The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.
After months of speculation, the 2025 NFL Draft is here, and by the time the weekend is done, the Washington Commanders will have more new players to improve their roster.
This is the second draft with general manager Adam Peters is leading a front office that is dedicated to finding players who best fit head coach Dan Quinn's vision for the franchise. They have five picks to do so, including the No. 29 overall selection.
Check back to this live blog for every move leading up to the pick.
Round 1, Pick 1:
There shouldn't be any surprises here. The Titans need a quarterback, and they're expected to take the best one on the board in Cam Ward. Mel Kiper Jr. just said on ESPN that he's everything you want a quarterback to be, and there's little to dispute that.
8:14 p.m.
The Titans make it official and draft Ward. The Miami signal-caller is expected to be the starter ahead of Will Levis, who was drafted two years ago. Ward will have Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett as his top options.
8:16 p.m.
And we have the first big trade of the night. The Jacksonville Jaguars are trading up to the No. 2 overall pick, giving the Cleveland Browns a package of picks. The Browns were looking for a partner and found one at the last minute.
The Browns get the fifth overall pick, 2025 second- and fourth-round picks and a 2026 first-round pick. ESPN's Adam Schefter said that the two teams had been working on the trade for "about two weeks."
8:24 p.m.
The Jaguars take Travis Hunter, the wide receiver/cornerback hybrid that was widely expected to go to Cleveland. This obviously changes a lot about what happens at the top of the draft. It feels like Cleveland still needs a quarterback, but who do they take, and will it be at No. 5?
It's going to be fascinating to see how Travis Hunter is used by the Jaguars. He's not going to play 130 snaps per game like he did at Colorado, but Hunter has been adamant that he wants to play both sides of the ball. If he can do it, then my hat's off to him.
8:30 p.m.
The Giants are up next and they take Abdul Carter, who many consider to be the best player in the draft. Carter was dominant at Penn State and presents a bevy of problems for offensive tackles. He instantly elevates the Giants' pass rush, but fortunately, the Commanders already got a premier left tackle to block him.
Either way, Commanders fans are about to get to know Carter a lot better for the next few years.
8:39
The Patriots make another non surprising move and draft Will Campbell to bolster their offensive line. Mike Vrabel wanted to protect Drake Maye in his second season, and he grabbed what many consider to be the best offensive line in the class.
The Browns are up again, and it's become one of the most interesting picks so far. Quarterback is still an option for them, but Mason Graham is the best player on Logan Paulsen's big board. Adding him would not elevate their defensive line for the short term but also provide a successor to Myles Garrett.
8:44 p.m.
And that's exactly what happened. Graham is a two-time All-American. Jim Harbaugh called him "a gift from the football gods," and he's lived up to that description with 108 tackles and 8.5 sacks for Michigan.
8:48 p.m.
The Raiders are next and take Ashton Jeanty, who Paulsen had as the second-best player on his big board. The Raiders didn't have a 500-yard rusher last year, so while taking a running back this early could be considered a luxury, he definitely fills a need for a team that needs offensive stability and a stable option for Geno Smith.
Aside from the Cleveland trade, the draft has unfolded basically how many thought it would, but we're getting closer to the part in the pecking order where things are supposed to be much murkier. The Jets are up next, and they have several needs from offensive tackle to wide receiver and defensive tackle.
8:56 p.m.
And the Jets take Armand Membou, who has been a starter for years but really made a strong impression at the combine with a 4.91 40-yard dash and 9-foot-7 broad jump. He's a dominant player with a stereotypical build for an NFL tackle and should be a Day 1 starter.
9:03 p.m.
The Panthers go to the offensive side of the ball and draft Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan. McMillan had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2023 and 2024 and had at least eight touchdowns every year of his college career.
The Saints are up next, and this is the area where people believe a quarterback could be taken off the board. Many have Shedeur Sanders as the next best player available, and the Saints have a need with questions about Derek Carr's injury history. If Sanders isn't drafted here, who knows how far he'll fall?
8:09 p.m.
The Saints go with adding protection for their quarterback and add Kelvin Banks out of Texas. The talent is evident with Banks; he can move in space and is a mauler in the run game. Plus, he's smooth in pass protection. Whoever ends up playing quarterback for the Saints will have a stalwart up front.
9:16 p.m.
