That's a wrap on the 2024 NFL Draft. The end of these busy three days has come with exceptional excitement as Washington has received praise from multiple outlets for the haul of players picked up. Could it be said that the Burgundy & Gold even had the best draft of all 32 teams? That's what NextGen Stats has suggested.
Here's what others around the country make of the Commanders moves as a whole:
Grade: A+
Analysis: "This was a straight-up masterpiece. The Commanders got the best quarterback in the draft (as I see it, at least) and then hammered the top 100, eschewing the relatively worthless picks that will be coming in Rounds 4–7. This is one of the few drafts that I thought elevated a team from its pre-draft status into something promising. Could Washington be this year's Texans? I'm not ruling it out and you shouldn't, either."
Grade: A
Analysis: "Got their franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels (2) and kept on adding. DT Johnny Newton (36) is a first-round player. Day 2 picks CB Mike Sainristil, TE Ben Sinnott, OT Brandon Coleman and WR Luke McCaffrey are building blocks."
Grade: A
Analysis: "New GM Adam Peters hopes to flip all the past bad vibes and Daniels' upside as a passer and runner for Kliff Kingsbury is a great start. Defensive-minded Dan Quinn had to love Newton and Sainristil back-to-back to help push this group toward what he had in Dallas. Sinnott and McCaffrey add interesting spread weapons to Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Austin Ekeler, and Zach Ertz. Then, Quinn got more of what he needed late, too."
Grade: A
Analysis: "The Commanders pushed all their chips to the center of the proverbial draft table to take Heisman Winner Jayden Daniels, an electric dual-threat quarterback who could quickly emerge as one of the most exciting young players in the game. Washington turned around in the second round and grabbed one of my favorite interior defenders in this class, the explosive and unstoppable Jer'Zhan (Johnny) Newton. The former Illinois star adds playmaking depth to the team's already-stacked interior rotation. The team also added dynamic nickel corner Mike Sainristil in the second—a raw but instinctive cover man who can start right away in Washington's secondary. Tight end Ben Sinnott is another one to watch in this haul: The former Kansas State tight end brings high-end athleticism and elusiveness to the Commanders' offense, giving Daniels another target over the middle of the field. This class should provide an immediate boost for the Commanders."
Grade: A
Daniels: Daniels is QB3 behind Drake Maye on both the PFF Big Board and the consensus big board, but the new regime in Washington takes him at No. 2 overall. Daniels does make sense as a theoretical fit in a Kliff Kingsbury spread-to-run offense that will allow Daniels to add on in the run game and get the ball out to players in space.
Newton: This wasn't a need for Washington, as two of their best players — Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne— play along the interior defensive line. However, this is a tremendous value selection at the top of the second round. Newton is the 11th-ranked player overall on the PFF Big Board and was extremely productive over his college career. Just three Power Five interior defensive linemen have recorded 100 or more pressures over a two-year stretch since PFF began charting college in 2014: Newton, his new teammate Jonathan Allen and DeForest Buckner.
Sainstril: The Commanders continue to draft good football players. Sainristil brings a fierce mentality to the team and provides positional versatility. He secured a career-best six interceptions in 2023, second among cornerbacks, and his 90.3 PFF grade since 2022 ranked fourth among Big Ten cornerbacks. Sainristil has great reaction speed and is fearless in run defense.
Sinnott: After previously getting great value in this draft, according to the PFF big board, the Commanders pick the 105th-ranked player in Round 2. Sinnott is an athletic tight end for Jayden Danies to develop with for the next decade. He doesn't do any one thing at an elite level but can do everything well. Sinnott's 14 missed tackles forced in 2023 ranked third among tight ends, and he made 31 explosive plays over the past two seasons.
Coleman: The Commanders finally land an offensive lineman at the top of the third round, selecting Coleman out of TCU. The 6-foot-6, 320-pounder struggled in 2023 but was far better in 2022 when he earned a 79.6 PFF grade. He could wind up on the inside in the NFL, but he has the experience on the outside, so he could still get a shot there first.
McCaffrey: McCaffrey has NFL bloodlines and is a natural athlete who knows the nuances of route running. He lacks an explosive element to his game but has strong hands, especially in contested catch situations, where his 32 receptions since 2022 are the most in college football. A former quarterback, McCaffrey has a good feel for finding open zones. While the Commanders already have weapons in the receiver room, McCaffrey provides a different style for the group.
Magee: A high-level competitor with a nonstop motor, Magee offers some solid run-and-chase ability, physicality in the box and upside as a blitzer. He posted a career-best 87.2 PFF grade in 2023 and an eye-catching 90.7 pass-rush grade that ranked fourth among all linebackers. At worst, Magee will be an impact core special teamer, but he has the competitive toughness and athletic traits to become a starter.
Hampton: Hampton is a supersized safety at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, and he comes with good athleticism. He's an interesting addition to a Dan Quinn defense that prioritizes those kinds of hybrid athletes in the middle of the field. Hampton was at his best in coverage around the line of scrimmage, as he earned an 81st-percentile coverage grade in the box last season for the Huskies.
Jean-Baptiste: Jean-Baptiste recorded 43 total pressures a season ago, including six sacks and 11 quarterback hits. He also produced 21 run stops without missing a tackle.
Grade: A-
Analysis: "The Commanders entered a new era with an excellent draft. Daniels could be an elite dual-threat playmaker if he becomes more efficient from the pocket. Newton is a force in the front four. Sainristil is a pain for opposing receivers to handle. Sinnott is an underappreciated receiving/blocking weapon. Coleman is a powerful guard/tackle. And McCaffrey is a reliable WR2 or WR3 option.
Washington did not have a fourth-round pick after moving up to the third in the Sam Howell trade with Seattle. It found a future starting linebacker in Magee, whose explosiveness was underappreciated while he was playing at Temple. Hampton possesses a nice combination of size and quickness, and it won't be surprising if he plays as a rookie."
Grade: A-
Analysis: "No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels (LSU) could be their galvanizing, long-sought franchise quarterback after the previous regime spent years kicking that can down the road. Second-round DT Johnny Newton (Illinois) and DB Mike Sainristil (Michigan) could be foundational players for the incoming staff … though Newton's arrival seems to signal Jonathan Allen or Daron Payne could be a short-timer. And it's worth wondering if the former decision-makers did the current ones a disservice by dealing Sweat as pass rush is still an issue here. Third-round WR Luke McCaffrey certainly has the bloodlines – and maybe the talent to be an impact target for Daniels from the slot."
