The Washington Commanders got their rebuild off to a great start on Thursday night. With their first-round pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, they selected LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. The most important position in the sport is the quarterback and the Commanders drafted someone they hope can man that position for years to come. But Washington still has a lot of work to do to get back in contention. Luckily, they have plenty of ammunition on Day 2 of the draft to help with that.
Washington has four picks on Day 2. They have two picks in the second and two in the third. There are a ton of players available who can help immediately and in the future at positions of need for the team. Three players, in particular, stand out as prospects the Commanders should target. They are Kool-Aid McKinstry, Patrick Paul and Bralen Trice.
Kool-Aid McKinstry, Cornerback, Alabama
It's a bit of a shocker that Kool-Aid McKinstry fell all the way out of the first round. He is a dynamic return man and a lockdown corner. McKinstry's PFF grade came out better than a couple of corners who wound up getting selected in the first round on Monday.
McKinstry would fill a gaping hole in Washington's secondary. They were the worst defense in the NFL in terms of EPA allowed per dropback. The Commanders also gave up 388.9 passing yards per game, which was by far the most in the league. Washington did try to address their secondary by selecting Mississippi State's Emmanuel Forbes, but he had a poor rookie season. Their depth after him at that position is shallow as well.
McKinstry has enough talent to go in the first round. The Commanders can capitalize on him slipping by snagging him in the second. That would be tremendous value for them.
Patrick Paul, Left Tackle, Houston
If there's an area the Commanders need to address with more urgency than cornerback, it would be their offensive line. With a franchise quarterback now in tow, Washington has to make sure they protect him properly. They did not do that last year. By advanced metrics, the Commanders' offensive line was fine in the previous season. They ranked 14th in pass block win rate according to ESPN. However, they relinquished the third-most sacks in 2023 with 65 of them.
In addition to that, Washington waived their starting left tackle from a year ago in Charles Leno Jr. They did make some moves to bolster the interior of their line in the offseason, mainly by signing Tyler Biadasz away from their division foe Dallas Cowboys. But they could use a left tackle. Patrick Paul is one of the better ones at protecting the quarterback in this year's class.
Paul would be a perfect pick to pair with their rookie quarterback Daniels. With two early second-round picks at their disposal, they can make that happen, and they should.
Bralen Trice, Edge Rusher, Washington
The Commanders also really have to address their pass rush. Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr. followed their previous defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to the Nation's Capital. Those two can replace the production that Montez Sweat and Chase Young left behind when Washington traded them before the trade deadline. They will help immensely. But Quinn had waves of rushers to throw at opponents in Dallas and would surely love to replicate that in Washington.
Bralen Trice would be a great option do so. Trice racked up 17 sacks in his previous two seasons in Seattle with the Washington Huskies. But it wasn't just the sacks. Trice was among the best pass rushers since 2013 at pressuring the quarterback at the collegiate level.
The Commanders have the third pick in the third round of the draft. Trice could very well be available by then, and if he is, Washington should pull the trigger and add him to their program.
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