Commanders focus on needs over star power with lack-of-splash draft
ASHBURN — Eric Stokes was so impressed with Emmanuel Forbes’ pick-six against Kentucky that he not only watched the interception over and over again, the Washington Commanders’ senior director of player personnel started digging through the Mississippi State cornerback’s film to see if it was an anomaly — or an indicator that he was indeed watching a player with a special feel for the ball. Stokes sorted through three years worth of Forbes’ tape, a departure from the two years he normally watches for prospects.
His conclusion: The turnover — in which Forbes snuffed out a screen pass and immediately snatched the ball to run the other way — was no fluke.
“The reality is he answered the bell every time with play after play after play,” said Stokes, who called Forbes’ interception against Kentucky “probably one of the more fantastic plays that I’ve seen in a number of years.”
Forbes, selected 16th overall, is the headliner of a Commanders’ draft class that may be considered safe, but it’s a class that is designed to fill the Commanders’ biggest needs. Washington hammered that point home, as coach Ron Rivera and Co. used seven selections to pick two defensive backs, two offensive linemen, two edge rushers and a running back.
In Forbes’ case, the Commanders weren’t tempted by the draft-day slide of Christian Gonzalez — seen by many draft analysts as the best cornerback in this year’s class. Instead, the Commanders knew they wanted a ball-hawking corner who could help their defense produce more turnovers. So they stuck with the player who had 14 college interceptions compared to the one that had four.
After the Commanders selected Forbes, the New England Patriots snatched up Gonzalez one pick later.
“We filled a lot of needs in free agency and (in the draft), general manager Martin Mayhew said. “I think we keep looking, we keep trying to get better. The draft is not a finish line. We’re not done. It’s April, it’s a lot of time before the season starts and we’re gonna keep trying to make our roster better.”
In Rivera’s fourth draft with Washington, the team’s selections again fit the pattern of what the coach and Washington’s executives typically look for in players. Second-round safety Quan Martin can play deep and inside in the slot, something that’s key as Washington routinely likes to deploy three-safety looks with a safety on the field in place of a traditional slot cornerback. Third-round center Ricky Stromberg and fourth-round tackle Braeden Daniels also fall into the “position flex” category as they can play several positions along the line, if needed.
And once again, the Commanders didn’t seem to care if some of those players were considered to be a reach. Scouting reports from NFL.com, for example, pegged Martin and Stromberg with third- and fourth-round grades respectively — though Washington picked each a full round earlier.
That might not matter if the pick pans out. Just look at last year’s first-round selection Jahan Dotson, who also went higher than expected and turned out fine. But in the meantime, the picks will lead to an underwhelming reaction from the outside. Washington’s draft grades from publications such as ESPN and Sports Illustration ranged mostly from Bs to Cs.
Rivera said this year’s draft was particularly polarizing, which likely didn’t help matters.
“This was a difficult draft in terms of just, you look at guys and people are all over the place,” Rivera said. “Just looking at the board, our board, the way it was set. And then you listen to guys and you see where people take other people and you go, wow., they had a little higher than we did.
“So you never know until two, three years down the line.”
Rivera may be right that a team’s class can’t accurately be judged until a few years later since it’s unknown how those players will do at the NFL level. But Washington appears to be banking on at least some of its selections like Forbes and Martin will be able to contribute from the beginning.
The Commanders, though, didn’t plug every hole on their roster. They notably did not draft a linebacker, which remains a need even after the team signed veteran Cody Barton to replace starter Cole Holcomb (who signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers). Washington also didn’t draft a quarterback, and the team will now likely search for another arm to develop behind Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett. The team is reportedly hosting Appalachian State quarterback Chase Brice on a tryout basis.
But Washington tried to address its needs as much as possible with its selections. Even at edge rusher, a deep position, Henry and seventh-rounder Andre Jones now give the Commanders some security with Chase Young, Montez Sweat and four others on expiring contracts.
“The priority kind of showed itself a little bit where you saw we went with the two defensive backs and then the two offensive linemen,” Rivera said when asked if the team prioritized filling its needs in the draft. “Pretty much just kind of sticking to that.”
