Re-grading the Commanders 2024 NFL Draft class after one season

How did the Commanders' first rookie class under Adam Peters perform?

Jayden Daniels
Jayden Daniels | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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This season was expected to be a transitional one for the Washington Commanders. It turned out to be anything but.

Most people anticipated some progress after a complete franchise reset across the football operation. The front office got a major shake-up thanks to the arrival of general manager Adam Peters. Washington's playing personnel looked unrecognizable with two-thirds of the roster changing. The coaching staff also got upgrades aside from a couple of holdovers.

Peters also picked nine players from the college ranks to kickstart his ambitious project. This was arguably the most important draft in recent memory for the Commanders. If the respected personnel evaluator could hit the jackpot, his team would be in a much more profitable position.

That's exactly what happened. The Commanders found a franchise quarterback. They got a star cornerback. They secured potential long-term starters at defensive tackle, offensive tackle, and kick returner. There were even some diamonds in the rough later down the pecking order and when the undrafted free agent frenzy commenced.

The results spoke for themselves. Washington came within one win of the Super Bowl. They couldn't get over the line in the NFC Championship game, but this project is way ahead of schedule entering Peters' second recruitment period at the helm.

A fascinating few months await. Before then, we re-graded the Commanders 2024 NFL Draft class after one season in the pros.

Re-grading the Commanders 2024 NFL Draft class after one season

Javontae Jean-Baptiste - Commanders DE

  • Round No. 7 | Pick No. 222

Seventh-round picks are the lottery stage of the draft. Some cannot meet expectations and are cut loose with little fanfare attached. In some rare cases, they end up being prolific starters.

Javontae Jean-Baptise became the Washington Commanders' final selection at No. 222 overall. The edge rusher was a little undersized for an NFL-caliber defensive lineman, but his position versatility and high-end work ethic intrigued the decision-makers enough to bring him on board.

That didn't guarantee anything. Jean-Baptiste and every other seventh-round pick across the league started from the bottom. He had to earn everything, so making the 53-man roster was a fantastic achievement.

After getting time to refine his craft, Jean-Baptiste earned enough trust to accumulate reps on the defensive rotation. The former Notre Dame standout played 25 percent of snaps on defense throughout the campaign despite a frustrating injury denting his progress. He managed one sack, five pressures, and eight stops against the run.

Not exactly world-beating, but it's something to build upon.

Grade: A

For the Commanders to get this much output from a seventh-round pick is a testament to Adam Peters' shrewd talent evaluation. Washington will strengthen its edge rushing options this offseason, but they might have a long-term rotational option in Jean-Baptiste with a little extra polish.

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