The Bears bolster their tight end room and give Caleb Williams another weapon with Colston Loveland coming off the board. Loveland was Paulsen's No. 1 tight end an "offensive mismatch weapon waiting to happen."
The 49ers needed help on the defensive line and got it with Mykel Williams out of Georgia. Williams was dominant for the Bulldogs with 14 sacks. Here's what NFL.com's Lance Zierlein had to say about him.
"He is an explosive athlete who uses his exceptional length to keep tackles and tight ends at the end of his punch. He plays a little too tall at the point and needs to get stronger to shed blocks more quickly, but he plays with good physicality in the trenches and is never pushed around."
We're now in what's I'm going to call the "Bermuda Triangle" of this year's draft. Anything can happen.
9:30 p.m.
And no one exemplifies that unpredictability quite like Tyler Booker, who just went to the Dallas Cowboys. Analysts were all over the place on the Alabama guard, as some considered him to be the best player at the position. Others had him going late in the second round. Either way, the Cowboys now have a player who has been described as having elite leadership and being a "team-first" player.
9:36 p.m.
The Dolphins were one of the best defenses against the run in 2024 and just got better by adding Kenneth Grant. He's not much of a pass-rusher, but he's a massive human at 339 pounds with 69 career tackles. Booger McFarland compared him to Dexter Lawrence.
9:38 p.m.
The Colts were quick to get the card in and took Tyler Warren out of Penn State. He knows how to make contested catches and plays with power. Anthony Richardson has a new versatile weapon.
9:47 p.m.
The Falcons grab the homegrown edge rusher with Jalon Walker out of Georgia. Walker won the Butkus Award for being the best linebacker in the country for getting 6.5 sacks in 2024. The Falcons only had 31 sacks in 2024, but their pass rush just got better.
We're about halfway through the draft and a lot of players who Paulsen believes are among the best at their positions are still available. Michigan's Will Johnson is still on board, as is Marshall's Mike Green and Texas' Matthew Golden. Sanders remains Kiper's best player available.
9:53 p.m.
The Cardinals take another defensive tackle off the board by drafting Walter Nolan. He hit a career-high 6.5 sacks in 2024 and had 48 tackles. Paulsen said "he's an explosive, powerful and penetrating player who needs to go to the right system to maximize his skill set. Despite his athletic build, he needs to develop as a pass rusher."
It's hard to see the Bengals not taking a defensive player with their pick. Their defense was one of the worst in the league last year and gave up nearly 350 yards per game. Players like Darrick Harmon, Green, Johnson and Malaki Starks are still on the board, and all of them make sense for the Bengals to grab.
10 p.m.
The Bengals are taking Shemar Stewart, the defensive end from Texas A&M who had a ton of pressures but only 4.5 career sacks. He'll need to improve that in the NFL, but there's no doubt he has the physical tools.
10:05 p.m.
The Seahawks end the run on defensive players by drafting Grey Zabel out of North Dakota State. Although he played at a lower level of competition, Zabel dominated opponents. He should be a solid addition to the Seahawks' offensive line.
10:11 p.m.
Kind of a surprising move here, but the Buccaneers take Emeka Egbuka out of Ohio State with their pick. He's mostly a slot player, but he impressed a lot of players with his professionalism and precise route running. Baker Mayfield has another reliable weapon.
Still a little shocked that Egbuka went off the board so early, but in some ways, it makes total sense. He's been compared to Terry McLaurin in terms of the way he approaches the game. He's going to a great receiver room with Mike Evans, a future Hall of Famer, as a key part of the offense.
10:20 p.m.
I thought the Broncos might go offense here, but instead they take Jahdae Barron, the cornerback out of Texas. Zierlein said Barron is a "big nickelback who was in the right place at the right time throughout his impressive 2024 season. Barron played smothering coverage underneath, fueled by route recognition, footwork and play strength."
10:23 p.m.
And Sanders continues to drop. The Steelers draft Derrick Harmon out of Oregon. Harmon was the Ducks' best defensive player with five sacks and two forced fumbles. "Harmon was built to play defensive tackle at 6-4 and 313 pounds with 34 3/8 inch arms. You feel him almost every play; his ability to lock offensive linemen out with his length and sit double teams is awesome. Couple that with his 10.7% pressure rate (second for DT's in FBS) and you see the makings of a special player at the NFL level," Paulsen wrote.
