The 2025 Draft Thread

[heisenberg]

Trading down always sounds great in theory, but I remember when we traded down and got Dotson, Robinson, and another guy. At first, I thought we killed that trade. Dotson looked like at worst a solid number two, Robinson was a starter, etc. but then as it went on the trade value got worse. And that’s an example of relatively successful trade down.

Mind you, trading down when you’re as bad at the draft as they were is probably a dub idea to start with.

Handing demarcus lawrence to a division rival didn't work out too well for us either.

 

[burgold]

We made so many bad moves just because we wanted to avoid the obvious one. Sometimes, the best way to prove your the smartest guy in the room is to not eff it up and do the easy stuff.

Heck, that’s Roseman’s secret sauce.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Trading down so the Seahawks can get Tyler Lockett, we got Crowder and change.

Trading down with Dallas to they can get D. Lawrence so we got Trent Murphy and change

Trading down so we can get Kerrigan and Jenkins versus JJ Watt

 

[DWinzit]

Trading down always sounds great in theory, but I remember when we traded down and got Dotson, Robinson, and another guy. At first, I thought we killed that trade. Dotson looked like at worst a solid number two, Robinson was a starter, etc. but then as it went on the trade value got worse. And that’s an example of relatively successful trade down.

Mind you, trading down when you’re as bad at the draft as they were is probably a dub idea to start with.

I felt 29 in this draft was a great place to trade down. The draft was strong from the mid first through the 4th round. We had many needs, some not yet filled.

With AP having the draft knack he has, I'm pretty confident a trade down would have yielded a number of valuable players and perhaps a pick next year depending.

And yes, it is hard to compare Rivera drafts to any competent drafter

 

[skinsinparadise]

I'd add for Conerly, and from what i can tell about all these guys is they fit the culture. From this article (if anyone here hasn't read it, its worth a read), the culture-bonding that drove last years team wasn't some random luck that they stumbled on.

Inside Dan Quinn's total transformation of the Washington Commanders

How did a laughingstock of a franchise become a contender overnight? Jayden Daniels is the catalyst, of course. But the head coach was also a grand-slam hire. His unorthodox approach is paying off.

www.golongtd.com

Inside Dan Quinn's total transformation of the Washington Commanders​

How did a laughingstock of a franchise become a contender overnight? Jayden Daniels is the catalyst, of course. But the head coach was also a grand-slam hire. His unorthodox approach is paying off.​

...Usually, that’s when head coaches are dying to surgically implant X’s and O’s and coaching philosophies into the brains of players. Fancy slogans are painted on walls. T-shirts are printed. This is their chance to put into action everything they’ve learned from endless mentors and self-help books. Here? Quinn’s mandate to his entire staff of 20+ assistants was simple: Do not talk football. He told the position coaches to learn as much as they could about their players’ upbringing, interests, families, how they’re wired.

The Commanders would be built on a foundation of genuine relationships. Not a dictatorship.

Playbooks could collect dust. Quinn informed his staff that football would take care of itself because they’re all athletic, all smart, all gifted. Players needed to know coaches cared about them — first.

Quinn’s mission was immediate and explicit, adds quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard: “Make this the best environment to work in, in all of pro sports.”

To accomplish this, Quinn knew his coaches needed to understand the people in their room.

“Because everything we can and will do,” Pritchard says, “will hinge on how connected we are in ways beyond football.”

...One day, Tapp took all 18 guys inside his defensive line room go-karting. They picked teams through a random draft, wore the team colors (white, gold, burgundy) and raced. Tapp, Daron Payne and Benning Potoa’e took the crown with the fastest cumulative time. (“To see a bunch of grown 250-pound to 310-pound men acting like kids,” Tapp says, “is pretty comical.”)

Another day, they all went skeet shooting.

Another day, Andre Jones Jr. — an avid fisherman — took teammates to a local lake.

