Draft grades!
There is a long tradition of people giving draft picks a grade less than 24 hours after they’ve been made. Some of them are spot on after the players have shown who they are after a few years in the league, and some of them look pretty bad. A lot of graders get stuck on their personal rankings, and will tank a player’s selection because of that. How a player fits with a team, and their needs plays a big part here as well.
The Washington Commanders did what most people expected them to do on Day 1, drafting LSU QB Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick. Adam Peters had five picks to work with on Day 2, and his first pick, Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois, was met with mixed reviews by fans, but analysts loved the value of a projected first round pick in the second.
Washington didn’t address their need at offensive tackle, but they did make a trade with a division rival to gain some draft positions. That trade allowed the Philadelphia Eagles to draft Iowa DB Cooper DeJean, while Washington picked Michigan CB Mike Sainristil with the first pick from the trade. Peters followed that up by giving Jayden Daniels a new weapon with Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott. Peters said he saw some George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk in his tape, two of his best players from the 49ers.
The Commanders finally addressed the offensive line in the third round by drafting TCU OT Brandon Coleman. He is a developmental prospect who has played both left tackle and left guard in college. Washington announced him as a tackle, and that is where they plan on starting his NFL career. Adam Peters wa part of the front office that traded for RB Christian McCaffrey, and now he’s drafted his brother. Luke McCaffrey was a QB that converted to WR, and he will now be a part of Kliff Kingsbury’s new offense.
Washington Commanders 2024 Draft Picks
Round 1(#2) – Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Round 2(#36) – Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton, DT, Illinois
Round 2 (#50 from PHI) – Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
Round 2 (#53 from PHI) – Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
Round 3 (#67) – Brandon Coleman, OT, TCU
Round 3 (#100 from SF) – Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
Round 5 (#139) –
Round 5 (#161 from PHI) –
Round 7 (#222) –
NFL.com(A)
The Commanders landed a steal in the early second round with Newton, who will be a factor in the run game while providing interior pressure. They moved down in Round 2 with division-rival Philadelphia, first picking a feisty and smart but undersized cornerback in Sainristil before making one of the best value picks in the draft in Sinnott, who will be a third-down weapon and top-notch move blocker. Coleman’s a long, powerful player announced as a tackle for the Commanders but could slide into guard, and McCaffrey joins his brother, Christian, in the NFL, transitioning effectively from quarterback to wide receiver (his father’s position) while at Rice.
Pro Football Network (A-)
Day 2 Grade: A-
Day 2 was exceptionally busy for the new Commanders’ regime, and they put together a transformative haul.
Johnny Newton and Mike Sainristil have immediate impact potential in Washington, while Ben Sinnott and Brandon Coleman will make new quarterback Daniels’ life a little easier in the Capital.
Rounding out the day with an underrated receiver in Luke McCaffrey is a great way to head into the final day tomorrow. It really is a new dawn for the franchise.
Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
Grade: A
Mike Sainristill, CB, Michigan
Grade: B+
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
Grade: A
Brandon Coleman, OL, TCU
Grade: B+
Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
Grade: B
SB Nation
Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
This is a steal for the Commanders, getting a three-down defensive tackle with immediate pass rush upside. I understand the foot injury concerns but he’s such a dominant pass rusher that it makes so much sense for the Commanders to make this pick. This might mean Jonathan Allen is out of here, though. Grade: A+
Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
Newton and Sainristil on the same day, the Commanders must’ve read the all-JP team. Despite his size, Sainristil has high level instincts and was always around the ball. Think Mike Hilton on the inside with Sainristil. Dan Quinn is going to unleash him. Grade: A
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
Sinnott is such a fun player. Works his butt off as a blocker both off the ball and in-line (although his arm length kind of works against him). He’s also versatile enough to win after the catch and downfield. Interesting fit in Washington, however. Commanders head coach Kliff Kingsbury drafted Trey McBride, now he gets one in Washington with Sinnott. Grade: B-
Brandon Coleman, OL, TCU
Coleman is a big tackle with long arms, who could play guard or tackle in Washington. He could start immediately at left with, where he uses his hand strength to play well in the power game. If he’s playing guard, I wonder about the fit with the logjam on the interior. Grade: B+
Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
I’m gonna be honest—didn’t think McCaffrey was going to go Day 2, but here we are! He’s a solid slot receiver who has pretty good ball skills, but going McCaffrey over Javon Baker and Troy Franklin is really interesting. Grade: D
Sports Illustrated
Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
Newton could challenge Byron Murphy II as the best defensive tackle in the 2024 class.
