NFL Draft Analysis: Washington Commanders
This is a big offseason for the Washington Commanders. They have the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year in Jayden Daniels, who is clearly a franchise quarterback, and they are coming off an NFC Championship appearance (where the Eagles clobbered them). It was crucial for Dan Quinnâs squad to not rest on their laurels and continue to build out a Super Bowl contender.
That journey started with big bangs during free agency, where the team traded for Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel to put more around their young signal caller. They also signed Javon Kinlaw to a big contract to bolster their defensive line.
Though they had limited resources in the 2025 NFL Draft, Washington continued to add players who could contribute early and mostly make life easier for Jayden Daniels.
Josh Conerly Jr., Offensive Tackle, Oregon
Protecting Jayden Daniels is of the utmost importance for Washington right now. Last year, the Commanders allowed 50 sacks, which is not sustainable for a quarterback to take year to year.
Josh Conerly Junior is not the strongest offensive tackle, but his size and movement skills give him a great foundation to be a bookend blocker in the Washington offense. The combination of Conerly and Laremy Tunsil will be a massive upgrade for Washington.
Trey Amos, Cornerback, Ole Miss
Washingtonâs defense took a step forward under Dan Quinn in year one, but was outperforming given the lack of premium talent on the roster. It was almost a given that theyâd be adding defensive backs high in this draft.
Trey Amos makes a ton of sense for Quinnâs defense. He is big, physical, and plays the ball extremely well. Amos is not the fastest cornerback, but Washington will rely on his ability to force receivers to play his speed to help improve their secondary.
There is no reason why Amos should not be a Day One starter on the Washington defense.
Jaylin Lane, Wide Receiver, Virignia Tech
Jaylin Lane was never a dominant player in college football, but there are good reasons to assume his best football is still ahead of him.
For one, Lane is an outstanding athlete who was among the most impressive players at the NFL combine this winter. Two, his tape is pretty darn good but Lane just never got a great environment to produce at Virginia Tech for much of his career.
Washington is taking a big bet on traits and hoping Lane can become a weapon in Kliff Kingsburyâs offense. Given the presence of veteran receiver talent, Lane wonât have much pressure on him to produce immediately nor much attention paid to him by defenses. He could get onto the field early in his career as a gadget player and carve out a role as WR3 in Washingtonâs offense.
Kain Medrano, Linebacker, UCLA
Kain Medrano looks and moves like a safety at 6â2â and 220 pounds. He is a truly excellent athlete at that size and it shows up the way he moves downhill and sideline to sideline. Considering Washington is looking to add speed to their rebuilding defense, this selection already makes sense.
Medrano thrived in coverage at UCLA but really, really struggled as a tackler. Size and technique worked against him as an in-the-box run defender. He missed over 20% of attempted tackles during his career, which is a shocking number.
As a late round flier, the Medrano pick is smart. He could potentially move to safety or be a Big Nickel defender for Dan Quinn. No matter what, he will need to improve his tackling if he wants to get on the field at all.
Jacorey Croskey-Merritt, Running Back, Arizona
Jacorey Croskey-Merritt played for three college teams before heading to the NFL draft. On the way to the draft, Croskey-Merritt was the MVP of the Shrine Bowl where he thrived against high level competition.
Croskey Merritt is a well built back with good vision and great breakaway speed. He is an older rookie, but made sense for Washington at this stage in the draft. Croskey-Merritt will push for the RB3 spot and could contribute as a returner.
