The 15 greatest draft picks in Washington Commanders history
By Jerry Trotta
The Washington Commanders just wrapped their 2022 draft and they, by all accounts, are pleased with their results. The hope is that at least one of these draftees will become a superstar down the road and join the endless list of great players that have passed through the franchise over its history.
The Commanders have some big misses on their drafting resume, but they’re easily one of the most decorated teams in NFL history in the annual event. With that in mind, let’s highlight the 15 best picks in Washington’s history.
You’ll notice some all-time greats like Champ Bailey and Paul Krause didn’t qualify. That’s because the majority of success they enjoyed came with other teams. In Bailey’s case, it was Denver. In Krause’s, it was Minnesota.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
15 greatest draft picks in Washington Commanders history
15. Sean Taylor (2004)
Yes, there were other more qualified candidates than Taylor, but the former superstar safety was on a Hall of Fame trajectory before he was tragically killed in a botched home invasion in the middle of the 2007 season. Taylor laid the groundwork for a future generation of NFL players with his thumping style of play. A two-time Pro Bowler in three-plus seasons and one of the most iconic players in team history, Taylor is unquestionably one of the best draft picks in Washington’s rich history.
14. Ryan Kerrigan (2011)
Washington hasn’t had a great hit rate on first-round picks, but they struck gold taking Kerrigan and Trent Williams in consecutive years. Kerrigan is currently holder of the franchise’s sack record with 95.5 and didn’t miss a start spanning eight seasons (2011-2018). During that span, he was unstoppable as a pass rusher, averaging 10.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss (almost unheard of) and 17.6 QB hits.