Ranking the 5 best moves from Commanders GM Adam Peters' front-office career

Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters is well-respected throughout the NFL. What are the underrated moves he's been part of?

Adam Peters has served in some level of scouting for over 20 years, starting with the New England Patriots in 2003. Although he has most likely influenced draft picks since that time, for this exercise, we are going to focus on selections from 2017 and beyond.

During that period, Peters served as the vice president of player personnel before becoming the assistant general manager with the 49ers. He was an integral part of John Lynch's transition and immediate success. Something that made him priority No. 1 for the Washington Commanders this offseason.

Let's take a look at the top five underrated picks and undrafted free agents those teams selected during that period.

5. Elijah Mitchell (RB)

• No. 194 overall selection (2021)

Elijah Mitchell was unheralded coming out of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Although he received the highest Relative Athletic Score for running backs at the 2021 NFL Scouting Combine, he lasted until the sixth round. In his rookie year, he had the fourth most rushing yards per game among running backs and broke the San Francisco 49ers' single-season rookie rushing record, despite playing only 11 games.

In 2022, he averaged a respectable 6.5 yards per attempt, although he missed a good portion of the season due to MCL injuries. Mitchell has taken a bit of a back seat since the team traded for Christian McCaffrey but is a valuable asset on Kyle Shanahan's offense.

Adam Peters could bring in another mid-to-lower-round running back from the college ranks this spring. Especially if the Washington Commanders let Antonio Gibson hit the open market.

4. Talanoa Hufanga (S)

• No. 180 overall selecton (2021)

Despite having a successful year during the COVID-shortened season, Talanoa Hufanga was seen as someone who would drop in the draft, given his injury history. One scouting report said, "Hufanga could lack the speed and coverage ability to develop into a Pro Bowl-caliber safety, but he could grow into being a decent starter."

Welp, in just his second year, Hufanga not only made the Pro Bowl but also earned first-team All-Pro honors. He finished the year with 97 tackles, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles. His 2023 was cut short with a torn ACL, but he was a consistent starter for the 49ers until that point.

Finding diamonds in the rough such as this has been the hallmark of Adam Peters' career working in successful front offices around the league. While the Washington Commanders have had some prolific performers from lower down the pecking order under Ron Rivera, they've been nowhere near frequent enough.

Couple this with some high-end picks failing to meet expectations, it's not hard to see why Rivera's four-year stint with the Commanders didn't go according to plan. With Peters at the helm, perhaps Washington can find their Hufanga in the not-too-distant future - especially if they cannot reach an extension agreement with Kamren Curl before free agency.

3. Fred Warner (LB)

• No. 70 overall selection (2018)

Although Fred Warner is the highest-drafted on this list, he is still considered a steal for the San Francisco 49ers. Not only has he not missed a game throughout his career, but the ferocious linebacker has far exceeded the expectations of only being a special teams contributor coming out of college.

NFL.com's scouting report compared him to Alani Fua (who?). I had to look him up myself, he started zero games and finished with eight career tackles. Warner surpassed those numbers in his first career game. He emerged quickly and is widely considered to be the most well-rounded second-level defender in the league.

Warner is a three-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro. He is one of the stalwarts of the Niners' defense. He makes big plays in all phases. He is a supreme communicator pre-snap. The instincts he brings to the table are nothing short of astonishing on occasion.

How the Washington Commanders could use someone like Warner as the glue of their defense. Ron Rivera completely ignored the position aside from spending a first-round selection on Jamin Davis. Considering how influential the likes of Warner and Roquan Smith have been in guiding their respective teams deep into the playoffs, it's a mistake new general manager Adam Peters cannot make.

2. Brock Purdy (QB)

• No. 262 overall selection (2022)

Call him what you want. A system quarterback. Overrated. But one thing is for sure, Mr. Irrelevant was a phenomenal pick-up by the San Francisco 49ers.

With Kyle Shanahan and company taking a page out of his father's playbook with the now-Washington Commanders, the Niners selected a quarterback when they already had a presumed starter in Trey Lance - see the Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin III comparison. NFL.com's scouting report of Brock Purdy didn't even bother to give him a pro comparison and said, "throwing is more of a chore than a talent thanks to a labored release."

Purdy not only went 5-0 as a rookie but has the Niners one game away from the Super Bowl during his sophomore campaign. In 2023, he ranks top-five in completion percentage and passing touchdowns. He leads the league in passer rating and passing success rate.

Yes, he has a stacked offense at his disposal. However, you can't hold that against someone who has made the most of his opportunities. As for Lance? He was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for nothing more than a third-round selection.

Of course, Adam Peters and the Washington Commanders have a quarterback conundrum of their own to solve this offseason. Sam Howell is the only signal-caller under contract. Expect the organization to bring reinforcements - perhaps with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.

1. George Kittle (TE)

• No. 146 overall selection (2017)

George Kittle was scouted by Adam Peters with the Denver Broncos as well. The San Francisco 49ers had a third-round grade on him. They took a chance by waiting and the tight end fell to them in the fifth round.

Despite having the second-highest Relative Athletic Score among tight ends in the 2017 NFL Draft, NFL.com's scouting report saw him as an average backup or special teamer. Looking at his career to date, they couldn't have been further off the mark.

Kittle has not only made the Pro Bowl in every season where he has started over 10 games, but he has been the safety valve of the Niners' offense. Before there was Deebo Samuel, before there was Christian McCaffrey, there was Kittle.

Looks like he can get separation just fine on his routes. This was one of his primary critiques coming into the league out of Iowa.

There were many other players that Peters has had a hand in selecting including Justin Simmons, Julius Thomas, and many more. With the number of gaps on the Washington Commanders' roster, I can't wait to see what the new head of football operations can do with his magic pixie dust.

And there is plenty of that to go around with the Commanders boasting a plethora of draft picks and the league's most available salary-cap space currently.