If anybody challenges Murphy II as the best defensive tackle in this class, it’s Newton. The former Illini star was a three-year starter and four-season contributor, finishing his college career as the Big Ten’s Player of the Year.
As a starter, Newton totaled 16.5 sacks and 26 tackles for loss. He has displayed explosiveness in the trenches, and at 304 pounds, that must continue for him to succeed inside at the NFL level. Ultimately, the tape and traits were too good for the Commanders to pass up. Grade: A+
Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
Sainristil had six interceptions last season with the Wolverines.
Sainristil will help Washington in the secondary, a group that was beleaguered in 2023. With the Wolverines, the 5’9”, 182-pounder is undersized and only ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, but his ball skills are elite. Last season, Sainristil had six interceptions. Grade: B
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
Sinnott is the second tight end off the board behind Brock Bowers. The 6’4”, 250-pounder started two seasons, catching 80 passes for 1,123 yards and 10 touchdowns. He’ll be a security blanket for fellow rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Grade: B
Brandon Coleman, OT, TCU
Coleman joins an offensive line that has brought in new members over the last few years, including tackle Andrew Wylie and guard Nick Allegretti. Coleman comes into the NFL at 313 pounds and could reduce inside to play guard. Grade: C+
Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
The Commanders already have Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, but are adding another receiver for their new quarterback. At Rice, McCaffrey caught 129 passes for 1,715 yards and 19 touchdowns after changing positions from quarterback. Grade: C
Sporting News
Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
The Commanders also tap into more inside explosiveness for their new scheme under defensive-minded Dan Quinn, getting a key rotational tackle at first behind Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne in a good move for the best player available. Grade: A
Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
The Commanders needed to replace Kendall Fuller and do so well with an aggressive playmaker who plays bigger than his size. Grade: A
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
Sinnott is an intriguing project because of his rare speed and quickness as a receiver but he is a sizable reach because he will need time to develop all-around for Kliff Kingsbury behind Zach Ertz. Grade: B-
Brandon Coleman, OT, TCU
Coleman appeals with his strong, powerful frame but he’s caught in between inside or outside as his best future fit and the Commanders reach a bit for more of a developmental backup. Grade: C-
Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
There’s logic for the Commanders to take a big slot for Daniels to put in between Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson after not retaining Curtis Samuel. They could have got him however well into Day 3 but they do add another diverse intermediate target. Grade: C
The Athletic
Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
A versatile and powerful interior pocket pusher who can play nose or three-tech, Newton showed dominant stretches of disruption at Illinois and was a first-rounder on a few boards. His impact wasn’t as consistent as you’d like, and his length is less than ideal — meaning he’ll have to flash dominant power far more often. It’s easy to like Newton, but would an offensive tackle have helped more? Grade: B
Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
Sainristil’s toughness and IQ are off-the-charts good, and his leadership is special. A major culture changer at Michigan, Sainristil is small, but he’s a good athlete and very, very hard to fool. He’ll be a contributor on Day 1. But the Commanders still have to draft offensive line help at some point — it’s getting hard to stress this more. Grade: B
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
This has nothing to do with Sinnott, who is a salt-of-the-earth success story and went from walk-on to All-Big 12 — he’s a great blocking tight end. But the Commanders had three second-rounders and a huge need at tackle, and ignored that need all three times. There were quality tackles there. Washington … what are you doing? Grade: D-
Brandon Coleman, OT, TCU
It took far too long, but the Commanders finally landed an offensive tackle. A former junior-college player, Coleman started 34 games at TCU with 22 of those coming at left tackle. Blessed with long arms (34 7/8 inches) and good size (6-4, 313), Coleman might get pressed into service earlier than he’s ready, but he eventually can develop into a solid starting tackle. Grade: B+
Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
A member of the famous McCaffrey family, Luke McCaffrey (Christian’s brother and Ed’s son) is a big, explosive target with great speed and movement skills. A former college quarterback, McCaffrey’s first year as a receiver came in 2022 at Rice, and he produced 58 catches for 723 yards and six TDs. A growing prospect and a nice player — however, probably not the best receiver on the board here. Grade: C+
Walter Football
Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