Other position groups went bowling. Or out for dinners. Naturally, everyone became more of a family. This period set the tone for relationship-building all season long. Inside the D-Line room, Tapp figured out which type of music each of his players enjoyed so he could blare certain artists as they walked into his meeting room. Efe Obada, a Nigerian native profiled here, loves a genre called “Afrobeats.” A few others like the rapper Future. Others are into gospel. Each day, Tapp switches it up.

Quinn’s edict initially took veteran coaches by surprise. It was strange to not jump right into Install No. 1. Lynn remembers telling himself, I hope this pays off. (“It is paying off,” he later said. “We measure everything.”)

The defensive coordinator around here, Joe Whitt Jr, calls Quinn the single-most caring person he knows. If the coach asks “How’s your day going?” he sincerely means it. Back on his Falcons staff in 2020, Whitt couldn’t believe what he was seeing day-to-day up close. Whitt also pans a magnifying glass over Phase 1 as the defining moment for these Commanders. The defensive backs congregated for sessions pass-game coordinator Jason Simmons called “My Story.” Everyone sent in pictures of themselves and then — one by one, in front of the room — each player shared their life story.

Players were allowed to talk as long as they wanted. Several were extremely vulnerable. Several shed tears. It took a full week for all DBs to speak. Teammates forged a true brotherhood over shared trauma. The exercise was so powerful that Whitt decided right then to conduct the same “My Story” session with his entire team if he gets the opportunity to be a head coach.

All of this directly translates to the field.

When things go haywire, the coordinator never sees players from either side of the ball pointing fingers.

 

[Commander Wraith]

It makes it a wild card that he didn't catch many balls, that's all. He was interviewed by Grant and Danny and he played up his pass catching skills and cited Kamara as one of his inspirations.

Good to hear, thanks.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

I'd add for Conerly, and from what i can tell about all these guys is they fit the culture. From this article (if anyone here hasn't read it, its worth a read), the culture-bonding that drove last years team wasn't some random luck that they stumbled on.

Inside Dan Quinn's total transformation of the Washington Commanders

How did a laughingstock of a franchise become a contender overnight? Jayden Daniels is the catalyst, of course. But the head coach was also a grand-slam hire. His unorthodox approach is paying off.

www.golongtd.com

Inside Dan Quinn's total transformation of the Washington Commanders​

How did a laughingstock of a franchise become a contender overnight? Jayden Daniels is the catalyst, of course. But the head coach was also a grand-slam hire. His unorthodox approach is paying off.​

...Usually, that’s when head coaches are dying to surgically implant X’s and O’s and coaching philosophies into the brains of players. Fancy slogans are painted on walls. T-shirts are printed. This is their chance to put into action everything they’ve learned from endless mentors and self-help books. Here? Quinn’s mandate to his entire staff of 20+ assistants was simple: Do not talk football. He told the position coaches to learn as much as they could about their players’ upbringing, interests, families, how they’re wired.

The Commanders would be built on a foundation of genuine relationships. Not a dictatorship.

Playbooks could collect dust. Quinn informed his staff that football would take care of itself because they’re all athletic, all smart, all gifted. Players needed to know coaches cared about them — first.

Quinn’s mission was immediate and explicit, adds quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard: “Make this the best environment to work in, in all of pro sports.”

To accomplish this, Quinn knew his coaches needed to understand the people in their room.

“Because everything we can and will do,” Pritchard says, “will hinge on how connected we are in ways beyond football.”

...One day, Tapp took all 18 guys inside his defensive line room go-karting. They picked teams through a random draft, wore the team colors (white, gold, burgundy) and raced. Tapp, Daron Payne and Benning Potoa’e took the crown with the fastest cumulative time. (“To see a bunch of grown 250-pound to 310-pound men acting like kids,” Tapp says, “is pretty comical.”)

Another day, they all went skeet shooting.

Another day, Andre Jones Jr. — an avid fisherman — took teammates to a local lake.

