The Washington Commanders' rookie class is just a few days away from experiencing their first NFL practice, as rookie minicamp is scheduled to begin May 9.
It will be a chance for the five-player group, plus the group of undrafted free agents and tryout players, to introduce themselves to the franchise. However, anyone who has been following Commanders.com already knows a few things about the Burgundy & Gold's incoming crop of talent.
Here are the links to each of the "five things to know" stories we've written on Washington's draft picks:
But since Commanders fans are always looking for more information about their favorite players, we're bringing you 25 more bits of information about the draft class. Let's get to it.
- Conerly is the first offensive lineman taken with a first-round pick by the Commanders since 2015, when they drafted Brandon Scherff fifth overall out of Iowa in 2015.
- Believe it or not Conerly started his high school career as a running back, but after a growth spurt, he had to change positions to the offensive line. He kept the athleticism, though, which is partly why he ended his high school career as one of the best players in the country.
- Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has been one of Conerly's biggest fans for a while. While his performance on the field is impressive, it's really the full package that Lanning appreciates. "This guy's working his tail off in everything that he absolutely does," **Lanning said in 2023.** "The way he stretches, just the way he approaches everything, you know, his mentality in the classroom as well."
- Conerly had an efficiency grade of 99.3 in 2024, which tied for first among all offensive tackles with at least 800 snaps.
- Conerly is just the third Oregon offensive tackle taken in the first round in NFL history. The last one was Penei Sewell by the Detroit Lions in 2021.
- Amos already has experience playing with two of Washington's players. Since he played for Louisiana Lafayette from 2020-22, he was on the same roster as Percy Butler and Andre Jones Jr.
- Although Amos only played one season for Nick Saban at Alabama, that experience played a role in him transferring to Ole Miss. Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin and defensive coordinator Pete Golding, both former Alabama assistants, know about the high standards Saban requires of his defensive backs. "You know, obviously, that they've been coached really well," **Kiffin said last season.** "But you also know their mindset. That's a big deal, someone coming into your program that's been trained in an elite mindset versus somebody from some other places that you gotta work them out of some different mindsets."
- PFF had Amos tied for eighth among FBS cornerbacks with 12 forced incompletions in 2024.
- Amos is the 25th Ole Miss defensive back to be drafted in the NFL and the first taken in the second round since 2015.
- Amos was one of eight Ole Miss players drafted in 2025 -- the most for the program in a single draft since the start of the seven-round format in 1994.
- Medrano went from wide receiver looking for a role to a major contributor for the Bruins. He ended his college career ranked second on his team in tackles in 2024 behind only Carson Schwesinger.
- Medrano also competed on UCLA's track and field team and participated in four meets during the 2021 season. He made his debut at the Ben Brown Invitational, where he placed fifth in the discus throw.
- Medrano's Relative Athletic Score of 9.83 was the fourth-best of the 2025 linebacker class. That puts him only .05 behind first-round pick Jihaad Campbell.
- Medrano is the latest UCLA linebacker to be drafted in the program's history. He was one of three taken in 2025 -- the most ever for the program.
- Medrano had 50 solo tackles in his career at UCLA, which ranks fifth in program history.
- Lane ranked 11th among FBS punt returners in 2024 with 235 yards, according to Pro Football Focus.
- Lane leads by example, both on and off the field. He was named the recipient of the State of Virginia College Football Humanitarian Award for his work at Carilion Children's Hospital and the Blacksburg YMCA Thrift Store.
- Lane's dominance as a return specialist began in 2021 for MTSU. He had 19 returns for 295 yards and a touchdown, all three of which led the conference that season.
- Lane was the highest drafted Virginia Tech wide receiver since 2008, when Eddie Royal was taken in the second round by the Denver Broncos.
- For two weeks during the 2024 season, Lane wore a No. 25 jersey, which was retired in 2002, during a game in honor of former Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer. It's a weekly tradition the program uses to recognize how influential Beamer was as a player and coach.
- Croskey-Merritt was a no-star recruit coming out of Sidney Lanier High School, where he had 2,354 all-purpose yards as a senior.
- Croskey-Merritt was not invited to this year's combine but had a solid Big 12 pro day. He ran a 4.45 40-yard dash and recorded a 41.5-inch vertical, both of which led the position that day. Had Croskey-Merritt traveled to Indianapolis, his 40 time would have ranked 11th, while his vertical jump would have been the best for the position.
- Croskey-Merritt is the fifth Arizona running back since 2000 to be drafted by an NFL team.
- Croskey-Merritt was one of the best running backs in the country during the 2023 season. PFF gave him the fourth-highest offensive grade for his position that season, and he ranked near the top of FBS runners in missed tackles forced (8th), runs of at least 10 yards (T-6th) and first downs (7th).
- Croskey-Merritt has one year of experience as a kick returner. He returned seven kicks in 2019 and averaged 17.6 yards per attempt.
