3 under-the-radar Commanders staking strong claims at 2024 training camp

Brandon Coleman - Commanders OT

With the No. 67 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Washington Commanders picked athletic offensive tackle Brandon Coleman. Brought in initially to compete for the left tackle position, he has also been spotted taking reps on the right-hand side because of a lingering injury to veteran Andrew Wiley.

Having also played offensive guard in college for the TCU Horned Frogs, a lot of teams had him as a better fit there. However, with some of the signs Coleman has shown throughout training camp, it seems not only that the new regime considers him as more of a blindside protector - but potentially a Day 1 starter on the blindside of No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels.

With enough tape already on veteran Cornelius Lucas, the coaching staff may simply be giving Coleman some of the reps to see how he fares against starting-caliber competition in the professional ranks. Though there is promise, not all of the results have been great thus far.

Some old weaknesses in his game are appearing, such as struggling more against pressure coming from the inside. This is something that needs fixing, and quick, if Coleman is going to open up the season as the starter.

It's only a question at this point as to whether or not the Commanders think they can afford some early rookie mistakes from Coleman without impacting the win-loss column. He's come alive over the second week of camp - especially when the pads came on. That's the greatest sign yet that he's benefitting from the enhanced coaching at his disposal.

It's one of the biggest choices facing the Commanders this season, as it directly involves protecting Daniels - the man with the entire weight of this once-proud franchise on his young shoulders. Based on initial impressions, the third-rounder is going to be a solid pick if he avoids any serious injury complications throughout his career in Washington.