Commanders drafted Matt Gulbin
- Center | Michigan State Spartans
- Round No. 6 | Pick No. 209
The Washington Commanders' fan base was getting restless late in the draft. They wanted general manager Adam Peters to draft a center to compete with Nick Allegretti for the starting job. After a long wait, they got their wish.
Releasing Tyler Biadasz remains a mystery. Nothing much was done in free agency aside from giving Allegretti an extension ahead of time. Those in power believe they have the answer in-house, but the arrival of Matt Gulbin could shake things up a little.
Gulbin is not the biggest; he was a three-year starter in college but didn't make much of an impact on running plays. He loses leverage quickly, but he's got the powerful leg strength and violent hands to fit well into David Blough's projected blocking concepts.
Draft Grade: A-
The Commanders may have brought Gulbin in for depth, nothing more. But don't be surprised if he gives Allegretti plenty to think about over the summer.
Commanders drafted Kaytron Allen
- Running Back | Penn State Nittany Lions
- Round No. 6 | Pick No. 187
There was a ton of speculation linking the Commanders to Jeremiyah Love throughout the pre-draft cycle. They never came close to having a shot.
Love went off the board at No. 3 overall to the Arizona Cardinals. However, Adam Peters wasn't going to get left empty-handed in his quest to bolster the backfield alongside quarterback Jayden Daniels.
While Kaytron Allen doesn't have the same elite traits as Love, nobody expects him to be at No. 187 overall. However, according to those at Penn State, this could be the heist of the entire draft.
Allen is not a burner, but he's a tone-setter. Teams stacked the box almost constantly last season to counteract his threat. When they spread out a little, his yards per carry average was seven. With the likes of Rachaad White and Jacory Croskey-Merritt being more finesse runners, this adds a sense of power that is missing.
Draft Grade: B+
The Commanders got a steal with Croskey-Merritt last year. This could be another.
Commanders drafted Joshua Josephs
- Edge Rusher | Tennessee Volunteers
- Round No. 5 | Pick No. 147
The Commanders invested heavily in their edge rushing room this offseason. Adam Peters finally gave this unit the attention it deserved, spending big money on Odafe Oweh while also securing the services of K'Lavon Chaisson and Charles Omenihu to go alongside Dorance Armstrong Jr.
Even so, no team can ever have enough good edge rushers. Peters knows it, which is why he spent his first Day 3 selection on Joshua Josephs.
This was an eyebrow-raising move, but there is a belief in his capabilities. Josephs' pressure rate was relatively high in comparison to his snaps at Tennessee. He's a late winner in his pass-rush reps, so he'll need to find ways to gain the upper hand quicker against more formidable edge protectors at the next level.
Draft Grade: B
While there were other needs to solve at this stage, Peters doesn't draft like that. Whether Josephs can make an immediate impact with the options already around is debatable, so this looks like an investment in the future.
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