The Future Ahead

June 18, 2025

By Noonefromtampa

The secret formula for having a winning NFL franchise isn’t really that much of a secret. In this collective bargaining agreement, salary capped era, teams need to draft well, re-sign the productive players they drafted to second contracts and then fill out the rosters with a mixture of proven veterans and lower cost early careers who can contribute in specific roles.

The key part in all that is the most difficult part – a team needs to draft well. Finding players whose collegiate talents map into the NFL has been the single most difficult thing for teams to master since the league was founded. Adam Peters, in his second year as general manager, now has two drafts under his belt. So where are we with the first draft from 2024, where Washington took six players in the first 100 picks?

Hitting for the Cycle

Obviously, several players stand out from this first draft. Jayden Daniels, Mike Sainristil and Brandon Coleman. First-round pick Daniels had an outstanding first year, was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year and selected to the Pro Bowl while leading the Commanders to the NFC Championship game. Daniels played 91% of the offensive snaps. Sainristil, one of three second round picks, played in 90% of the defensive snaps while starting at both slot corner and outside cornerback. Coleman, one of two third round picks, played left tackle most of the season and held his own against some very good players. He played in 68% of the offensive snaps in 2024.

What is interesting is that Sainristil and Coleman will likely play different positions in the 2025 season. Coleman is slated to slide inside to left guard next to Laremy Tunsil, who the team traded for in the offseason. Sainristil will move back to slot corner with the addition of Trey Amos in the 2025 draft.

Need to Step Up

Two of the second-round picks fall into this category. Johnny Newton played 48% of the defensive snaps last season. With Jonathan Allen no longer with the team and Daron Payne likely on his last year with the team, Newton, who was slowed by injuries, needs to step up his game and show he can be a force on the inside. Ben Sinnott played only 27% of the snaps on offense. Zach Ertz stayed healthy all season and was Daniels relief valve on many plays. Ertz turns 35 this November and the future will be Sinnott if he shows he can perform consistently at an Ertz-type level. The other third round pick, Luke McCaffrey,  only had 24 targets last season while playing 36% of the offensive snaps. He caught 18 of those targets for 8 first downs, but is still looking for his first receiving touchdown. McCaffrey also showed promise as a kickoff returner, averaging 30 yards per return on 10 returns. He needs to somehow get more involved in plays when he is on the field.

Would be Nice to See More Production

Any production teams can get from day 3 picks is a bonus for most teams. The Commanders drafted Jordan Magee and Dominique Hampton in the fifth round and iJavontae Jean-Baptiste in the seventh. Magee injured his knee in the preseason and had limited action last season (15 snaps on defense). The coaching staff is very high on his potential so it will be interesting to see what role he plays in the preseason games. Hampton moved from safety to linebacker last season and only got limited playing time on special teams. Jean-Baptiste played 18% of the defensive snaps last season. With leading sacker Dante Fowler moving on to Dallas, there is an opportunity for Jean-Baptiste to step up and fill that role. If he can develop into a consistent pass rusher in year two, he will see significant playing time in 2025.

Conclusions

The core players who were drafted in 2024 along with 2025 draftees Josh Conerly and Trey Amos plus holdover Quan Martin gives the Commanders a strong nucleus of young players.

If some of the 2024 Day 2 or Day 3 picks step up and become an every down contributor, these draft classes can provide a core of players that drive this franchise away from mediocrity and double-digit losing seasons into a respected and potentially feared opponent year in and year out.

And after all, that is only what every Washington fan has wanted for the past 30 years.