The Washington Commanders got incredible value with Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos in the second round (No. 61 overall) of the 2025 NFL draft, getting a player who might very well be the starting cornerback opposite veteran Marshon Lattimore.
Now a few weeks away from the draft, we now know why the Commanders were able to nab such an elite prospect outside of the first round.
According to reports from ESPN and The Athletic, the Commanders overlooked a major medical issue with Amos which came up before the NFL draft — something head coach Dan Quinn said the team “was comfortable with” before selecting him.
“Quinn confirmed an ESPN report that a back issue popped up for teams during Amos’ pre-draft evaluations,” The Athletic’s Ben Standig wrote on May 11. “Considered a potential first-round pick, the first-team All-SEC selection slipped to Washington at No. 61.”
In his first 2 drafts, Quinn, a former defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks, has leaned heavily into filling out his secondary with 3 defensive backs selected in the last 2 years.
Commanders Praised for ‘Best Value’ Pick in Amos
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski called Amos one of the “Best Value” picks in the entire draft — especially considering he signed a 4-year, $7.2 million rookie contract. Whatever Amos’ issue with his back is, it didn’t stop him from running the 40-yard dash in a blazing, 4.43 seconds at the NFL scouting combine.
“This year’s 61st overall draft pick is a physical 6’1″, 195-pound man-press corner who can immediately slot into the starting lineup,” Sobleski wrote. “Plenty of buzz existed prior to the draft that identified Amos as a late first-round possibility. Obviously, that scenario didn’t come to fruition. But the Commanders should be thrilled he was still on the board during the latter portion of the second frame because he fits nicely opposite Marshon Lattimore.”
Amos started his college career with 3 seasons at the University of Louisiana before spending one season at Alabama in 2023 and his final season at Ole Miss in 2024, where he was an All-SEC selection with 50 tackles, 13 pass deflections, 4 tackles for loss and 3 interceptions.
Commanders Have Solid Group at Cornerback in 2025
The Commanders and Quinn have quietly put together a very solid group of cornerbacks.
Not only do they have Lattimore and Sainristil back and add Amos to the mix, they also return Noah Igbinoghene, who started 10 games in 2024, and signed free agent Jonathan Jones to a 1-year, $5 million contract on March 12.
The biggest wild card in the mix might actually be Lattimore, who the Commanders traded for at last year’s trade deadline.
leacher Report’s Brad Gagnon called out Lattimore as the “Most Overpaid Player” on the Commanders’ roster in 2025. The 4-time Pro Bowler is scheduled to make $18 million in 2025 and $36.5 million over the final 2 seasons of the 5-year, $97.6 million contract extension he signed with the New Orleans Saints in September 2021.
“(Lattimore) didn’t suddenly get it back in a new setting down the stretch in 2024, and that’s unlikely to change as he hasn’t really been a reliable NFL presence since 2021,” Gagnon wrote. “The 28-year-old’s best days are far behind him, but he will cost Washington $18 million as the eighth-highest-paid cornerback in the league in 2025.”
