Overall Draft Analysis and Draft Grades

[Boone]

I mean, the odds of ANY UDFA making the roster are pretty small. I'm not sure what bringing in a ton of them really accomplishes if you know what you are looking for and have done your homework on them? Bringing in a smaller number may be a reflection of being better prepared is what I mean.

 

[Knightingale]

How does the UDFA thing work?
I assume any player approached by teams gets their choice of who they sign with, unlike the draftees who have to go with who picks them?
If that’s the case then we don’t know how many the Commanders approached but they chose elsewhere?
Location and organisational history may play a part in that case, and the Commanders may not be viewed favourably as yet due to their history. Hopefully that’ll change in time as the new regime distances itself from the Snyder years.

 

[Chris]

 

[burgold]

I think that's right. If I were an agent I would coach my player on which teams represent the best place for their clients to stick. I mean sure it's more fun to be attached to a Super Bowl contender, but they also likely have fewer slots available. Very few UDFAs make it. Why make your shot even longer?

 

[Chris]

Better chances here than in most other places.

 

[China]

I'm not sold on the offensive line. It's a good thing they drafted a QB that can run, 'cause he'll probably need to.

 

[Boone]

Gotta think we may be going after a vet unless they really think the kid we drafted is a prodigy

 

[Boone]

 

[Bulldog]

In real time watching the draft I think Washington could have drafted DeJean and also picked up additional OL help as teams like SF and Detroit picked some guys I was looking at within 5-7 picks of where we were sitting.

That said, I never agreed on Day 1 about a lot of Beathard's picks. I was always yelling and screaming for another top cornerback to play opposite Darrell Green and for us to find a dominant linebacker before the trade for Wilber Marshall.

But in the end Beathard's drafts in the end continued to crank out starters.

The 2024 draft to me shows Peters best in being able to draft a guy projected to go in the middle of Round 1, in Zer'han Newton, at #36 at a position that otherwise next year will likely be one of need with Allen's status up in the air.

As Marcus Spears said the ability to get two #1 picks in a draft using a second rounder for the latter selection is great value.

I was all but up in arms about not making a move to get a left tackle in the first two rounds, especially with TWO picks AFTER Newton.

Peters says Coleman by the eval of the coaches says he can play LT in the NFL.

You have to take him at least in part on his word until proven otherwise.

At the same time I think a smart GM hedges his bets a bit and brings in a veteran LT over the summer just in case.

And that 'just in case' may very well be in regards to whether Lucas and/or Trent Scott show well in offseason and camp work and prove THEY belong.

 

[Henry]

I gave the draft a A.

When you are 4-13 with a defense that was dead last in everything, you absolutely go BPA. Whoever he is, if he's good at what he does, you take him. This team has holes everywhere. Literally everywhere. There's no bad pick there.

Is the OL a problem? Yes, but so were a lot of other things and the draft isn't going to solve all of them. Right now, based on value vs. draft position, we had a great draft. An absolute great draft.

 

[Bulldog]

Well, we sure did make up for the offensive positions with the UDFAs. Lots of running backs, receivers and and even a quarterback.

 

[Neophyte]

I gave the draft a A.

When you are 4-13 with a defense that was dead last in everything, you absolutely go BPA. Whoever he is, if he's good at what he does, you take him. This team has holes everywhere. Literally everywhere. There's no bad pick there.

Is the OL a problem? Yes, but so were a lot of other things and the draft isn't going to solve all of them. Right now, based on value vs. draft position, we had a great draft. An absolute great draft.

This is exactly where I am. We have too many holes to be hyper-focused on any one unit.

Granted, I say that knowing I've been one to advocate for taking ALL the OL guys this draft and I would have been okay if we had spent 2-3 picks on those guys this year.

However, even with as bad as the OL was, defense was the bigger issue last year.

Having said that, so much of how this draft will be remembered rests on the shoulders of Jayden Daniels. If he turns out to be a Top 10 QB in the NFL for the next decade or more, no one will care what the rest of the class does. Conversely, if he washes and the team is looking for a long-term answer under center again in 2027, this draft will likely be considered a failure unless Coleman ends up a All Pro and Hall of Famer.

 

[Bulldog]

IMO this team needs to be in the top 10-15 picks next year to continue putting together a core of top level prospects.

After waiting for 25 years to get clear of Snyder and the 'quick fix' and then the slow roll to the near death of the franchise from 2020-23 under Ron who seemed asleep at the wheel, I am willing to give these guys the length of their contracts to turn this around and get it right.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I gave them an A. I really liked this draft. A few of you have already made my points for me, so I'll try to be brief.

A 4 win team has lots of holes to fill and they did a good job in the draft filling them. There could be as many as 6 starters or major contributors by years end in this draft, not to mention the possibility of a couple of special teamers. I also like that they found guys who are team captains and leaders. They also drastically improved the athleticism of this team. So they wanted smart, athletic leaders, and it sounds like they got them. Would I have liked them to take a tackle earlier, of course I would have. I know they were trying to move up to take a tackle, which is good. But I'm also glad they didn't give up the future to do so. This team isn't being built for 2024 and it's being built for the long term. Peters has stated this several times. You can't fill every hole in one draft and we knew that. What I did like was their trade down to pick up an extra 2nd round pick. I never get tied to a player or think they team should draft this person over this person. The fact they traded down and eventually took a guy that Pittsburgh wanted makes me even more happy. Pittsburgh has always drafted well and outside of a few knuckleheads, picked high quality people. So being able to get Sainristil when Pittsburgh wanted him is a tremendous pick.

As others have said, this draft class will be judged by how good Daniels is in his career. But I liked the other picks much more than Daniels. Don't misunderstand, I am excited about Daniels, but the rest of the draft is what has me giddy. Time will tell if these guys can get it done and if any of they guys they passed on are any good, but I really like what I saw this past weekend.

 

[Bulldog]

Yahoo sports gave us a C+ for the Daniels pick.

They had Caleb, Maye and McCarthy ALL garnering A grades for their selection.

In fact all of the other top 10 picks received a B+ or A except for the Penix selection at 8 and that was judged an F because of the poor fit for the pick in the circumstances after signing Cousins to a big contract.

Their take was Daniels slight frame and ‘questionable’ arm strength made him a high risk player at #2.