The Commanders went corner, safety, offensive line in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft, and on Day 3, they entered with five picks – but eventually moved down to four so they could move up in the fifth round.
Get a look at all of the Commanders' Day 3 picks below, and keep listening to 106.7 The Fan and The Team 980 all weekend for full reactions - and tune in Monday morning to hear The Sports Junkies kick off a day of draft recap!
ROUND 4, NO. 118 OVERALL: OG Braeden Daniels, Utah
The Commanders add another versatile lineman for new OC Eric Bieniemy in Daniels, who started 43 games at Utah in three different spots: left guard (18), left tackle (14), and right tackle (11).
Daniels was First Team All-Pac 12 as a left tackle last year and Second Team in 2021 as a right tackle, so he can play either side and could help at that spot immediately as the Commanders move Andrew Wylie inside from right tackle to guard.
His NFL.com scouting report says that Daniels is an “active, athletic offensive lineman offering room for development at guard or tackle” and “an impactful down blocker with the quickness to handle zone-blocking duties.”
ROUND 5, NO. 137 OVERALL: DE K.J. Henry, Clemson
The Commanders traded up from No. 150 to select Henry, dealing that pick and No. 215 in the sixth round to Buffalo to move up 13 spots.
Henry was an All-ACC selection and Second Team All-American after a career fifth-year with the Tigers, where he recorded 59 tackles (9 for loss), 3.5 sacks, six pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, and a team-high 24 quarterback pressures. He had 13.5 sacks in 58 career games at Clemson, and his NFL.com profile says “his strengths and weaknesses are well-defined, with the upside to become a starter.”
ROUND 6, NO. 193 OVERALL: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky
Rodriguez played 46 games over parts of five seasons for the Wildcats, rushing for 3,644 yards and 32 touchdowns and adding 20 catches for 116 yards and three scores. According to his NFL.com Draft profile, the 6-foot, 217-pounder “is a powerful runner, but he lacks the burst and creativity to become anything more than a downhill grinder. He has the size and mentality to do the dirty work between the tackles, but it could be a challenge for him to get to and through the hole quickly in the NFL. He’s a physical blitz protector, so teams might envision a role for him as a second-half battering ram and third-down quarterback protector.”
ROUND 7, NO. 233 OVERALL: LB Andre Jones, Louisiana
The Commanders’ final 2023 selection tips the scale of their seven picks back to defense, and grabs a six-year collegian who had 216 tackles (25 for loss), 17.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles at Louisiana, and was a two-time All-Sun Belt selection.
His NFL.com Draft profile says Jones is a “long-limbed edge defender with an angular frame and a willingness to take on all comers. Jones’ production might not jump off the page, but he’s athletic and uses his length to put himself in position to make tackles. Jones could use more strength in his lower half both as a run defender and pass rusher. While they aren’t sustained, there are flashes of rush potential that might create a roster opportunity after a year on a practice squad.”
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