Commanders deep dive: Washington's fickle history of first-round quarterbacks

Robert Griffin III - 2012

The now-Washington Commanders gave up a great deal to acquire the second pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. During his rookie season, it looked like the franchise had gotten a steal.

Robert Griffin III was sensational. He led the team to the playoffs and posted one of the greatest seasons ever by a rookie signal-caller. Then injury and mismanagement ended it all.

He never came close to his amazing productivity during that magical rookie year and left Washington after the 2014 season. Griffin bounced around through parts of four more seasons, starting just seven games along the way and throwing just three more touchdown passes. The former Baylor standout had thrown 20 for Washington in that rookie year.

More than 10 years removed from his amazing debut, Griffin is the biggest “what might have been” in franchise history.

Dwayne Haskins - 2019

In retrospect, the tragic story of Dwayne Haskins was a perfect storm of catastrophe. After one spectacular season at Ohio State, the local product was chosen in the middle of the first round and immediately named the face of the franchise.

Haskins was reportedly upset that the New York Giants had bypassed him in favor of Daniel Jones early in the first round. He revealed an immaturity both on and off the field that stunted his development. But a lot of young players enter the league needing to gain maturity.

The signal-caller had the misfortune of joining a franchise that was beginning the death throes of its prior ownership group - a morally bankrupt outfit that had no business charged with the development of young players. This was yet one more example of a young quarterback playing for a coach who didn’t want him and had little interest in developing him.

Then, to restore some semblance of discipline to a franchise run amok, Ron Rivera cut the quarterback outright before his second full season was complete - a virtually unheard-of move for a professional football team. Haskins was claimed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, whose coach Mike Tomlin expressed a desire to help him rebuild his career, but he never got that chance.

Haskins was killed in 2022 after being struck by a truck while attempting to cross a highway in Florida. He was 24 years old.

Beyond the position he plays and the round he was drafted, it is impossible to link Jayden Daniels to any of these previous players - none of whom remain in the league in 2024. There is a brand new regime within the Commanders who boast the ambition needed to get this organization back to prominence.

Daniels may be the 15th first-round quarterback selected by the Washington franchise, but he is the first by the Commanders. In 1937, the franchise also had a new name, having just relocated. Their first pick under this new name was Sammy Baugh.

If history is to repeat itself, let’s hope Daniels follows in Baugh’s footsteps, and not in those of the other 13 quarterbacks chosen in the first round.