Barring a trade back into the first round by a quarterback needy team, it's hard to see Sanders getting picked tonight. Every team left on the clock has a quarterback. Maybe the Commanders' phone will ring at No. 29...
10:35 p.m.
Another interesting pick here, as the Chargers take Omarion Hampton. He's scoring machine with 36 career touchdowns and a home run hitter as a runner and pass-catcher. Also, it makes total sense that Harbaugh would want one of the most electrifying running backs with his first-round pick.
We're getting closer to the Commanders' pick, and it's falling pretty well for them so far. Several of the most talented players in the draft are still available, including Green and basically all of Paulsen's top cornerbacks and safeties. And as Matthew Golden continues to fall, that could be interesting as well. There's also edge rusher to consider, as Ezeiruaku, Pearce and Scourton as still available. But Sanders is also falling, and maybe a quarterback needy team is mulling their options.
10:43 p.m.
Golden's fall has ended, as he lands with the Packers in front of his new team's home crowd. Golden is a versatile receiver who can play inside and out. The Packers needed another weapons aside from Romeo Doubs, and they got one of the best.
10:51 p.m.
The Vikings have bolstered their offensive line by taking Donovan Jackson
10:52 p.m.
We have another trade, as the Houston Texans and New York Giants have worked out a deal. The Giants get the 25th overall pick exchange for their 34 and 99 picks this year. They've also given up their 2026 third-round pick.
10:58 p.m.
The Giants make a shocking move and draft a quarterback...but it's Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss. Dart started 32 game and threw for 72 touchdowns while playing for Lane Kiffin. Dart is expected to compete with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston as the starter, but there's not pressure on him considering there are two veterans in the room.
11:02 p.m.
ANOTHER trade for a team to get back in the first round. The Falcons are on the clock after trading picks 46, 242 and a 2026 first-round pick to take James Pearce Jr. It's been an interesting predraft process for Pearce, who has fallen down boards. Pearce needs to develop his arsenal of pass-rush moves, but he's an athletic freak who wowed people at the combine with his speed.
11:09 p.m.
The Ravens have strengthened their defense by taking Malaki Starks with their first-round pick. Paulsen wrote, "He's not the most dynamic athlete, but don't let his average testing numbers fool you. Starks has everything you look for in an NFL safety/nickel. He can cover in man and is a physical tackler. He's a football player's football player whose lack of consistent ball production has people spooked."
The Lions join the multiple teams who addressed the defensive side of the ball and took Tyleik Williams out of Ohio State.
11:24 p.m.
The Washington Commanders have selected Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr. with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Conerly, a former five-star recruit from Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, is a young player with the tools to be a prototypical starting tackle at some point in his career. At 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, Conerly is a physical blocker in the run game who knows how to finish. In his first year as a starter, He posted a run-block grade of 66 on 317 running plays.
Where Conerly thrives the most, however, is as a pass-blocker. Back in 2023, he was part of an offensive line that allowed just five sacks all season. He allowed just one sack and two quarterback hits, which helped him post a 76.9 pass-blocking grade.
"He sees twists and blitzes developing and recovers with athleticism when beaten," **wrote NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein.**
Conerly was even more effective in 2024. He allowed just one sack and five pressures -- nine fewer than he did in 2023. That sack came in Week 2 against Boise State. He kept quarterback Dillon Gabriel off the ground for the rest of the season, allowing only two quarterback hits.
The Commanders have been dedicated to protecting Jayden Daniels -- their No. 1 asset. They traded for left tackle Laremy Tunsil and drafted Brandon Coleman last season. Now, they add one of the top offensive linemen in thise year's class.
The Buffalo Bills are were up next and took Maxwell Hairston off the board -- just the third cornerback drafted all night. Hairston stood out at the combine with his blazing 4.28 40-yard dash. He's a bit undersized but loved to compete.
In what will probably be the last trade of the night, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles have swapped picks to take Jihaad Campbell. Paulsen wrote that "there are blemishes on the film, but he has special balance for the position, and his football character is off the charts."
And finally, the Chiefs rounded out the first round by taking Josh Simmons out of Ohio State. "Simmons is the most athletically gifted tackle in the draft and could have been a top five player had it not been for a knee injury during the sixth game of the year," Paulsen wrote. "He has all the talent in the world, but questions about maturity and the injury might lead to a slide."
