Did the Washington Commanders have the best 2024 rookie class?

The Washington Commanders quickly vaulted up to the top of Super Bowl-contending teams in 2024 after years of mediocrity. After coming under new ownership, the brass in Washington made all the right moves this past offseason, from their hiring of Adam Peters, head coach Dan Quinn, and the rest of the coaching staff to landing their franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The combination of all this hit big as the Commanders finished the regular season with a 12-5 record before making a deep playoff run to the NFC Championship, something that hadn't happened for the franchise in over 30 years.

When examining the Commanders' 2024 roster, there were plenty of veterans that stood out for why the season was successful. However, when looking at the rookie classes across the league, NFL.com's Gennaro Filice had the Commanders coming away with the top rookie draft class this season.

"Yes, Jayden Daniels is the biggest reason Washington tops this ranking, but he isn’t the only reason. In his first draft as a general manager, Adam Peters selected impact starters on both sides of the football, helping the Commanders go from 4-13 cellar-dwellers to 12-5 NFC Championship Game participants. That said, Peters’ first pick did provide an outsized benefit, giving Washington the league’s most valuable commodity: a true franchise quarterback."

Jayden Daniels was spectacular in his first season in the league, immediately becoming one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the league - even drawing comparisons to former NFL MVP Lamar Jackson on his way to winning NFL Rookie of the Year.

One could have made the case for the Los Angeles Rams to be in the top spot due to what they were able to accomplish, but ultimately, Filice went with the Commanders as they hit multiple levels in the draft, with major contributions coming from them all including defensive back Mike Sainristil who showed a knack for being around the ball at all times.

"No moment is too big, no task too daunting -- and that’s a quality reflected by courageous cover man Mike Sainristil. The 5-foot-9, 182-pounder was drafted to play nickel, but the Commanders’ perimeter cornerbacks couldn’t hold their own in the first two weeks of the season, so Washington sent Sainristil outside. The rookie answered the bell with aplomb, finishing the season with four interceptions, including two in Washington’s playoff upset of Detroit."

Both Daniels and Sainristil were the stars of the Commanders' draft this past season, but the likes of Jer'Zhan Newton, Luke McCaffrey, and Brandon Coleman, amongst others, saw valuable time throughout the year as the team asked for their young players to step up to reach the heights they did.

There is still much to be achieved by these Commanders, and while their future is undoubtedly bright, they will need these young players to improve and develop as they head into their second seasons with a Lombardi Trophy on their minds.