With the 2025 NFL Draft on the immediate horizon and the Washington Commanders slotted in at No. 29, it feels like a good time to revisit history with the team's first-round picks over the last decade.
From home-run hits such as 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels to bad misses such as cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr., it has generally been a mixed bag of results for the Commanders.
With that in mind, let's rank all 11 of Washington's first-rounders from the past 10 years (there were two such selections in 2019) based on the level of positive impact they made in D.C.
Ranking every Commanders first-round pick from the last 10 drafts
11. Emmanuel Forbes Jr.
- Cornerback | Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Pick No. 16 | 2023 NFL Draft
The pick that would come to define everything negative about Ron Rivera's tenure. Forbes, known for his ball-hawking upside but bringing concerns about his lack of size, did not adjust to the NFL.
The former Mississippi State cornerback was frequently targeted in pass coverage and bullied by more physically imposing wide receivers. Forbes was released midway through his second season, finishing his time in Washington with two interceptions. He now hopes to resurrect his career with the Los Angeles Rams.
10. Josh Doctson
- Wide Receiver | TCU Horned Frogs
- Pick No. 22 | 2016 NFL Draft
Josh Doctson's selection was a mystery from the start. After all, Washington featured a pair of reliable wideouts at the time, Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson.
He missed most of his rookie year with an injury, yet the team still let both Garcon and Jackson walk while hinging its hopes upon the TCU product to fill the void. Two underwhelming seasons later, Doctson was released and would go on to play only one more game in his NFL career.
For a player drafted at a time when Washington was expected to capitalize off of a division title in 2015, he was a major disappointment.
9. Dwayne Haskins
- Quarterback | Ohio State Buckeyes
- Pick No. 15 | 2019 NFL Draft
With respect to the late Dwayne Haskins, who was tragically killed in a pedestrian/vehicle accident in 2022, we won't be too harsh on him. Objectively speaking, his selection did not pan out how Washington had hoped — and there was a lot of hope.
Haskins was supposed to be the franchise-saving quarterback that Daniels ended up being, but the former Ohio State star threw more interceptions than touchdowns in 13 career starts before his release near the end of the 2020 season. He later signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but never played in a regular-season game for them.
8. Jamin Davis
- Linebacker | Kentucky Wildcats
- Pick No. 19 | 2021 NFL Draft
Another casualty of the Rivera era, Jamin Davis wasn't quite able to follow in the footsteps of the defensive first-rounders in the years immediately before him. Washington added the Kentucky linebacker to a front seven that consisted of prized selections Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Chase Young, and Montez Sweat. But in four seasons, he recorded only eight sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception.
Davis appeared in four games with the Minnesota Vikings following his release from the Commanders in 2024 and was then signed this offseason by the New York Jets. This could be the last chance to prove himself in the NFL.
7. Jahan Dotson
- Wide Receiver | Penn State Nittany Lions
- Pick No. 16 | 2022 NFL Draft
Immediately after the Commanders selected Jahan Dotson, fans noted that he has a similar-sounding name and plays the same position as another player on this list — and not one they wanted to be reminded of.
The Penn State product did at least perform better than Doctson in D.C., with 11 receiving touchdowns in two seasons. Unfortunately, he regressed from Year 1 to Year 2 and was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he was buried even further on their depth chart.
Not quite a bust, but also not the formidable complement to Terry McLaurin that Washington was hoping for.
6. Montez Sweat
- Defensive End | Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Pick No. 26 | 2019 NFL Draft
Montez Sweat is the only player on this list who wasn't Washington's first selection of his draft class. The team traded up for the Mississippi State defensive end at No. 26 overall after taking Haskins.
There's a major gap between Sweat and everyone behind him on this list, as he was a productive player for four and a half years in D.C., racking up 35.5 sacks and nine forced fumbles. That said, he never made a Pro Bowl — something every player above him here did at least once — and was traded to the Chicago Bears in 2023 as the team opted not to re-sign him past his rookie deal.
5. Chase Young
- Defensive End | Ohio State Buckeyes
- Pick No. 2 | 2020 NFL Draft
Chase Young is likely the most polarizing Washington draft pick of the past decade. He will unfortunately be remembered by most for his unmet potential as the game-wrecking pass rusher with generational promise.
Still, his 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year season was electric, and one can wonder if his career might have played out differently had he not torn his ACL the following season. Young was never quite the same player after, and was sent to the San Francisco 49ers during the Commanders' 2023 trade deadline firesale. He is now a member of the New Orleans Saints.
4. Daron Payne
- Defensive Tackle | Alabama Crimson Tide
- Pick No. 13 | 2018 NFL Draft
With the departure this offseason of his long-time running mate Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne is now the longest-tenured former first-round pick on the Commanders and the only one selected during the Jay Gruden era. His career has had its ups and downs. But at his best, he's a Pro Bowl-level pass rusher who can make game-changing plays.
Payne's compiled 34 sacks and six forced fumbles in his seven seasons and counting. Perhaps most impressively, he's only missed one game in his career. For much of his time in Washington, he has been one of the team's lone bright spots.
3. Jonathan Allen
- Defensive Tackle | Alabama Crimson Tide
- Pick No. 17 | 2017 NFL Draft
It only seems right to group all of Washington's four straight first-round defensive linemen. Ultimately, it was Allen who made the biggest impact in D.C.
Allen recorded 42 sacks during his eight seasons and earned himself a pair of Pro Bowl selections in 2021 and 2022. More importantly, he was one of the locker room's most vocal leaders.
He held down the fort through all the hard times and now joins the Vikings with the expectation of playing that same veteran role. Even if age and injuries slowed Allen down on the field, the Commanders are still going to miss his leadership.
2. Brandon Scherff
- Offensive Line | Iowa Hawkeyes
- Pick No. 5 | 2015 NFL Draft
At the time Brandon Scherff was drafted, he was the first Washington first-round pick in three seasons due to the haul they gave the Rams for Robert Griffin III in 2012. He was well worth the wait.
The former Iowa standout helped turn around a struggling offensive line into one of the league's better units. Scherff was a five-time Pro Bowler and a 2020 first-team All-Pro, the latter of which marked the first time Washington had a player earn the honor since 1996.
Scherff left D.C. for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022. After three seasons in Florida, he is now a free agent.
1. Jayden Daniels
- Quarterback | LSU Tigers
- Pick No. 2 | 2024 NFL Draft
Even after only one season, it's a no-brainer.
Given the significance of his position, Daniels has already reached greater heights as a rookie than any other player on this list. The dynamic quarterback proved to be worth all of the hype from his Heisman Trophy-winning season at LSU and then some.
After Washington made changes in ownership, management, and coaching, Daniels was the on-field face of Commanders football that the franchise desperately needed. He now has the potential to become one of the best players in team history.