Ranking 5 best draft picks of Ron Rivera’s tenure with Commanders

Which players have shown their worth as the best NFL Draft picks from Ron Rivera’s tenure with the Washington Commanders so far?

Ron Rivera completely changed the culture – on the football side at least – almost as soon as he came into the Washington Commanders as head coach. No longer would the team focus primarily on big-money free agents – it was now about drafting, developing, and rewarding players in pursuit of building a contender.

Although the success has been mixed in terms of results, there is a solid nucleus in place that could evolve into something more in the coming years. Whether Rivera will be around to oversee this with new owners set to be confirmed is another matter.

Rivera’s adopted a business-as-usual mindset this offseason, which is understandable in the circumstances. He cannot do anything outside of his control, but hitting on Washington’s eight selections during the 2023 NFL Draft would be a step in the right direction.

Before looking forward, we ranked the five best draft picks of Rivera’s tenure with the Commanders so far.

Draft Pick No. 5

Benjamin St-Juste – Commanders CB

• Round No. 3 (No. 74 overall) | 2021 NFL Draft

There were a few eyebrows raised when the Washington Commanders selected Benjamin St-Juste in the third round. However, there was a lot to like about the former Minnesota standout’s contribution to date.

Cornerbacks tend to take longer than most in terms of adjustment from college to the pros. This proved to be the case with St-Juste, but he was a lot more productive in coverage in 2022, which could mean a big campaign ahead entering Year 3 of his professional career.