Luke McCaffrey - Commanders WR
- Round No. 3 | Pick No. 100
Luke McCaffrey comes from a family deeply rooted in NFL folklore. His father Ed was a Pro Bowl wide receiver and three-time Super Bowl winner with the Denver Broncos. His brother Christian is a two-time All-Pro and remains among the league's most prolific dual-threat running backs.
Those are lofty bars for which to aim, but McCaffrey was eager to carve out his path. The Washington Commanders gave him that opportunity by taking the wide receiver at No. 100 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
McCaffrey was inexperienced as a wide receiver having made the position switch from quarterback. The Commanders didn't task him with too much in Year 1, but there was a lot to like about his ability to create separation and take advantage of opportunities when they arose.
The former Rice standout eventually finished the regular season with 18 receptions from 24 targets for 168 receiving yards. McCaffrey's impact as a kick returner also caught the eye — a productive presence the Commanders had sorely lacked previously.
Grade: B+
McCaffrey did everything asked of him, displaying composure and professionalism in equal measure. Some fans were anticipating more, but placing too much on his shoulders before confidence increased wasn't going to do him or the franchise any good.
Brandon Coleman - Commanders OT
- Round No. 3 | Pick No. 72
There was another obvious need for the Commanders aside from picking their next franchise quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. Adam Peters and his staff had to find a starting left tackle.
Washington reportedly tried to trade back into the first round to no avail. Peters didn't panic. He bided his time and waited until the third round to select Brandon Coleman.
Coleman was an interesting case study during the assessment process. He stacked several accomplished performances as an edge protector at TCU. However, some analysts believed his lack of NFL-standard length indicated an interior role could be more beneficial in the long term.
Peters had other ideas. He gave Coleman the chance to learn on the blindside. The Commanders were happy enough with his progress, although the coaching staff opted to split reps between the rookie and veteran Cornelius Lucas over the opening exchanges.
This was an unusual approach, but one that paid off handsomely. Coleman gradually came into his own. When the time came for increased responsibilities, he stepped up. It wasn't perfect, not by any stretch of the imagination, but there was far more good than bad to take from his first year as an NFL pro.
Grade: A
Coleman's disappointing effort versus the Eagles left a sour taste in the mouth. However, whether on the edge or the interior, the Commanders could have a productive long-term starter with additional development.