The Washington Commanders only have a handful of picks in the 2025 NFL draft. This is because general manager Adam Peters made multiple high-profile trades at essential positions, acquiring cornerback Marshon Lattimore, left tackle Laremy Tunsil, and wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
Almost every move Peters made last offseason worked. For the Commanders to have another playoff season, he’ll need to be as successful this offseason. Peters was correct in how he handled the 2024 offseason because the Commanders went all the way to the NFC Championship just one year after winning four games in an entire season.
Still, Washington must add more pieces to get to the next level. They’ve made improvements through trades and free agency signings, and in a couple of weeks, the Commanders will add five additional players in the 2025 NFL draft.
Who will they add? ESPN’s Mel Kiper recently released a two-round mock draft that suggests the Commanders add depth to their defense.
29. Shemar Stewart, DE, Texas A&M
Stewart’s draft stock is hard to predict. As I mentioned earlier, I considered him for Cincinnati at No. 17. He comes off the board here, 12 spots later. It’s the same dilemma that GMs will be struggling with on draft night. Stewart has all the talent in the world — speed, explosiveness and power. But he also had 4.5 sacks over three seasons. If an NFL coaching staff can help him put it all together, the upside is immense. I’m betting on Commanders coach Dan Quinn unlocking that potential. Dante Fowler Jr.’s departure in free agency means there’s a hole opposite Dorance Armstrong on the D-line.
Dan Quinn has the ability to bring out the best in his players, especially on the defensive side of the ball where he’s most comfortable.
61. Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State
I’m intrigued by Porter as a Day 2 pick because there’s a lot of untapped potential. He’s a former receiver who is still learning the nuances of the cornerback position. He has 4.3 40 speed, plenty of length and the ball skills to create takeaways. Porter picked off three passes last season. The Commanders added Jonathan Jones and Noah Igbinoghene to replace Benjamin St-Juste and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (who was cut last season), but Porter could develop into a starter.
One other consideration: Oklahoma State’s Nick Martin would be an interesting addition to the linebacker corps. He is a fast riser late in the process.
Similar to Stewart, Kiper says that Darien Porter has loads of untapped potential. Quinn is just the guy to push these players to reach their potential. Improving the defense is a top priority this offseason, and they haven’t done a lot of adjusting defensively so far. The players may be different, but Kiper is right about one thing: The Commanders will look to bolster their defense in this draft.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders bolster defense in latest two-round Mel Kiper mock draft