The Washington Commanders continue to surprise – and not in a good way.
The team sacrificed one potential playmaker for more picks when trading down on Thursday to later take a receiver far earlier than he was expected to go. It's remindful of last year when team officials said Jamin Davis was their hidden gem. So far, he has been a swing and a miss.
This time, Washington didn't take safety Kyle Hamilton or receivers Jameson Williams or Chris Olave at No. 11 to later choose receiver Jahan Dotson and two mid-round picks. The Commanders chose to spread the risk of one player for three, but really traded the chance of a great player for several potentially good players.
It feels underwhelming.
Dotson fills a slot role, but at 5-feet-11, 183 pounds on a good day will need to outmuscle pro defenders at the line. That Dotson has good hands and wins his share of contested throws is a positive, but not so much that it was worth skipping other playmakers.
Oh, Washington received a late third- and fourth-rounder for moving five slots. That's not enough despite the team swearing there's gold in the middle rounds. We'll see in three years when truly reviewing the draft, but Washington needs to improve this season or the team's talent evaluators will be somewhere else in three years.
The focus now shifts to the second round, and quarterback is a real possibility given only Kenny Pickett went in the first. So much for the smoke surrounding Malik Willis going in the top 10. NFL teams love to talk themselves into passers, but for once didn't delude themselves into turning seconds and thirds into first rounders where they're destined to fail under increased pressure.
Washington picks 47th, too late to grab Willis, who's likely headed to Tennessee at No. 35. Matt Corral likely goes to Seattle at No. 40. Sam Howell could be grabbed by Detroit at No. 46. That means either Washington moves up for Corral or Howell, which it probably won't do, or looks for help elsewhere. That's not the worst thing.
Instead, Washington selects Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean to help its underperforming defense. Dean is a three-down player with enough lateral speed to clock tight ends. That some draftniks viewed Dean as first-rounder gives Washington added PR value by gaining him in the second round. And, the Commanders could use him.
By the end of the third round, Washington is just looking for best player available. Most likely an offensive lineman or cornerback. Houston cornerback Marcus Jones could be a target along with Maryland safety Nick Cross.
Great drafts require several contributors so Washington's success or failure is more reliant on Friday's selections. But, the first pick seemed a reach.
Rick Snider has covered Washington sports since 1978. Follow him on Twitter: @Snide_Remarks.
