According to most people’s expectations, the Washington Commanders threw a curveball in the first round of the NFL Draft this year, drafting Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. Selecting late in the first round, where Washington could have gone edge rusher to provide juice at a unit that could have certainly used it, they instead chose to make a strength stronger. After trading for Laremy Tunsil in March, Washington immediately gained flexibility on the offensive line, but adding Conerly Jr. stabilized the offensive tackle positions.
Conerly Jr. possesses high-end athletic traits while also showing some technical savvy in his game, putting him in high demand late in the first round.