I don’t like that the Redskins are passing on a left tackle for their new quarterback because they don’t have one. However, I love the value they’re getting with Johnny Newton. While Newton doesn’t fill an immediate need, the Redskins aren’t ready to win the Super Bowl this year anyway, so they need to build for the future. I just worry about Jayden Daniels’ protection. Grade: B
Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
It can’t be a surprise that the Redskins are drafting a cornerback, given how much they struggled against the pass last year. Mike Sainristil fits the range here, as he’s a high-character cornerback who tested better than expected. Grade: B
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
The Redskins needed a tight end, but this is a reach. We slotted Ben Sinnott in the Round 3-4 range. This isn’t an egregious reach, but the Redskins could have gotten Sinnott or a similar tight end later. Grade: D
Brandon Coleman, OT, TCU
The Redskins needed a left tackle. Brandon Coleman played left tackle, but he’ll likely have to move to right tackle or guard in the NFL. Coleman was seen as a fringe second-day prospect, so the value isn’t quite here either. Grade: C+
Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
The Redskins were thought to be stacked at receiver last year, but with Jahan Dotson struggling in his second year and Curtis Samuel gone, the Redskins needed help at the position. Christian McCaffrey’s brother was thought to go a bit later than this as a developmental project, but the range is fine, and he fills a need. Grade: B-
The 33rd Team
Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
Jer’Zhan Newton fell due to injury concerns, but he’s a game-wrecker when he’s on the field. Washington opted against adding an immediate starter along the offensive line. This is a good player and fit, but passing on a big need for Jayden Daniels is a concern. Grade: B
Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
Mike Sainristil is a great role player, but now Washington has a tiny cornerback room with Emmanuel Forbes also present. This felt like a reach, even if he’s a good player. Grade: C-
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
Ben Sinnott’s positional flexibility and dynamic movement ability make him a perfect fit for the modern NFL. Jayden Daniels will immediately have a trusted underneath move target. Grade: A-
Brandon Coleman, OT, TCU
Washington needed a Day 1 starter, and Brandon Coleman has the experience. However, he needs a total technical makeover to be successful. They waited too long and took someone less polished than his available peers. Grade: D
Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
Adding another slot and possession-type receiver to a team already with Jahan Dotson is a strange fit. There were downfield playmakers on the board still, and Luke McCaffrey is far from dynamic. Grade: D
USA Today
Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
An offensive tackle was the pressing need here, but it’s hard to argue against the value of Newton. The 6-2, 304-pounder is adept at shooting through gaps and making plays in the backfield. But with Washington having Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen inside, what’s the path toward early playing time? Dan Quinn will have to find a way to work him in, or the Commanders could move one of the costly veterans. Grade: A-
Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
Washington’s pass defense was downright disastrous last season, yielding a league-worst 262.2 yards per game through the air. Though Sainristil stands at just 5-9 and 182 pounds, the playmaking former receiver seems like the kind of nickel cornerback Dan Quinn has been able to get a lot of mileage out of in earlier years. Grade: B
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
Sinnott is a versatile and reliable asset who can help make life easier for a quarterback, particularly a rookie in Jayden Daniels. But he seems more like a complementary piece rather than a foundational one, which might mean he’s a slight reach here as the second tight end off the board. And Washington still has a serious problem to address with its offensive line after not using any of its three Round 2 selections up front. Grade: C+
Brandon Coleman, G/T, TCU
The Commanders finally made their play for an offensive lineman. But they missed out on many more reliable options by waiting so long. Coleman’s technique leaves a lot to be desired, and he might struggle to hold his ground against NFL defensive linemen. Grade: C
Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
A former quarterback, McCaffrey switched over to receiver two years ago and made such an impression that he landed a spot in Day 2. He gives rookie QB Jayden Daniels a surehanded and precise option in the passing game. Grade: B-
Bleacher Report
Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
Strengths: Strong at the point of attack, excellent hand usage, plays with leverage, ability to work half a man and shoot gaps, tremendous at shedding blocks
Weaknesses: Can be moved off his spot particularly when double-teamed, can be a tick slow off the snap
The 2023 season didn’t go quite as planned for Illinois defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton, but that disappointing campaign doesn’t take anything away from him.
The Fighting Illini won eight games and played in a bowl game in 2022, but they then lost stalwarts Devon Witherspoon, Jartavius Martin and the Brown twins to the NFL. Newton could have declared as a redshirt sophomore, but he chose to return to school for another season.
