The Washington Commanders will be on the clock when the 2025 NFL Draft reaches pick No. 29. And one analyst believes he's found general manager Adam Peters an absolute steal.
Many different options have been suggested as far as how Washington should utilize its first-round selection, from running back to cornerback to trading down and not using the pick at all. Largely, the consensus seems to be that the Commanders should draft a pass-rusher.
Commanders fortify pass-rush with J.T. Tuimoloau in 2025 mock draft
Marc Ross from NFL.com is among those in that camp. He has Washington selecting a national championship-winning defensive end who he calls "maybe the most underrated player in the draft."
That would be J.T. Tuimoloau out of Ohio State.
Tuimoloau joins Dan Quinn's defensive front as a hard-nosed and productive talent. Filling a big need in Washington, JTT -- who registered 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss during Ohio State's four-game playoff run -- could start immediately for the Commanders, whose DE depth chart is littered with NFL journeymen.Marc Ross
As it stands, that aforementioned defensive end room consists of Clelin Ferrell, Deatrich Wise Jr., Dorance Armstrong Jr., and Jacob Martin. That's not enough.
Wise and Martin were each brought in as free agents this offseason, while Ferrell and Armstrong both arrived in D.C. last spring. The loss of Dante Fowler Jr., who led the team with 10.5 sacks in 2024, is a hole Washington must prioritize filling.
As far as pass-rushing options in this draft class are concerned, Tuimoloau is far from the only one the Commanders could consider. Additionally, this week, Chad Reuter from NFL.com projected Washington to take Boston College's Donovan Ezeiruaku in the first round. Additional mocks have had the highly touted James Pearce Jr. falling to No. 29.
Behind Penn State's Abdul Carter, who is likely a top-five pick, it seems there isn't much of a consensus about where the rest of the edge rusher prospects shake out. Texas A&M's Shemar Stewart, Georgia's Mykel Williams, and Marshall's Mike Green are among some of the other names to watch for who could go as high as the mid-first round, but they could also very easily end up in Washington's hands.
Simply put, Peters and company will have plenty of choices if they decide to use their first pick on a defensive end. Tuimoloau has emerged as one of the more intriguing options at the position and could very well end up finding himself as a Commanders player by the end of the week.
