The Washington Commanders are coming off a great season under Dan Quinn and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, and the franchise is poised to remain in the NFC’s upper echelon for a while. After making the playoffs as a 12-win team, Daniels led the Commanders to two postseason victories and an NFC Championship appearance, which they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.
But one glaring need that became apparent during the season was that Daniels’ protection wasn’t the best, which led to a whopping 47 sacks on Jayden, the sixth-most in football. So, with all the roster needs, maybe the offensive line is No. 1, and in Gennaro Filice’s mock draft for NFL.com, that is exactly where general manager Adam Peters goes in the first round with Oregon stud Josh Conerly Jr.
“PROTECT JAYDEN DANIELS AT ALL COSTS,” Filice writes. “The Offensive Rookie of the Year took 47 sacks in the regular season. While that figure pales in comparison to Caleb Williams’ absurd total (68), it’s still disconcerting, especially given Daniels’ slight frame.
Third-round pick Brandon Coleman acquitted himself quite well as a rookie left tackle, but Washington would be wise to keep building a wall around the exhilarating new face of the franchise.” In Conerly Jr., Washington will get a solid prospect at left tackle who has the physical capabilities to be a serious mover and shaker in the run-and-pass game.
He was also named First Team All-American and First Team All-Big Ten for Oregon, and he would be a solid pick in the first round.
The Commanders need to beef up Daniels’ protection, and yes, Coleman did show flashes, but Conerly Jr. is light on his feet and is able to quickly get on the move, which in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, is needed. Yes, there are other needs, but protecting your franchise’s future should be job No. 1.
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