Commanders draft Tyler Cooper
- Offensive Line | Minnesota Golden Gophers
- Round No. 7 | Pick No. 224
The Washington Commanders pulled off one landmark splash along their offensive line this offseason. Perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil can be a game-changer for the protection in front of quarterback Jayden Daniels. This will result in position switches for others, but the production should rise considerably thanks to his presence.
Washington's offensive line looks solid enough, especially if Brandon Coleman makes a smooth transition to the right-hand side. Even so, general manager Adam Peters won't be settling by any stretch of the imagination.
It's always a good idea to keep adding to the depth chart. The Commanders could draft an offensive tackle much sooner. They could also wait to solidify the interior with an intriguing development project further down the pecking order.
Tyler Cooper is worth gambling on in the seventh round. The Minnesota prospect is a little raw technically and doesn't boast a significant amount of starting experience over his four college campaigns. His downturn in production last season with the Golden Gophers also represents a concern that must be alleviated.
Cooper has some decent athleticism to call upon. There is a lot of hard work ahead, but the flashes alone suggest some untapped promise remains if he lands in the right fit.
Commanders draft Glendon Miller
- Safety | Maryland Terrapins
- Round No. 7 | Pick No. 245
The Commanders have some slight concerns in their safety room entering the draft. Adam Peters let Jeremy Chinn walk in free agency, replacing him with Will Harris. Washington's depth doesn't look especially good either, although there's hope Tyler Owens can make a bigger impression after doing enough to make the 53-man roster in 2024.
It wouldn't be a great shock to see the Commanders add another safety at some stage, perhaps even sooner than their final selection. In this scenario, they take a swing with Glendon Miller, who is an unpolished prospect with a relatively high ceiling if everything comes together.
Miller is instinctive, versatile, and physical. There's also a lot to like about the Maryland prospect's hard-hitting forcefulness against the run to further enhance his influence.
These are traits the Commanders covet heavily in their secondary, but there is some development needed before Miller gains reps on the defensive rotation. His aggressiveness can sometimes be his undoing, so learning how to be more disciplined and take calculated risks is only going to assist his cause.
Miller has the length and size to mix it up in coverage, even if he is technically flawed right now. All his problems have easy fixes if the right effort and attitude is displayed.