Other position groups went bowling. Or out for dinners. Naturally, everyone became more of a family. This period set the tone for relationship-building all season long. Inside the D-Line room, Tapp figured out which type of music each of his players enjoyed so he could blare certain artists as they walked into his meeting room. Efe Obada, a Nigerian native profiled here, loves a genre called “Afrobeats.” A few others like the rapper Future. Others are into gospel. Each day, Tapp switches it up.

Quinn’s edict initially took veteran coaches by surprise. It was strange to not jump right into Install No. 1. Lynn remembers telling himself, I hope this pays off. (“It is paying off,” he later said. “We measure everything.”)

The defensive coordinator around here, Joe Whitt Jr, calls Quinn the single-most caring person he knows. If the coach asks “How’s your day going?” he sincerely means it. Back on his Falcons staff in 2020, Whitt couldn’t believe what he was seeing day-to-day up close. Whitt also pans a magnifying glass over Phase 1 as the defining moment for these Commanders. The defensive backs congregated for sessions pass-game coordinator Jason Simmons called “My Story.” Everyone sent in pictures of themselves and then — one by one, in front of the room — each player shared their life story.

Players were allowed to talk as long as they wanted. Several were extremely vulnerable. Several shed tears. It took a full week for all DBs to speak. Teammates forged a true brotherhood over shared trauma. The exercise was so powerful that Whitt decided right then to conduct the same “My Story” session with his entire team if he gets the opportunity to be a head coach.

All of this directly translates to the field.

When things go haywire, the coordinator never sees players from either side of the ball pointing fingers.

Wow, that is a truly concrete story.

You like to read these concrete anecdotes as opposed to generic platitudes like "DQ is a players' coach" or "he connects to players" - that is so detailed. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Simeon]

Good to hear, thanks.

If they think he does have possibilities as a pass catcher (or he can be developed as such) they may be thinking of him as an eventual replacement for Ekler, not necessarily to be the new bell cow.

 

[heisenberg]

Thats a really good article.

 

[Commander Wraith]

If they think he does have possibilities as a pass catcher (or he can be developed as such) they may be thinking of him as an eventual replacement for Ekler, not necessarily to be the new bell cow.

I think there’s some potential either way - feature back or 3rd down back. I tend to think he might fall in the middle - ie be best used as a change of pace back.
Perhaps the biggest questions he’s going to have to answer though regard his pass pro and ST play. Will likely be hard to make the squad if there aren’t positive signs on those 2 fronts IMO. With that said, my guess as of now is they wind up keeping 4 backs, so i like his chances.

 

[method man]

If we cut McNichols, no one would pick him up. He is the type of back you shelve on a practice squad

 

[bifflog]

Per Breer's mailbag:

"The Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans were trying to trade into the bottom of the first round, and there was a belief it was for Josh Conerly Jr., the Oregon tackle the Commanders picked at 29."

 

[RWJ]

 

[Conn]

Trading down so the Seahawks can get Tyler Lockett, we got Crowder and change.

Trading down with Dallas to they can get D. Lawrence so we got Trent Murphy and change

Trading down so we can get Kerrigan and Jenkins versus JJ Watt

Hate to say it but we aren’t totally out of the woods yet that this one may turn out similarly:

Dejean Cooper for Sainristil, Ben Sinnott, Dominique Hampton

Eagles also got #78 (which they traded back with and eventually picked Jalyx Hunt in the 90’s) and #152 (Ainias Smith)

Sainristil (especially with the other DB’s we’ve added around him) will probably end up good enough that we don’t really care. But it’s a very similar risk we took for minimal gain if Sinnott doesn’t turn out to be anything

For the record I loved the move at the time, with the meat of it being #40 + #78 for #50 + #53 in a draft where that was a meaty spot to be in.

It’s really Sinnott being a big question mark that makes this iffy. And that’s the risk with trading back even when the value is very good

 

[bifflog]

Sainristil (especially with the other DB’s we’ve added around him) will probably end up good enough that we don’t really care. But it’s a very similar risk we took for minimal gain if Sinnott doesn’t turn out to be anything

I think the wind is still at our backs on this one. Mikey has been excellent and in theory would move to his actual natural position if/when Amos is ready to man the 2nd outside spot, and while Sinnott year 1 wasn't what we wanted, the moves (or lack thereof) at TE suggest he is still solidly in their plans (compare this to how they added to the WR room). But we'll see.

