One of the biggest reasons the Washington Commanders descended to NFL obscurity under the previous regime was a failure to draft effectively. Something general manager Adam Peters rectified with an outstanding first crop of recruits from the college ranks.
Ron Rivera's personnel evaluation became a glaring thorn in his side. Reclusive owner Dan Snyder gave the ex-head coach the final say on personnel decisions. Very few of his selections — especially at the top end in the first or second round — became successful in Washington.
Peters turned the tide quickly.
The front-office leader found a franchise quarterback with his first pick. He found a cornerstone cornerback, starters at defensive tackle and the offensive line, and several development pieces capable of becoming more over time. Nobody looked like a draft bust early. This a far cry from how things looked under Rivera's leadership.
What constitutes a draft bust? We'll use the barometer of being a selection in the top 100 who never reached their billing for one reason or another. That seems like a good measuring stick for this article.
With this in mind, here are five Commanders draft picks we can safely call busts after the 2024 season.
Commanders draft picks we can safely call busts after the 2024 season
Benjamin St-Juste - Commanders CB
- No. 74 overall selection | 2021 NFL Draft
The Washington Commanders gave Benjamin St-Juste one final chance to prove his worth as a starting cornerback heading into the 2024 season. This was a contentious issue among the fanbase considering how poor his production was in the three years before.
St-Juste had the size and length typically associated with cornerbacks within Dan Quinn's defensive scheme. Hopes were high that he could respond to positive coaching and make a difference. It didn't take long to realize this wasn't going to pan out as everyone hoped.
The same problems that blighted St-Juste earlier in his career reared their head again. He was targeted as a weak link by opposing passing attacks. There were deficiencies in coverage, especially against the top-tier wideouts around the league. The former third-round pick out of Minnesota was a walking defensive pass interference penalty in key moments.
This forced the Commanders into drastic action. They moved rookie nickel Mike Sainristil to the boundary and traded for four-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore. Noah Igbinoghene moved to the slot, which left St-Juste on the fringes for the most part.
St-Juste is out of contract this offseason and won't return. After blowing countless opportunities, he's got nobody to blame but himself.
Jamin Davis - Former Commanders LB
- No. 19 overall selection | 2021 NFL Draft
The Washington Commanders prioritized their defensive second level during Adam Peters' first offseason at the helm. These moves became the spark that inspired the team's culture shift on and off the field.
Peters signed Frankie Luvu in free agency following a prolific spell with the Carolina Panthers. They also penned Bobby Wagner to a one-year deal, reuniting him with head coach Dan Quinn to instantly legitimize their ambitious project.
Luvu and Wagner were a revelation. They became the beating heart of Washington's defense and both earned second-team All-Pro honors for their exceptional efforts. This was a massive boost for the team, but it wasn't good news for everybody.
Jamin Davis quickly emerged as the odd man out. The former first-round pick wasn't needed in the linebacking corps. Quinn changed direction, transitioning the player to an edge-rushing role. Optimism was high this could maximize his skill set more effectively, but it didn't go according to plan.
Davis was seldom seen in the lineup and was a healthy scratch more often than not. The Commanders released him during the season, which resulted in short stints with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings.
The Kentucky product's time in Washington will be remembered for what Ron Rivera missed out on by taking Davis. Christian Darrisaw was the preference of many fans. Of course, he's become a franchise blindside protector with the Vikings.
Phidarian Mathis - Former Commanders DT
- No. 47 overall selection | 2022 NFL Draft
Phidarian Mathis was a curious case throughout his spell with the Commanders. Ron Rivera spent a second-round selection on the interior defensive lineman despite allocating significant resources to this position group previously. What followed was a frustrating spell that eventually ended with his inevitable release.
Mathis' time in Washington was blighted by health problems. The former Alabama standout got hurt within his first few snaps as a rookie, ruling him out for the entire campaign. He featured 10 times as an NFL sophomore, accumulating 30 percent of the team's defensive snaps and logging just eight tackles.
Dan Quinn brought him onto the 53-man roster, which raised hope he could make a bigger impact. Although Mathis played 34% of snaps when active, the production wasn't up to the required standard.
His 29.0 run defense grade ranked 216th out of 219 qualifying defensive tackles. Mathis' 32.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus placed 213th. With the likes of Sheldon Day, Johnny Newton, Daron Payne, and Carl Davis gaining more reps at the business end of the campaign, the player became surplus to requirements.
The New York Jets scooped Mathis up off the waiver wire. Whether he'll get another chance to impose himself under new head coach Aaron Glenn is another matter.
Emmanuel Forbes Jr. - Former Commanders CB
- No. 16 overall selection | 2023 NFL Draft
Ron Rivera made a lot of poor decisions with his first-round picks. None were more contentious than his unwavering belief that Emmanuel Forbes Jr. could be the lockdown cornerback the Washington Commanders desperately needed.
Rivera was locked in on Forbes from a long way out. Analysts were split on the defensive back due to his featherweight physique and poor tackling technique. That wasn't an opinion shared by the ex-head coach, who took the Mississippi State product at No. 16 overall despite Christian Gonzalez being there for the taking.
This reportedly resulted in a shouting match in Washington's draft war room. Forbes got significant responsibilities right out of the gate, but his rookie campaign quickly evolved into an unmitigated disaster.
Forbes was victimized by the prolific NFL wideouts. He was outmatched physically and saw his confidence drop significantly along the way. When head coach Dan Quinn and the new regime came into the fold, it didn't take long for the college ballhawk to become an afterthought.
The same complications were rife whenever Forbes got reps in the starting rotation. Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. benched him relatively early and he never got his place back. There weren't many raised eyebrows when the Commanders cut him loose.
As for Gonzalez? He's a shutdown-caliber performer who thrived during the 2024 season. Forbes landed on the Los Angeles Rams but barely featured — yet another cataclysmic error from Rivera.
Jahan Dotson - Former Commanders WR
- No. 16 overall selection | 2022 NFL Draft
The Commanders took sentiment out of their decision-making process when Adam Peters became general manager. This was especially evident when examining wide receiver Jahan Dotson's predicament in greater detail.
Dotson had all the talent, but something was missing in 2023. The former first-round pick had trouble creating separation and struggled with concentration issues. Although disappointing, the Commanders were willing to give him another shot at firmly establishing himself during the offseason.
When Dotson struggled to adjust within Kliff Kingsbury's schematic concepts, Peters pivoted. He looked to extract maximum value for the Penn State product, trading him to the division rival Philadelphia Eagles.
That was a calculated risk by Peters, displaying his willingness to take the best offer regardless of where it comes from. Dotson was eager to make his old employers pay for their lack of confidence in his ability, but establishing himself in Philadelphia's wide receiver room was a challenging task.
Dotson played 58 percent of the team's offensive snaps. He got targeted 33 times, bringing in 19 receptions for 216 receiving yards. The wideout also brought in a crucial early catch during the Super Bowl as the Eagles pulverized the Kansas City Chiefs.
He got a ring, but Dotson might never live up to his first-round billing.