SNIDER: Commanders biggest NFL Draft moves will come in Round 2 and 3
Picking Jayden Daniels was easy. A mobile quarterback who excites fans was the right pick by the Washington Commanders to immediately re-energize their diminishing fan base.
But the real task of rebuilding the 4-13 team comes Friday with five picks in rounds 2 and 3. This is where general manager Adam Peters makes his stand. A quarterback at No. 2 was a no-brainer. Now Washington seeks at least two more starters if not three or four.
And, it’s like playing chess in the dark.
Washington picks No. 36 and 40 in the second round, meaning only three teams go before Washington gets its first of two selections over 20 minutes. Surely, the Commanders spent the night resetting their draft board to offset first-round picks.
Offensive tackles are so prized that Washington even attempted to trade back into the first round. It didn’t happen and there doesn’t appear one worthy of the 36th or 40th picks. That means Washington will likely pivot rather than press for a tackle by taking other needs.
But what happens at left tackle if not coming away with one today?
Veteran Cornelius Lucas could be the spot starter. He has been a solid reserve, but 17 games on the blind side is asking too much. A second round of free agency likely brings a stopgap player if one isn’t found today.
The upside is the glut of offensive linemen and quarterbacks filling nearly half the first round leaves plenty of cornerbacks and receivers becoming good values for the second round.
Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry should be the first target. Just a smooth playmaker who knows where the ball is. But if already selected, Minnesota cornerback Ennis Rakestraw, Jr. is a baller who’s even willing to take on offensive linemen.
The other pick should be Texas receiver Adonai Mitchell. And really, Peters has to read draft rooms elsewhere to see whether Mitchell needs to be the first of two selections depending on how the first three picks in the round go.
McKinstry might need to wait. Washington needs a No. 2 or 3 receiver, depending on how Jahan Dotson develops. Mitchell is a solid X receiver and red zone threat as a crisp route runner with size and speed.
Washington has three third-rounders and it wouldn’t be surprising to see two combined for a trade-up. The Commanders multiple needs make it easy to scattershot the board, but a tight end, inside linebacker and offensive line are natural targets.
Every draft is graded by the quarterback taken, but Washington’s success by 2026 may come down to the second and third rounds. If Washington can somehow find an offensive tackle, cornerback and receiver along with depth, it’s postseason prospects will come by 2025. And if Daniels is a hit, maybe even later this year.
