On paper, it’s hard to imagine anyone having a better claim on assuming leadership of an NFL team’s draft room than Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters.
He served two long apprenticeships with quality organizations. Beginning in 2009, Peters served as a scout with the Denver Broncos for five years before being promoted to director of college scouting. Then, with the San Francisco 49ers, he went from director of player personnel to assistant general manager, before being hired by Washington.
In those 15 years, the franchises Peters worked for made nine playoff trips and four Super Bowl appearances. Clearly, he has witnessed firsthand what it takes to build a consistent winner.
But with the Commanders, for the first time in his impressive career, Peters is the one calling the shots.
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He was not layered beneath John Elway and Matt Russell, nor was he the right-hand man to John Lynch. All final decisions, including which players to draft, would fall on Peters.
Early in his run with Denver, when he was a scout, the Broncos scored some major draft hits. Players like Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas on offense, and Von Miller and Malik Jackson on defense, helped the AFC West club win a Super Bowl. But the 2014 and 2015 drafts, when Peters was serving as assistant director of college scouting, were busts.
Things improved somewhat in his one year as director of college scouting. In 2016, the Broncos got excellent value from third-rounder Justin Simmons, as well as solid contributors like Connor McGovern and Riley Dixon on Day 3.
His years in San Francisco saw some great hauls in all phases of the draft. Nick Bosa, Deebo Samuel Sr., Dre Greenlaw, George Kittle, and the miraculous selection of Brock Purdy with the final pick in 2022. There were plenty of misses as well, but that’s the nature of the draft. Finding a player like Jauan Jennings in the seventh round in 2020 can make up for multiple earlier misses.
When he arrived in Washington, Peters made it clear he intended to build through the draft. He had six picks in the first 100 in 2024 — two of which had been acquired before his arrival. And he nailed his first and most crucial selection by taking Jayden Daniels at No. 2 overall.
Daniels has suffered through a miserable sophomore campaign as the two quarterbacks drafted on either side of him have flourished. Three of the six drafted in the first round last year are taking their clubs to the playoffs, and the LSU product is not one of them.
Nonetheless, Peters’ first pick still appears to be a winner. But can we say that with absolute certainty about any other pick? Not right now, and that is a huge issue.
Mike Sainristil and Brandon Coleman, who played very well as rookies, seem to have regressed in 2025. High-value picks Johnny Newton and Ben Sinnott have yet to live up to their high draft pedigree. Luke McCaffrey and Javontae Jean-Baptiste, like Daniels, have been hurt much of the year.
From his first class, only linebacker Jordan Magee has had what might be called a good season, and that is a bit of a stretch since he has been a backup.
Peters traded away multiple 2025 picks to stock up on veterans and ended up with only five selections. There is certainly promise, with Josh Conerly Jr. improving at right tackle and Jacory Croskey-Merritt injecting some life into the running game. Trey Amos and Jaylin Lane have also had good moments.
The question is whether we have already seen the ceiling of what many of these players can do. Will Sainristil rebound? Will Sinnott develop? Will any of the 2025 picks continue to improve steadily? If they do, the Commanders could have a solid young core, but the jury is still very much out on those questions.
Peters intends to build through the draft, and everyone agrees it is a wise path. Now he must prove that his posh résumé can produce players who will form the foundation of a consistent winner in the years to come.
There are far more questions than answers. At least right now.