 

[Simeon]

Don’t most tight ends take a year or so to develop? Guess the results this year will tell. Good news is the coaches and front office see what is actually there. I’ll bet if he is on the final roster he is good enough to start next year.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

C+ from Thor Nystrom @Voice_of_Reason

That's ironically their lowest grade from the media. However, I heard Thor on Galdi's podcast. He goes he does his grades more literally than everyone else. So a C plus means above average. Knocks them for not having enpugh picks to get a big grade -- though not sure if am mixing him on that point with someone else. Thor also joked about not being a fan of Ron's drafts but he likes Peters.

I heard Thor on Galdi. I actually listened to the blithering idiot for his whole interview. And amazingly, I didn't find him quite as insufferable as I normally do. Though he does like to hear himself talk.

SIP, you're right, he said he grades on a curve, so C+ is slightly above average. However, he had really nothing to say negative about the class at all, and was positive about all the players and also where we picked them. His biggest issues with Ron's classes was that Ron differed from his board. I say this as somebody who thinks Thor is an enormous ass: Ron would have been better off just going by Thor's board. I think that says more about Ron than Thor, but take that as you will. For this year, there was none of that type of commentary.

So the ironic thing about the C+ is I think it was mostly effected by the fact we only had 5 picks and were picking later in the rounds.

My personal opinion is if teams towards the back of the rounds pick up players which are perceived as value, and the players who are picked there are liked, there should almost be a kicker in terms or rating. It doesn't take a lot of skill to pick Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter 2 or 3. However, finding a player later in the rounds which has tremendous upside is harder, and should be rewarded.

 

[NoCalSkins]

RE: The franchise turn around. Something I think about had Snyder not sold the team. I think drafting Jayden Daniels was going to happen regardless once Caleb Williams was locked in with Chicago, but would Quinn or AP have even agreed to come be a part of this franchise? This quick turn around isn't typical, but it also speaks to the potential of the business model of the NFL versus the other top sports in how it really does facilitate every franchise's ability to get better in a hurry if they have the right people in charge and hit more than they miss on their drafts & FA signings. It also shows just how much of a detriment it was having Snyder oversee every move that was made.

 

[Conn]

RE: The franchise turn around. Something I think about had Snyder not sold the team. I think drafting Jayden Daniels was going to happen regardless once Caleb Williams was locked in with Chicago, but would Quinn or AP have even agreed to come be a part of this franchise? This quick turn around isn't typical, but it also speaks to the potential of the business model of the NFL versus the other top sports in how it really does facilitate every franchise's ability to get better in a hurry if they have the right people in charge and hit more than they miss on their drafts & FA signings. It also shows just how much of a detriment it was having Snyder oversee every move that was made.

Absolutely not, Peters rejected many opportunities before we blossomed as the perfect storm. He was voted hottest upcoming GM candidate multiple years in a row before he finally interviewed with us, he was biding his time.

I can’t speak on Quinn because he’s at the age where he may have taken a subpar opportunity to show his stuff again, idk.

But Peters absolutely would not have worked for Snyder.

Hell, idk if he sees this as the perfect opportunity without us having the #2 overall pick in a strong QB draft, either—which probably doesn’t belong to us if Harris’ analytics transition guy doesn’t basically force Rivera to trade Sweat and Young before the deadline. Snyder never would have traded those guys and actually let Rivera (unintentionally) tank.

So there’s many reasons why we wouldn’t have Peters if Snyder didn’t sell

 

[HTTR]

LOL yeah no way AP would have agreed to come here. Even if he did, dip shit Snyder wouldn’t have been smart enough to hire him anyway.

Also, Snyder would have traded the number 2 pick away for some washed up qb like Russell Wilson.

I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Fuck Snyder.