Grading the Washington Commanders’ 2022 NFL Draft

R4, P113 Percy Butler, S Louisiana

Once again, the Commanders selects a player that will contribute early. This time, it will most likely be on special teams. Butler was one of the special teams’ aces in the draft, as he played over 1,000 snaps at special teams in his career at Louisiana.

Playing all four special teams phases as a Rajun Cajun, with his favorite being as a gunner on the punt team, he projects to be a special teams ace at a minimum. And that matters, ask the Green Bay Packers how vital special teams can be.

With that said, his athletic profile (4.36 40, 8.14 RAS) gives him an upside to be more than that at the NFL. According to PFF, he allowed a 56.1 completion percentage and forced 4 incompletions in his senior year. Ron Rivera said he could compete at the Buffalo Nickel spot, so there is definitely a chance he contributes early as Washington’s 3rd safety.

Grade: B 

The Trade down from P120

Keeping it simple: this trade presents good value for Washington. As an extension of their original trade on night one, they were able to add two players that can be short and long-term contributors to the team.

Grade: A 

R5, P144 Sam Howell, QB North Carolina

This is pretty easily Washington’s best value pick of the draft. In the fifth round, they got a quarterback that could have easily gone on day two. Howell possesses an NFL arm, above average athleticism for a QB and above average touch on his deep ball.

He will need a year to understand the NFL verbiage and more advanced concepts. The North Carolina offense was very basic, that called RPOs nearly every play and made him read only one side of the field most of the time.

Sam Howell most likely won’t be active on gamedays in 2022. But he projects, at minimum, to be the successor to Taylor Heincike as the backup to Carson Wentz in 2023. And if things go awry with Carson Wentz and his year of seasoning is successful, he can be a backup plan. Sam Howell threading the needle to become the franchise’s longterm signal caller is unlikely but getting him in the fifth round is excellent value.

Grade: A 

R5, P149 TE Cole Turner, TE Nevada

With Logan Thomas expected to miss some time in 2022 recovering from his torn ACL, Washington gets a receiving threat to go with John Bates. Standing at 6’7″, with solid athleticism as a WR convert, Turner projects best as a contributor in a specialized role.

In year one, expect him to be used mostly in the redzone and on the plus side of the field. A jump ball specialist and a seam stretcher. He is the inverse of John Bates, an athletic player in the receiving game with some upside, that lacks physicality as a blocker.

With Logan Thomas coming off injury and entering his 30s, the ideal outcome is Turner becomes the eventual long-term successor to Thomas. A future compliment of John Bates and Cole Turner could be enticing. All of a sudden, Washington has a deep, versatile weapons group at wide receiver, running back and now tight end.

Grade: B+ 

R7, P230 Chris Paul G/T Tulsa

Playing right tackle at Tulsa opposite of first-round pick Tyler Smith, Paul projects to be a guard in the NFL. He has high athletic upside, with a 9.46 RAS score, including a 4.89 40-yard dash at 325 pounds. In the short-term Paul will compete for a roster spot this year in training camp.

In the long-term, with the work of one of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL, John Matsko, Paul could grow into a viable option at guard. Washington’s projected starter at right guard, Wes Schweitzer, is entering the last year of his contract.

The NFL Draft as a whole can be seen as multiple dart throws, but the seventh round certainly magnifies that. Selecting a guard with some upside to learn from John Matsko is an effective way to use that pick.

Grade: B 

R7, P240 Christian Holmes, CB Oklahoma State

The last pick of their draft is a microcosm of the Commanders draft as a whole. An experienced, older, largely athletically capped player. Holmes will be 25 entering his rookie year. He is a long corner, that excelled at being physical at the line.

His long speed is average but his 39″ vertical speaks to elite vertical explosiveness. The odds of Holmes making the roster are up in the air but if he does, he can be a solid backend of the roster contributor, as corner depth.

Grade: C+ 

Overall thoughts on Day 3: I thought this day was clearly Washington’s best. They picked up day one contributors and a few players with upside. And they had one of the best value picks with Sam Howell in round five.