B+
Washington Commanders
The Commanders left with their quarterback, and a B+ to match.
by enjoy ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 14 picks
· 5 steals
· 1 reaches
The one hole that towered over the rest is filled. The Commanders spent their marquee pick on Jayden Daniels, and for the first time in a while there is a real answer at quarterback.
Leaving interior defensive lineman unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. The Harrell reach is the anchor dragging on the value grade. Landing Jenkins that late papers over a lot of smaller sins.
Add it up and it is a good, unfussy class.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 7th pick they get their quarterback of the future. A clean fit for the roster.
They paid sticker price for Jordan Morgan in Round 2, Pick 4, and that is fine. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Troy Franklin at pick 40 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A slide stopped in the Round 2 slot, with Xavier Legette worth more than the price. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Kris Jenkins slid further than he should have, and the 67th overall pick is lovely value for the edge rusher. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
A tidy little value on Cade Stover in pick No. 78, a step better than break-even. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
MarShawn Lloyd in slot 100 lands just on the right side of the ledger. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A market-rate offensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Blake Fisher. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Value with a capital V on James Williams in Round 5, Pick 3, a genuine coup. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
Kalen King at pick No. 146 is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A straight-up fair deal on Kitan Oladapo at No. 152, value and slot in agreement. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
A tidy bit of business in slot 179, where AJ Barner graded well above the range. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Jaylen Harrell in pick 192 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Jaylan Ford at the Round 7 slot is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.