The biggest winner of the NFL offseason may be Jayden Daniels.
A month after trading for two veteran offensive starters, including left tackle Laremy Tunsil, the Washington Commanders again addressed the offensive line by drafting left tackle Josh Conerly Jr. from Oregon with the 29th pick in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night.
“We were holding our breath for a while,” General Manager Adam Peters said Thursday night. “ We thought he might go ahead of us, so we were thrilled he was there.”
Conerly was the top player on the Commanders’ draft board once they were on the clock, Peters said, and the team spurned opportunities to trade back to stay put and grab him.
“It was an easy pick to make,” Peters added.
A two-year starter for the Ducks, Conerly has the coveted size (6-foot-5, 311 pounds), arm length (33.5 inches) and foundational traits of a starting NFL tackle. His film, while exposing at times his need for continued development, showed his potential to be a key piece of Washington’s line for years to come. Conerly, a third-team all-American last season, closed his college career with 28 consecutive starts and allowed only six pressures over his final 12 starts.
In Washington, the only certainty about Conerly’s role is that it will not be left tackle; Tunsil will remain on the left side, where he earned five Pro Bowl selections with the Houston Texans.
Conerly could switch to the right side and compete for the starting right tackle job. He could also shift inside to guard if needed.
“LT is going to be at LT,” Peters said of Tunsil. “Then the rest of them, they’ll compete for the rest of the spots.”
Conerly, 21, met with the Commanders at the NFL Combine in February and was a part of the team’s top-30 group visit that included more than 20 prospects ahead of the draft. The team also got a good look at Conerly at the Senior Bowl, where he played some at right tackle.
Given the team’s extensive communication with him ahead of the draft, Conerly had a sense he could end up in Washington.
“Honestly, was I expecting it? Yeah,” Conerly said in a video conference with reporters Thursday night. “I was ready to go.”
So were the Commanders, who learned plenty while scouting Conerly.
They learned he’s a steadfast competitor; Peters cited his tape against former Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, who was selected third overall by the New York Giants, and against Ohio State. Peters also lauded Conerly’s athleticism and his versatility on the line, despite playing almost exclusively at left tackle in his years at Oregon.
Peters also spoke at length about Conerly’s maturity.
“You start hearing about the type of person he is … and [how he] is in the locker room as a leader, how routine-oriented he is,” Peters said. “He’s like a true pro already, despite being really young. … He’s very mature for his age.”
Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury made his wish known to Peters days before the draft, leaving a note on his desk earlier in the week that read: “I stopped by. Take Oregon tackle. Thnx! Kliff.”
After the team’s selection, a roar of cheers could be heard from inside the Commanders’ headquarters in Ashburn in celebration of the pick.
But soon the work will begin and Conerly, no matter his position on the line, will bear significant responsibility in blocking for Daniels.
“It means the world to me,” Conerly said. “The Heisman Trophy winner, someone I looked up to, somebody that went from the Pac-12 to the SEC. I’m looking forward to the opportunity just to get out there and block for one of the best.”
Washington made investing in its quarterback a priority this offseason. But it really started in November, when the team acquired veteran cornerback Marshon Lattimore ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline. The move signaled the team’s anticipated rebuild had been expedited, thanks to Daniels and the team’s success with him.
That belief that the team is closer to sustained success than initially expected was reinforced when the Commanders traded for former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel in March, and then acquired Tunsil soon after.
Conerly is the latest signal.
“Every move we make we’re trying to maximize [Daniels] and really the whole team,” Peters said. “[Conerly] was the highest player on our board is really what it ended up being.”
The Commanders head into day two of the draft with only four more picks, including a second-rounder (No. 40). Although Washington filled many holes in free agency, it could use depth and upgrading at multiple spots, especially on defense. There are still potential starters available at edge rusher and cornerback, two positions deep on talent in this year’s draft.
