Commanders best-ever picks in franchise history at 2023 draft spots
By Jonathan Eig
Joe Patton – Former Commanders OT
- No. 97 overall – 1994
After Jerry Smith and Eddie Saenz, Joe Patton may seem like a bit of a letdown. Hard to argue.
He did manage a decent run for some pretty mediocre teams in the mid-1990s, racking up more than 50 starting appearances and outclassing Andre Johnson, the tackle they chose in the first round a couple of years later.
By the end of the decade, the Washington Commanders had moved on from Patton, investing high-level picks in Jon Jansen and Chris Samuels to take over the tackle positions.
Trent Murphy – Former Commanders DE/OLB
- No. 47 overall – 2014
If things go right, last year’s second-round pick, Phidarian Mathis – also chosen with the No. 47 overall selection – will supplant Trent Murphy a few years from now.
Murphy was a decent player, who lasted in the NFL for six seasons, half with Washington and half with the Buffalo Bills. He shuffled between linebacker and defense end, registering nine sacks and 47 tackles in his final season before moving north.
Given his high draft position, the Commanders would have hoped for more.