5 greatest-value NFL Draft picks in Washington Commanders history

Who are the greatest-value NFL Draft picks throughout the rich, proud, and extremely eventful franchise history of the Washington Commanders?

Who are the five best draft picks in Washington Commanders’ history? It would be fairly easy to list Sammy Baugh, Charley Taylor, Art Monk, Darrel Green, and Champ Bailey.

All made the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And Trent Williams will make it five years after he retires. But they were all first-round draft picks for the franchise.

I don’t for a second discount this. With the high number of first-round busts – in both Commanders’ history and throughout the league at large – hitting on a first-rounder is no small feat. Still, you do expect a lot of those selections.

Who were the greatest players who did not necessarily have the highest draft pedigree? Those might comprise the franchise’s greatest draft picks.

Here are five such players (along with twelve Honorable Mentions).

Honorable Mentions:

• Al DeMao (11th round, 1942)
• Eddie LeBaron (10th round, 1950)
• Gene Brito (17th round, 1951)
• Dick James (8th round, 1956)
• Vince Promuto (4th round, 1960)
• Len Hauss (9th round, 1964),
• Jerry Smith (9th round, 1965)
• George Starke (11th round, 1971)
• Dexter Manley (5th round, 1981)
• Mark Rypien (6th round, 1986)
• Steven Davis (4th round, 1996)
• Kamren Curl (7th round, 2020)