio Williams in pick No. 130 lands just on the right side of the ledger. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
No drama and no debate, Zach Rice went about where he belonged in the Round 6 slot. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Fair-plus on Steve Linton, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. It patches a soft spot without any drama.