B-
Washington Commanders
The Commanders finally solved quarterback, and it carried them to a B-.
by Brice ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 1 reaches
The search is over. The Commanders handed the keys to Drake Maye, and the whole operation now runs on his development. A sturdy weekend that grades out a B-.
They covered a lot of ground and still skipped running back, which is a strange place to end up. Fuaga falling to them is the kind of break a good board is built to catch. Reaching for Smith left real value on the table behind him.
On the needs board they went 7 of 8, with wide receiver the one that mattered most.
A workmanlike haul that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 2nd overall pick they get the face of the franchise. A clean fit for the roster.
Taliese Fuaga at Round 2, Pick 4 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr. at pick 40 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
By-the-book stuff, Cade Stover at No. 67 squarely in line with his ranking. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A market-rate edge rusher, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Brandon Dorlus. The roster fit checks out.
A reach on Maason Smith in the 100th pick; the board had better options right there. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Trevor Keegan at pick No. 139 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Good price on Tommy Eichenberg in slot 152, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
They barely believed it either: Ryan Flournoy still on the board at pick No. 222. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.