We're just over a week away from the start of the 2025 NFL Draft, which means the Commanders will soon be able to add another quality player to their roster with the 29th overall pick.
It's been a while since the Commanders have picked this late in the first round. They've only held the 29th selection three times in team history, the most recent occurrence being in 1962. They chose Penn State linebacker Bob Mitinger, although he chose to play for the Chargers in the AFL. Kentucky defensive end Walt Yowarsky, taken in 1951, played two years in Washington before moving on to other teams. Northwestern offensive guard Paul Tangora was selected by Washington in the NFL's inaugural draft but chose a different career path.
Although they aren't at the top of the draft this year, the Commanders are confident they can find an impactful player at their current spot. Teams have had varying levels of success with the 29th overall pick over the years, but there have been some players over the last 10 years who have had successful careers.
Here's a look at some of the recent players taken at the Commanders' current draft positioning and how they fared in the NFL.
2024: Tyler Guyton, T, Oklahoma, Cowboys
- Guyton was the ninth offensive lineman taken in the first round last year after a successful career at Oklahoma. He made his debut as the Cowboys' starting left tackle in Week 1 and played in 15 games with 11 starts.
2023: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson, Saints
- Bresee has become a lynchpin of the Saints' pass rush and is a disruptive force in their defense's interior. He led his team last year with 7.5 sacks and 14 quarterback hits in 11 starts.
2022: Cole Strange, OL, Chattanooga, New England
- The Patriots made a surprising move in 2022 when they drafted Strange out of UTC. He was put into the starting lineup at left guard and stayed there for his entire rookie year. Since then, Strange has started 12 games over the past two seasons thanks to a torn patellar tendon he suffered in 2023.
2021: Eric Stokes, DB, Georgia, Green Bay
- Stokes made a big impression in the Packers' secondary as a rookie with 14 pass breakups, an interception and 55 tackles. He's struggled to reach that level again because of injuries in 2022 and 2023, although the 2024 season was a moderate return to form with 41 tackles. He recently signed a one-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders.
2020: Isaiah Wilson, OL, Georgia, Tennessee
- Wilson's NFL career encompassed four total snaps in a game, as he dealt with injuries and other off-field issues. He was traded by the Titans to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a seventh-round pick but was waived three days later. He was part of the New York Giants' practice squad in 2021 and released after the season.
2019: L.J. Collier, DE, TCU, Seahawks
- Collier has been a decent rotational player during his six-year career, which includes four seasons with the Seahawks. Collier is currently playing for the Cardinals and re-signed with the team after putting up career numbers in tackles (29) and sacks (3.5).
2018: Taven Bryan, DT, Florida, Jaguars
- Bryan has put up at least a half-sack in each of his seven NFL seasons and spent the 2024 season with the Indianapolis Colts as a depth piece on their defensive line. He was previously with the Jaguars and Browns, where he started 16 games and recorded 26 tackles with three sacks.
2017: David Njoku, TE, Miami, Browns
- Njoku is objectively one of the most successful players on this list and has been a mainstay of the Browns' offense since he was drafted in 2017. He has 3,769 yards and 30 touchdowns in his career and was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2023 for putting up a career-high 882 yards and six scores on 81 catches.
2016: Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss, Arizona
- Nkemdiche bounced around the NFL with the Cardinals, Dolphins and Seahawks. His best season came in 2018, when he recorded 4.5 sacks and 32 tackles for Arizona. He's spent the last two seasons playing in other leagues, most recently with the Edmonton Elks in the CFL last season.
2015: Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami, Colts
- Dorsett started his career as a depth receiver for the Colts and later the Patriots -- the teams with which he gained most of his career 2,001 yards and 12 touchdowns. He's also spent time with the Seahawks, Houston Texans, Raiders, Broncos and Falcons. He signed a reserve/future deal with Atlanta at the conclusion of the 2024 season.
