Washington Commanders

Limited Picks, Long-Term Vision

In their second draft under the Adam Peters-led front office, the Washington Commanders made the most of limited capital. After boasting six picks in the top 100 a year ago, they entered the 2025 NFL Draft with just two. Yet, they managed to walk away with a class that again shows smart value targeting and upside.

Their first-round pick, left tackle Josh Conerly Jr., unexpectedly slid to No. 29. A 94.0 PFF pass-blocking grade last season underscores his elite potential in protecting Jayden Daniels’ blind side. Conerly also signals that this front office has a long-term plan, as newly acquired Laremy Tunsil is entering his age-31 season in 2025 and has no guaranteed money left on his contract beyond this year. In 2026, the Commanders hold a potential out that would carry no dead cap hit if exercised, giving them financial and roster flexibility moving forward. The team also continued its trend of targeting versatile defensive backs, following up last year’s successful selection of Mike Sainristil with Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos in the second round. A converted wide receiver, Amos led the SEC in ball tracking and held opposing WR1s to a 42 QBR in coverage.

Day 3 added potential contributors as well. Virginia Tech’s Jaylin Lane brings 4.34 speed and recorded the fastest in-game sprint in the FBS this past year at 21.9 mph. After producing at both Middle Tennessee and Virginia Tech as a receiver and returner, Lane could become the explosive special teams threat fans were craving last season. Late-round picks LB Kain Medrano (UCLA) and RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Arizona) round out a class defined by depth and foresight. Medrano flashed solid coverage skills at linebacker, while Croskey-Merritt—a 4.45 runner—adds juice to a running back room that could lose Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, and Jeremy McNichols to free agency after this season.

New York Giants

Daboll Gets His QB, Giants Reset the Clock

The Giants’ leadership walked into this draft with heat on their backs and uncertainty in their future. But in one of the boldest moves of the offseason, they may have just flipped the script. By securing Abdul Carter—arguably the most explosive defensive talent in the draft—New York signaled that it isn’t backing down. Carter joins a menacing front that includes veterans Dexter Lawrence II, Bobby Okereke, and Brian Burns. With Kayvon Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option decision looming, the Giants may have quietly drafted his eventual replacement. The Giants also fortified their defensive line with the selection of Toledo’s Darius Alexander in the third round, addressing a key offseason priority: stopping the run, as emphasized by Schoen.

But the fireworks didn’t stop there. Daboll, long regarded as a quarterback whisperer, finally got his project. The Giants traded back into the first round to select Jaxson Dart, a quarterback Daboll had his eye on throughout the process. After years of working with hand-me-down signal-callers, he now has a blank canvas. It’s the first QB pick of the Schoen era, and a potential turning point for the franchise. Dart won’t start immediately, with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in the room, but Schoen made the vision clear: “sit and learn.”

And then came a surprise twist—a pick that had Italy buzzing. The Giants grabbed fan-favorite hopeful Skateboo, likely to play a limited role, but with major off-field potential. If last season’s DeVito mania taught us anything, it’s that fans matter. And in New York, the crowd doesn’t just watch the story—they write it.

Atlanta Falcons

Falcons GM Knows His Seat Is Scorching

During the NFL’s annual league meetings earlier this month, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank was asked about how his team finished the 2024 season.

“Raheem certainly understands I was disappointed,” Blank said. “Terry certainly understands I was disappointed. And it wasn’t a long conversation, but it was a very clear conversation with both of them.”

Following that pointed exchange with head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot, the duo had a clear directive heading into the 2025 NFL Draft — and they responded with decisive action. With the 15th overall pick, the Falcons addressed their most glaring need by selecting edge rusher Jalon Walker out of Georgia. It marked the first time in Fontenot’s tenure that Atlanta used a first-round pick on a defensive player, after four straight years of selecting offense.

But just when Falcons fans began to believe Fontenot had turned a corner — that maybe a tiger can change its stripes — he reverted to a familiar pattern: trading up in the draft for a fourth consecutive year. And not to address a different need, but to double down on the same position.

According to Marc Raimondi of ESPN, James Pearce Jr was the player the Falcons wanted most. But after Walker unexpectedly fell to them, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said the team found him “just too hard to pass up.” Rather than wait until Day 2 to shore up other needs, Fontenot pulled the trigger again. He struck a deal with the Rams, sending picks No. 46, 242, and Atlanta’s 2026 first-rounder in exchange for picks No. 26 and 101 — and selected Pearce.

It’s hard for many to comprehend why Atlanta would double up on edge rushers instead of filling other holes on the roster. One justification might be their dire pass rush stats from 2024 — second-fewest sacks in the league and a pressure rate ranked 31st. Still, handing over a future first-round pick to make the move feels like a gamble. If this season ends in another playoff miss, Arthur Blank may not let Fontenot be the one to spend that 2026 pick — and Fontenot likely knows it.

San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco Reloads Its Identity — One Defensive Pick at a Time

The San Francisco 49ers made a clear, calculated shift in their team-building philosophy during this year’s draft, placing a significant emphasis on defense. Reuniting with former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh signals a return to the blueprint that previously took them to a Super Bowl. That strategic focus was echoed on draft night, as the 49ers used their first five selections—all on the defensive side of the ball—for the first time in over four decades, signaling an unrelenting commitment to rebuilding their defense.

With imposing additions like 6’6″, 392-pound Alfred Collins and 317-pound CJ West bolstering the defensive line, the team is clearly targeting improvements in the trenches. First-round pick Mykel Williams out of Georgia headlines that young core up front, while third-round selections linebacker Nick Martin and cornerback Upton Stout will compete for starting roles and bring much-needed fire to this side of the ball.

Though the defense took center stage, the 49ers didn’t leave the offense in the cold—adding Oregon’s bruising running back Jordan James and addressing key skill positions at wide receiver and quarterback later in the draft. The balance between doubling down on their defensive identity and filling offensive needs points to a front office looking not just to compete, but to reestablish a team capable of making another deep postseason run.