It's only been two days since the conclusion of the Washington Commanders' 2025 season, but team analyst Logan Paulsen is already dissecting the film to review the team's rookie class.
First-round pick Josh Conerly Jr. was at the top of Paulsen's list, and spoiler alert: he has high praise for Conerly's growth this season.
"I think it's been tremendous," Paulsen said. "I think he's gonna be a cornerstone player."
Conerly, taken by the Commanders with the 29th overall pick, was tapped as a Day 1 starter on the team's offensive line. Conerly was known as being an exceptional pass protector with just two sacks allowed in his final two seasons at Oregon. Several draft analysts acknowledged him as one of the best offensive tackles in his class with significant room for growth as he went through his NFL career.
Those areas for improvement were apparent in training camp. Paulsen noticed that Conerly needed to improve his timing and footwork in order to compete with NFL-caliber defensive ends. He saw some of the best in his first three weeks of the season with Brian Burns, Micah Parsons and Maxx Crosby as well as fellow rookie and No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter at the top of the Commanders' schedule.
But Conerly showed steady improvement, and it was most obvious in the Commanders' NFC East rematches. Pro Football Focus gave him a 53.4 overall grade during his Week 1 matchup with the New York Giants' defensive line, but he was much better in the second matchup with a 67. He went from allowing four pressures in the Week 7 game against the Dallas Cowboys to two in the Christmas Day game two months later. His best game as a pass protector came in the season finale, when he allowed zero pressures and earned an 80.6 grade against the Philadelphia Eagles.
"I'm so excited for this young man's offseason because of the almost linear growth," Paulsen said. "That means you're taking ownership; you're taking accountability."
It also helps that Conerly has one of the best offensive tackles in the league in his corner. Laremy Tunsil, a five-time Pro Bowler, has taken an active role in Conerly's development and offered him advice on how to improve his skill set. Paulsen said sometimes players are better suited to learn from each other compared to learning from a coach.
"He's giving you the answers to the test. That mentorship is so important."
Conerly was the only Commanders offensive player to play every snap last season, so he had as much in-game experience as possible, which should prove to be invaluable to the 22-year-old. His next task will be to get through his first full offseason, and if he approaches it with the same intensity as his rookie year, Paulsen has high expectations for his future.
"He's still such a baby," Paulsen said, referring to his age. "He's gonna put on 20 pounds when he kinda becomes an NFL offensive lineman and just be an absolute nail eater."