Newton was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-American this past season, but he did so in relative obscurity since Illinois went 5-7. The 6’2”, 304-pound defensive tackle also suffered a foot injury midway through the season that required offseason surgery, which he didn’t reveal until the NFL Scouting Combine.
Still, evaluations are about traits and skill sets. Newton is a consistently disruptive force in both phases of the game, with 22.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks over the last two seasons.
After seeing the Atlanta Falcons select an interior defender one pick earlier, the Washington Commanders stood by and chose the better value in Newton without having to give up any assets.
While they got excellent value here and deserve to be recognized for doing so, the Commanders could have used a left tackle prospect to protect new franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels. They passed on an opportunity to do so, which could turn out to be a mistake.
From a pure addition standpoint, Newton will immediately enter the lineup and rotation with Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne. A disruptive interior force should now always be on the field for new head coach Dan Quinn. Grade: B
Mike Sainristill, CB, Michigan
Strengths: Tremendous feel for zone coverage, top-notch instincts, elite nickel defender, quick trigger against run, wide receiver experience
Weaknesses: Small frame, can struggle to bring down ball-carriers in open field, will bite on fakes
Aside from his 5’9”, 182-pound frame, it’s difficult to find anything negative to say about Michigan’s Mike Sainristil.
“He’s super smart and was the leader of a team that had a lot of great leaders and then won a national title,” an anonymous NFL coach told The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. “What’s not to love? Well, aside from his size, but the guy just keeps showing up on film.”
Sources went a step further when discussing Sainristil with Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline. They described his interviews with teams as “elite” and defined his football intellect as “genius.”
The wide receiver convert has a natural feel for routes and the type of playmaking ability not often seen among defensive backs. While he’ll be typecast as a nickel corner, the first-team All-American can provide snaps at outside corner and safety as well as wide receiver and returner.
Even with two second-round picks and names such as BYU’s Kingsley Suamataia, Houston’s Patrick Paul and Washington’s Roger Rosengarten still on the board, the Commanders once again passed on an offensive tackle to protect Jayden Daniels’ blind side. That’s somewhat flummoxing.
However, Sainristil is an instant playmaker at nickel corner. It’s difficult to completely bury the Commanders for their second-round choices when they’ve landed a first-round-caliber defensive tackle and the top player from college’s football best defense this past season. Grade: B
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
Strengths: Outstanding athletic profile, versatile, can grab passes outside of his frame, creates after catch
Weaknesses: Marginal blocker, struggles at point of attack, not crisp at top of stem
Ben Sinnott entered this past season as the favorite to be FB1, but he’s far more than a fullback. He proved as much throughout his career at Kansas State.
First, the 6’4”, 250-pound Sinnott isn’t built like a fullback. He can line up in the backfield, on the wing, in-line and out wide, but his primary value is built upon being an offensive weapon like Georgia’s Brock Bowers.
While Bowers was the clear TE1 in this year’s class, Sinnott fared nearly as well as him in certain advanced stats. Bowers is known for his ability to create after the catch, but Sinnott ranks second among the tight end class in broken tackles+missed tackles per reception, according to Sports Info Solutions.
However, at this point, the Washington Commanders’ lack of attention to the offensive tackle position is becoming, well, offensive.
Sinnott is a fine player, but his talents may be wasted in a Kliff Kingsbury offense that doesn’t typically feature the position. Additionally, the Kansas State product had a Day 3 grade on the B/R Scouting Department’s final big board. Grade: D
Brandon Coleman, OL, TCU
Strengths: Big, thick, strong, long arms, times hands well, can cave side as a run-blocker, tackle/guard experience
Weaknesses: Tendency to play high, gives up soft edge in pass set
Sub-6’5” offensive tackles who tend to be more physical often find themselves at guard upon reaching the NFL. TCU’s Brandon Coleman might prove to be the exception to that rule.
“In a similar mold as longtime starting tackle Cordy Glenn mixed with 49ers backup Jaylon Moore in terms of body type and play style, Coleman wins with quick, decisive pass sets and hands that he uses to square up, engulf and control defenders,” B/R scout Brandon Thorn said.
“His sustain skills are still a work in progress, but he demonstrates the movement skills to improve in this area over time.”
Coleman played offensive tackle and guard at TCU, where he split time last season with four starts at left guard and seven at left tackle. He might have the opportunity to stay on a quarterback’s blind side thanks to his 34⅝-inch arms.