Other players:
2014: Dominique Easley, DT, Florida (New England)
2013: Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee (Minnesota)
2012: Harrison Smith, DB, Notre Dame (Minnesota)
2011: Gabe Carimi, T, Wisconsin (Chicago)
2010: Kyle Wilson, DB, Boise State (New York Jets)
2009: Hakeem Nicks, WR, Norh Carolina (New York Giants)
2008: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina (San Francisco)
2007: Ben Grubbs, G, Auburn (Baltimore)
2006: Nick Mangold, C, Ohio State (New York Jets)
2005: Marlin Jackson, DB, Michigan (Indianapolis)
2004: Michael Jenkins, WR, Ohio State (Atlanta)
2003: Nick Barnett, LB, Oregon State (Green Bay)
2002: Marc Colombo, T, Boston College (Chicago)
2001: Ryan Pickett, DT, Ohio State (St. Louis)
2000: R. Jay Soward, WR, USC (Jacksonville)
1999: Dimitrius Underwood, DT, Michigan State (Minnesota)
1998: John Avery, RB, Ole Miss (Miami)
1997: Chris Canty, DB, Kansas State (New England)
1996: Jamain Stephens, T, North Carolina A&T (Pittsburgh)
1995: Blake Brockermeyer, T, Texas (Carolina)
1994: Derrick Alexander, WR, Michigan (Cleveland)
1993: George Teague, DB, Alabama (Green Bay)
1992: Ashley Ambrose, DB, Mississippi Valley State (Indianapolis)
1991: Ed King, G, Auburn (Cleveland)
1990: Terry Wooden, LB, Syracuse (Seattle)
1989: Steve Wisniewski, G, Penn State (Dallas)
1988: Chris Spielman, LB, Ohio State (Detroit)
1987: Nate Odomes, DB, Wisconsin (Buffalo)
1986: Garry James, RB, LSU (Detroit)
1985: Mark Traynowicz, G, Nebraska (Buffalo)
1984: Doug Smith, NT, Auburn (Houston)
1983: Vernon Maxwell, LB, Arizona State (Baltimore)
1982: Bubba Paris, T, Michigan (San Francisco)
1981: Russell Gary, DB, Nebraska (New Orleans)
1980: Joe Cribbs, RB, Auburn (Buffalo)
1979: James Owens, RB, UCLA (San Francisco)
1978: Sylvester Hicks, DE, Tennessee State (Kansas City)
1977: Dave Lewis, LB, USC (Tampa Bay)
1976: Sammy Green, LB, Florida (Seattle)
1975: Ralph Ortega, LB, Florida (Atlanta)
1974: John Holland, WR, Tennessee State (Minnesota)
1973: Derland Moore, DT, Oklahoma (New Orleans)
1972: Tommy Casanova, DB, LSU (Cincinnati)
1971: Jan White, TE, Ohio State (Buffalo)
1970: Jim Mandich, TE, Michigan (Miami)
1969: Paul Gipson, RB, Houston (Atlanta)
1968: Carlton Dabney, DT, Morgan State (Atlanta)
1967: Jim Riley, DE, Oklahoma (Miami)
1966: Rick Norton, QB, Kentucky (Cleveland)
1965: Bob Schweickert, QB, Virginia Tech (San Francisco)
1964: Dave Wilcox, LB, Oregon (San Francisco)
1963: Dave Costa, DT, Utah (Los Angeles Rams)
1962: Bob Mitinger, LB, Penn State (Washington)
1961: Fran Tarkenton, QB, Georgia (Minnesota)
1960: Charley Ellzey, C, Southern Mississippi (St. Louis)
1959: Eddie Dove, DB, Colorado (San Francisco)
1958: Ed Cooke, DE, Maryland (Chicago)
1957: Dalton Truax, T, Tulane (Green Bay)
1956: Jim Taylor, C, Baylor (Pittsburgh)
1955: Buddy Leake, B, Oklahoma (Green Bay)
1954: Jim Kincaid, DB, South Carolina (Los Angeles Rams)
1953: Marv Matuszak, LB, Tulsa (Pittsburgh)
1952: Lum Snyder, T, Georgia Tech (Philadelphia)
1951: Walt Yowarsky, DE, Kentucky (Washington)
1950: Bill Svoboda, LB, Tulane (Chicago Cardinals)
1949: Frank Ziegler, HB, Georgian Tech (Philadelphia)
1948: Bill Healey, G, Georgia Tech (Boston Yanks)
1947: Frank Wydo, T, Cornell (Pittsburgh)
1946: Ernie Knotts, G, Duke (Chicago)
1945: Roger Adams, C, Florida (Pittsburgh)
1944: Rudy Sikich, T, Minnesota (Brooklyn Tigers)
1*943: Al Hust, E, Tennessee (Chicago Cardinals)*
1942: Vince Banonis, C, Detroit Mercy (Chicago Cardinals)
1941: Walt (Butch) Luther, B, Nebraska (Los Angeles Rams)
1940: Bill Bailey, E, Duke (Brooklyn Tigers)
1939: Billy Dewell, E, SMU (Philadelphia)
1938: Tony Matisi, T, Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh)
1937: Charles (Bud) Wilkinson, Minnesota (Green Bay)
1936: Paul Tangora, G, Northwestern (Boston Redskins)
