When it comes to wheeling and dealing, the Washington Commanders are not a stranger to the process. And they should have their sights set on this player. But if he’s not available, here is the Commanders’ perfect 2025 NFL Draft trade.
The Washington Commanders are in a strong position in the 2025 NFL Draft, despite not picking until No. 29 overall. And they have three options.
They could trade up and get a premier prospect to boost their defense and cornerback or edge rusher. They could stand pat and have a player fall into their lap. Or they could wait until No. 29 and see there’s nobody on the board they are overly excited about. In that case, they could deal the No. 29 pick for an early second-round selection and replace their missing third-round pick.
The good new is the Commanders won’t have to make a decision until the see how the first round is progressing. But the latter of those three choices is the best strategy.
Commanders should trade down from Round 1
Washington’s defense still has points of weakness and Dan Quinn knows what he needs on that side of the ball. The main thing it doesn’t have is a threatening edge rusher. Also, there are still some question marks at the cornerback position.
In order to mix it up with offenses like the Eagles have, the Commanders need to improve both areas. And there’s a chance all of the premier edge rushers will be off the board when they pick.
So this puts them in a situation where they might as well trade down. They should be able to get a quality cornerback early in the second round. And if they’re not getting a premier edge rusher, they might as well look for one of the lesser ones in Round 2.
The Browns and Giants are the most likely trade partners for that No. 29 pick. Either team could still be in need of a quarterback and might be willing to pay the price if a decent one remains on the board.
Despite moving back, the Commanders could still get a cornerback like Kentcuky’s Maxwell Hairston. Some mock drafts have the Commanders getting him in Round 1. But if they can add an extra player and still get Hairston, it’s a no-brainer decision.
Hairston’s blazing 4.28 speed makes him a great fit for a Commanders’ secondary that needs the boost. It wouldn’t be too bad to have a player in the mold of former Washington Hall of Famer Darrell Green roaming the secondary, either. NFL Draft Buzz likes the ceiling of Hairston.
“His instincts in zone coverage are special — the way he baits quarterbacks and drives on the football,” NFL Draft Buzz wrote. “The thing that jumps off the tape with Hairston is his natural feel for finding the football. He’s got that rare knack for making plays that can’t be taught.”
The only thing that could cause pause for the Commanders is the failed pick of Emmanuel Forbes Jr. in 2023. Forbes’ lack of size didn’t play well in the NFL despite his college success. And that’s an issue for Hairston, too.
“Sure, his slight frame is going to give some teams pause, especially against the grown men he’ll face on Sundays,” NFL Draft Buzz wrote. “But his competitiveness at the catch point and ability to match-and-mirror in space will translate immediately to sub-package duties.”
Commanders can target edge rusher at No. 61 overall
According to nfl.com mock draft, James Pearce Jr. could drop all the way to No. 60. That seems like quite the stretch, but it gives hope to the Commanders that a good edge rusher would still be available this late.
One guy the Commanders might land in this spot is UCLA’s Oluwafemi Oladejo. He might be able to exceed his college ceiling because of a position change, according to nfl.com.
“Linebacker-turned-edge-rusher whose draft profile might have gone from dull to dynamic with the switch,” Lance Zierlein wrote. “Oladejo is long and aggressive in attacking blockers in front of him. A lack of instincts in the run game and plans as a pass rusher could be temporary bumps in the road that should be smoothed with coaching.
“He greets and discards blockers with powerful, twitchy hands and still plays with a linebacker’s range and nose for the football despite his new position. Oladejo catches the “developmental” tag relative to his edge experience, but his traits and tape suggest he will make a difference sooner than expected.”
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