After we (virtually) pleaded with the Washington Commanders to address left tackle over the past two rounds, they finally pulled the trigger with Coleman. He may not be an immediate starter, but he has the potential to be their long-term solution. Cornelius Lucas is a solid fallback option. Grade: B
Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
Strengths: Exponential improvement at wide receiver, quarterback mentality yet blocks on the edge
Weaknesses: Lacks explosive qualities, struggles to separate, needs to improve releases
Luke McCaffrey originally committed to the Nebraska Cornhuskers as a quarterback. He transferred to Rice to learn how to become a professional wide receiver.
“When I was transferring, I wanted to go to a school where I wanted to develop and grow,” McCaffrey told Bleacher Report. “A big part of that was going to a pro-style offense and West Coast system that Coach [Mike] Bloomgren and Coach [Marques Tuiasosopo] built at Rice.
“It was so special to be part of that process. Every play you have the play you call, the kill, an alert, you have an answer for zero or whatever the blitz of the week may be. To be able to ID everything from the front to the back of the coverage, it was special for the development of my mind for football. Plus, you build that cohesiveness with other smart kids on the football field who are as equally as talented.”
The Washington Commanders just got a do-everything prospect with great bloodlines. His older brother is San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey. Grade: C
Yahoo Sports
Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
Love this pick for the Commanders. Newton has had some struggles with a foot injury over the past few months, but he’s as talented as they come for interior pressure players. He’s got a wide repertoire of pass-rush moves and if his foot is good to go, he and Jonathan Allen will wreck heads for Dan Quinn’s defense. Grade: A
Mike Sainristil, DB, Michigan
Shout out to the 2024 All-Juice Team! The Commanders grabbed a stud prospect to play in the slot for them. Sainristil is a competitive force who’s not afraid to come downhill and hit people in the mouth. He’s got pretty solid chops in man coverage too. Nice pickup. Grade: A
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
Sinnott is a quality tight end prospect that should round out a solid skill group for Jayden Daniels in his first year. It’s not the sexiest pick, but it’s a pick that will help the Commanders on offense. Grade: B-
Brandon Coleman, OL, TCU
This is a bit early for Coleman, but hard to get too mad at taking an offensive lineman with good movement skills in the third round. The Commanders at least got some developable depth here. Grade: C
Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
Random as hell. McCaffrey had a solid final season in college football, so maybe this works, but it’s hard to see where he fits in with the Commanders. Weird pick. Grade: D
Pro Football Focus
Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
This wasn’t a need for Washington, as two of their best players — Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne — play along the interior defensive line. However, this is a tremendous value selection at the top of the second round. Newton is the 11th-ranked player overall on the PFF big board and was extremely productive over his college career. Just three Power Five interior defensive linemen have recorded 100 or more pressures over a two-year stretch since PFF began charting college in 2014: Newton, his new teammate Jonathan Allen and DeForest Buckner. Grade: Elite
Mike Sainristill, CB, Michigan
The Commanders continue to draft good football players. Sainristil brings a fierce mentality to the team and provides positional versatility. He secured a career-best six interceptions in 2023 (second among cornerbacks), and his 90.3 PFF grade since 2022 ranked fourth among Big Ten cornerbacks. Sainristil has great reaction speed and is fearless in run defense. Grade: Elite
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
After previously getting great value in this draft, according to the PFF big board, the Commanders pick the 105th-ranked player in Round 2. Sinnott is an athletic tight end for Jayden Daniels to develop with for the next decade. He doesn’t do any one thing at an elite level but can do everything well. Sinnott’s 14 missed tackles forced in 2023 ranked third among tight ends, and he made 31 explosive plays over the past two seasons. Grade: Below Average
Brandon Coleman, OL, TCU
The Commanders finally land an offensive lineman at the top of the third round, selecting Coleman out of TCU. The 6-foot-6, 320-pounder struggled in 2023 but was far better in 2022 when he earned a 79.6 PFF grade. He could wind up on the inside in the NFL, but he has the experience on the outside, so he could still get a shot there first. Grade: Good
Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
McCaffrey has NFL bloodlines and is a natural athlete who knows the nuances of route running. He lacks an explosive element to his game but has strong hands, especially in contested catch situations where his 32 since 2022 are the most in college football. A former quarterback, McCaffrey has a good feel for finding open zones. While the Commanders already have weapons in the receiver room, McCaffrey provides a different style of WR for the group. Grade: Average
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