C
Washington Commanders
Williams is the Commanders' new face under center. Grade: C.
by RSW ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 1 steals
· 4 reaches
The move everyone will second-guess came early. The Commanders reached some 175 spots for Eyabi Okie-Anoma, and value like that does not grow back. It washes out to a C, no better and no worse.
Whatever Caleb Williams becomes, the front office has tied its fortunes to the answer. A whole weekend of picks and running back is somehow still a want. The Jones pick is the one they will point to when this weekend is judged.
The roster is better shaped than it was, with wide receiver chief among the fixes.
A perfectly average weekend, for better and for worse.
Pick-by-Pick
In No. 1 they get the face of the franchise. A clean fit for the roster.
A market-rate edge rusher, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Chris Braswell. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
By-the-book stuff, Brenden Rice at slot 67 squarely in line with his ranking. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
They took Khyree Jackson at par in Round 4, Pick 1, which is nothing to complain about. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Matt Goncalves in the 103rd pick is exactly on the number, no argument either way. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
James Williams in the 127th overall pick is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
They liked Theo Johnson enough to skip the value, taking him in slot 138. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They paid a round early for Michael Barrett in No. 181, more than the board wanted. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
Christian Jones slid further than he should have, and the 220th overall pick is lovely value for the offensive lineman. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Value said wait; Eyabi Okie-Anoma in pick 243 says they were not listening. A need, and now a little less of one.