Drew Stevens backed up and prepared for his final field goal attempt of the day. It was a 60-yarder -- a difficult feat for most kickers, even in the NFL -- but Stevens was known for having a strong leg in college, so why not give the rookie a shot?

It was close, but just good enough. The ball bounced off the crossbar and over the line, causing the referees at practice to smile, nod to each other and lift their arms in the air to signal a successful kick.

The Washington Commanders' training camp hasn't featured many intense position battles, but the one at kicker between Stevens and veteran Jake Moody made special teams drills a must-watch event for media members and fans alike. That battle is now over, though, as the team released Moody following its 20-7 preseason win over the Miami Dolphins that featured both Moody and Stevens making a field goal and extra point.

It's been a while since the Commanders have had a kicker who could make a 60-yarder (it was Joey Slye in 2023). It's also been a while since the Commanders have had a long-term answer at the position. He's the 20th kicker the team has signed since 2020, but the Commanders believe they have finally found their solution.

"I thought Drew established himself," head coach Dan Quinn said. "Thought he's [been] kicking it pure and clean ... I thought [he] earned it. And so, we're moving forward."

Stevens wasn't expecting special teams coordinator Larry Izzo to give him a call on Monday to tell him the news. Like many fans and reporters, he expected he and Moody to continue the competition throughout camp before the team made a decision. The two had been at it since Stevens signed with the team in May, splitting field goal attempts and kickoff reps during special teams drills.

But Stevens had gotten the edge in recent practices, and he had and obvious advantage in terms of leg strength. That's one of the main reasons the Commanders signed Stevens once he finished his college career at Iowa. He was one of the most reliable kickers in program history, tying or breaking records in total successful field goal attempts and field goals of at least 50 yards. He was nearly automatic on extra points during his final season -- he had just two misses on 126 attempts -- and hit 80% of his field goals.

Stevens obviously knew he was in a competition, but it wasn't on his mind throughout camp. He was more focused on adjusting to the differences between college football and the NFL. He's spent the majority of his time getting used to the other two members of the operation -- punter Tress Way and long snapper Tyler Ott -- and how they run their operation. Learning from Way has been "pretty cool," he said, and he likes getting insight from the veteran because of how many kickers he has worked with over the years.

Stevens also learned plenty from Moody, who he said he spent more time with than anyone else. Stevens acknowledged it wasn't something Moody had to do, but the veteran was gracious with his time, and even after he was released, he wished Stevens well and offered to give him any advice he needed as he took on his first job in the league.

"He did not have to do that at all," Stevens said. "So, props to Jake, because he's a great guy, and he did not have to be."

Stevens has also been adjusting to Way and Ott's high standards for the operation. He used to believe he had one of the best operations in college football, but what he's experienced in the last few months has been "night and day." Ott, for example, likes to have a perfect rotation on every snap, meaning the laces are "perfectly straight, pointed at the uprights." So, if his snap is slightly off, he makes a point to fix it immediately to prevent it from becoming a habit.

However, fitting into their operation has been a smooth process.

"It's definitely different, but it's also easier because it's really good," Stevens said. "It's a really good operation ... It's pretty easy to adjust when guys are good and have done it."

In terms of his own operation, though, Stevens has tried to keep things as close to the same as possible. He has conviction in his operation, which he believes is "the most important thing" for a kicker. He stressed the importance of having a plan before he makes a kick, regardless of things like the weather or other external factors.

"What's your plan? You don't want to be sitting back there like, 'Oh, uh, do I play it out right? Or do I think it's gonna stop gusting?'" Stevens said. "You gotta pick one thing, like, 'All right, I'm playing my line and I'm gonna just hammer it.' You can't have questions in the back of your stance. You gotta be okay if it goes wrong, as long as you stuck to your plan."

Fortunately for Stevens, and the Commanders, his plan has worked out, and things have gone right for him over the last few months. He's been given an opportunity to be a starting NFL kicker, and the Commanders hope that he's their last for a while. Like his process, though, Stevens said that nothing has changed for him.

"It honestly kind of feels the same as I've been feeling, in terms of the way I approach it," Stevens said.