The Washington Commanders stuck to their board on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft and took the best player on their board in the sixth round by taking linebacker Kain Medrano out of UCLA.
Here are five of the best plays from his college career.
Medrano gets a pick-six against Nebraska.
Medrano was one of the most athletic linebackers in this year's draft class, and that ability shined whenever he had the ball in his hands.
Medrano's only defensive touchdown in his college career came in 2024, when the Bruins took on Nebraska. Quarterback Dylan Raiola tried to float a pass over three UCLA defenders in the third quarter, but Medrano leapt up to grab it first. It didn't take long for him to sprint past most of the Nebraska offense and head for the end zone.
Raiola was the last obstacle between Medrano and a touchdown. Raiola made a dive for Medrano's feet, but the linebacker hurdled over the attempted tackle and finished things off by giving the Bruins a 20-7 lead.
Medrano bursts into the Utah backfield for a third-down sack.
Medrano wasn't used often as a pass-rusher, but he certainly has the skill set for it.
Although the Bruins lost to Utah back in 2023, the game was one of Medrano's best, as he hit a career-high 10 tackles, a forced fumble and two sacks. Down 14-0 in the third quarter, the Bruins had Utah in a third-and-12 and needed to get them off the field and swing momentum back in their favor.
Medrano took care of that for them. As quarterback Cameron Rising dropped back for a pass, Medrano blitzed up the middle of the offensive line and into the backfield. He took Rising down at the 43-yard line and forced the Utah punt team to send the ball back to UCLA at their own 9-yard line.
It was by far Medrano's best performance of the year, as he earned an 81.3 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus. It was the second best PFF grade of his career at the time, and he only surpassed it two more times in 2024.
Medrano rips the ball away from Brendan Sullivan.
Although Medrano still has plenty to work on, he's shown multiple times that he knows how to create plays for his team.
The Bruins were locked in a battle with Iowa late in the season and in desperate need of a win to remain bowl eligible. The score was tied, 10-10, in the second quarter when Brendan Sullivan attempted to run for a first down and keep Iowa's offense on the field.
Sullivan nearly got there, too, but Medrano had other plans. Medrano met Sullivan at the 48-yard line, ripped the ball away from him and started heading the other direction. He got another 12 yards before being pushed out of bounds, which gave the Bruins a short field.
The play didn't result in points, but it did provide the Bruins with a boost. UCLA held on for a 20-17 win, and Medrano got a career-high 90.1 defensive grade from PFF.
Medrano reads Will Rogers and gets another interception.
UCLA played Washington the following week, and Medrano was back to stealing possessions away from opponents.
The Huskies had a one-point lead in the third quarter and were at their own 44-yard line facing a second-and-12. Quarterback Will Rogers attempted a high-risk throw in the middle of the field, but like earlier in the year, Medrano leapt to grab the pass first. He weaved through a few Washington players before going down at the Huskies' 38-yard line, giving UCLA's offense a chance to take the lead.
Medrano blows up a screen against Fresno State.
Screen-catchers, beware: Medrano will take you down before the play can even begin to unfold.
The Bruins no longer had a chance at bowl eligibility by the end of the season but had a chance at ending things on a good note against Fresno State. With the Bruins up 6-0 in the second quarter, Fresno State tried to get their offense going with a screen pass to wide receiver Mac Dalena on second-and-5.
Medrano almost immediately sniffed out the play. He got past a blocker and slung Dalena to the ground for a loss, setting up a third-and-long situation for Fresno State. Medrano celebrated by getting a few dabs from his defensive teammates.
UCLA won the game later in the afternoon, and Medrano wrapped up his college career with eight tackles, a pass breakup and a sack in the 20-13 victory.
