Dan Quinn called him a game-changer months ago, and the Commanders called his number at No. 2 – Jayden Daniels is the QB1 in DC. Great…but now what?
The Commanders did as many expected at No. 2, but did NOT do what many expected later Thursday night: namely, trade back into Round 1 to get an offensive tackle.
Perhaps, it’s because the opportunity never presented – the top 6 OT per PFF went in the Top 20, and the next three down went 25, 26, and 29 to line-needy teams (with Duke’s Graham Barton, listed as a center, going to Tampa Bay with the middle pick).
So now we get to Day 2, where the Commanders have five picks, starting at Nos. 36 and 40 – the fourth and eighth picks of the day. Still some good value on the line and at WR and DB, the top three needs for the team, so digital editor Lou DiPietro polled our 106.7 The Fan insiders, JP Finlay and Grant Paulsen, and together, the three came up with three names at all three spots to watch for on Day 2:
CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa: PFF had DeJean as the No. 8 overall player on their big board, and almost a dozen mocks from trusted insiders this week pegged him anywhere in the 20s. He’s still available after Day 1, and the Commanders have a crack at a DB who ‘could truly be an impact player anywhere’ with ‘footwork, ball skills and explosive athleticism that give him with All-Pro potential.’
CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama: OH YEAH! After nabbing an SEC corner at 16 last year, the Commanders could look to bolster that spot with McKinstry, PFF’s No. 26 prospect whose 88.8 season grade was 12th among FBS corners. That outlet clled him ‘one of the smartest cornerback prospects you'll find’ who ‘can play in any defensive scheme and is the type of player you draft in the first round,’ but Washington could get a guy in Round 2 who, in 482 coverage snaps last season, allowed 19 catches on 39 targets for 209 yards. All season.
CB Ennis Rakestraw, Missouri: PFF says Rakestraw, a GP favorite, ‘possesses a high football IQ and does great work in off-coverage’ and is a quick and controlled cornerback who will provide reliability as a run defender, and has traits worthy of a top-50 draft pick.’ His 80.7 grade was 82nd out of 852 CBs – with an 89 run grade – and as he has played wide, nickel, and box, this could perhaps be the future replacement for Jeremy Chinn at worst.
OT Kiran Amegadjie, Yale: Tackle is the biggest need out there for Washington, and perhaps the best one left is an FBS prospect out of the Ivy, who PFF says “is a starting-caliber lineman who has the tools and the tape to be a worthwhile investment in the top 50.” All of his tackle snaps in three years at Yale are on the left side, and although he played just four games last year due to injury, the 6-foot-5, 318-pounder was an All-Ivy selection and did not allow a sack or a hit in 128 pass-blocking snaps.
OT Blake Fisher, Notre Dame: The 6-foot-6, 312-pounder who played on the other side of No. 5 pick Joe Alt ‘has starter potential’ per PFF, and is the fourth-best tackle available based on their rankings. He played all of his snaps at RT the last two years, but had an 81.1 PFF grade this year and allowed just three sacks, three hits, and nine hurries in 366 pass-blocking snaps.
OT Roger Rosengarten, Washington: Both JP and GP were high on Rosengarten as a sneaky name to watch, as one was told “they really like him.” PFF says ‘Rosengarten is worth a Day 3 flier as a developmental, athletic offensive tackle, as he lacks the power necessary to survive at the NFL level in his current state,’ but he did have a 71.0 rating that was 117th of 628 qualifying FBS tackles. He was on the right side at U-Dub, but in 1,235 pass-blocking snaps over the last two years, none of them saw the 6-foot-6, 300-pounder allow Michael Penix Jr. to be sacked.
WR Troy Franklin, Oregon: 23 of 32 Day 1 picks were on offense, yet Franklin, PFF’s No. 6 WR, wasn’t one of them. Receiver-needy Buffalo and New England pick 33 and 34, so Bo Nix’s No. 1 target, who had an 84.9 PFF rating (29th among over one thousand FBS wideouts ranked) could be gone quick after he set Ducks single-season program records with 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns on 81 catches, that total second only to teammate Tez Johnson’s 86 in school history (with Johnson’s 1,182 yards good for third in school history). PFF even said ‘Franklin might get lost in the shuffle of a loaded wide receiver class, but he shouldn't,’ and early in the second, if he doesn't go right away, the Commanders could add a weapon for Jayden Daniels who ‘can be a good WR2 for a vertical NFL offense.’
WR Keon Coleman, Florida State: Coleman is a JP Finlay name to watch for this reason, as outlined by PFF: ‘Coleman is a top-tier receiver from an explosiveness standpoint, and his burst, top speed and leaping ability are All-Pro caliber.’ Having 50 catches for 658 yards may not show it, but as a deep threat alongside Terry McLaurin at X and Jahan Dotson in the slot, he could be a boost for Jayden Daniels.
WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas: The 6-foot-4 Mitchell’s ‘fluidity and size make him a tough matchup for anyone, especially in the red zone,’ per PFF, and he is in fact their fourth-ranked receiver but will go off the board no higher than eighth. Mitchell broke out for 55 catches and 845 yards in 2023, and you can do worse than Tee Higgins in PFF’s ‘shades of…’ comp.
Honorable mention from GP, JP, and LD: WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia; OL Patrick Paul, Houston; NICKEL Javon Bullard, Georgia.