Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters doesn't have much to work with during the 2025 NFL Draft. A rich bounty of picks was severely depleted after some frantic trade activity throughout the offseason. That makes maximizing every possible resource crucial when the pivotal selection event arrives.
One NFL analyst believes he's found the perfect Day 3 sleeper to solve a glaring potential problem.
Peters boasts five picks as things stand. There's a chance that increases with a trade-down at some stage, but that's not set in stone by any stretch of the imagination. The front office leader will have a plan for every eventuality. If he's only got five picks to work with, there's always the remaining veteran pool to plug gaps.
Looking at the current state of Washington's roster, adding to the team's edge rushing room is among Peters' biggest priorities. The unit lacks explosiveness right now. Some proven veterans came into the fold, which should help, but a little extra dynamism is needed to improve their chances of going one better next time around.
Commanders tabbed as ideal fit for promising edge rusher Kaimon Rucker
Mason Cameron from Pro Football Focus believes he's found an intriguing edge rusher who's gone relatively overlooked compared to others. The analyst thought Kaimon Rucker's versatility and accomplished production over his final two seasons at North Carolina could be a good fit within Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.'s schematic concepts.
"[Kaimon] Rucker is a smart, sound outside linebacker with quick hands and natural leverage. The North Carolina product generated an 80.0-plus PFF pass-rush grade in each of his last two college seasons, also charting in the 93rd percentile in pass-rush win rate over that span. He can be a reliable rotational rusher in Dan Quinn’s scheme."Mason Cameron
Rucker is undersized to be a constant thorn on the edge from a starting capacity. That's not to say he cannot carve out a successful career for himself in the right situation.
There wouldn't be any better than the Commanders. Quinn is renowned for maximizing the tools of players that fit Rucker's physical profile. He's adept at moving people around to exploit mismatches. The prospect's clinical tackling technique and initial burst off the snap make him an intriguing possibility to bolster the pass-rushing rotation.
The Commanders might be thinking a little bigger. They've been widely linked with some of the higher-profile players at No. 29 overall depending on who's available. That could well be the case, but adding more than one couldn't be completely ruled out either.
There are concerns with Rucker. His lack of length and size can sometimes leave him lost in the crowd. His countermoves need refinement, and the player's awareness of the play developing around him must also improve when the margins get finer.
Rucker projects as a pass-rushing specialist. This is exactly what the Commanders need, and there would be nobody more capable of bringing the best out of him than Quinn and Whitt.
He should be jumping for joy if the Commanders give him a call.