NFL analyst pours cold water on Commanders draft class with egregious grade

The Washington Commanders didn't have many draft picks at their disposal in 2025. Adam Peters gave up substantial resources in the trade market for Pro Bowl-caliber performers, so it was about finding the right prospects who could help immediately.

Most fans seemed happy enough with what Peters managed to accomplish throughout the draft. The general manager opted to stand pat and resisted trade-down opportunities, playing his board effectively to find the required value regardless of positional need.

That was the correct strategy. However, these fledgling NFL stars must adjust accordingly with the Commanders' window for a Super Bowl officially open.

Hopes are high, but one NFL analyst wasn't entirely convinced.

Commanders not taking an edge rusher impacted their draft grade

Thor Nystrom from Fantasy Life gave the Commanders a modest C+ grade for their draft. He thought Peters found some good pieces, but ignoring the edge-rushing position when there was a dire need for reinforcements wasn't looked upon favorably by the analyst.

"The Commanders hit it solidly down the fairway with this five-man class. That began at the end of Round 1, where the Commanders were boxed out of their preferred two-way EDGE defenders with run defense utility. Washington ultimately did not select a player at that position."

Thor Nystrom

While the Commanders are desperately short of reliable pass-rushers, Peters is confident in the options available. He's also got enough spare cash to find another productive veteran remaining on the free-agent market if he feels like it's the right thing to do.

Post-draft grades don't mean much in the grand scheme of things. They are subjective and based on singular opinions. The Commanders have a collaborative approach, and everyone in the war room came to a consensus on every pick made.

They believe each prospect has what it takes. They believe each prospect has the type of characteristics on and off the field that fit into the Commanders' new way of thinking. They believe each prospect can become a long-term piece of the puzzle with additional development.

Peters knows what he's doing. He's an exceptional talent evaluator, and fans have complete trust in the way he's going about his business. If the front-office leader thought five selections were enough to extract maximum value from this crop of college prospects, that should be enough.

The Commanders have loftier expectations on their shoulders next season following their sensational run to the NFC Championship game. Taking the quality-over-quantity draft route reflected this, so it'll be interesting to see if the gamble pays off.

If Peters has similar success with his 2025 class as he did with his 2024 group, the Commanders will be in a great spot to make another deep postseason run next time around.

After that, the grades will look a little different.