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Mel Kiper Jr. Praises Commanders Following NFL Draft “The Washington Commanders are gonna be a fear factor team”

By MCS Staff
Courtesy ESPN

The 2025 NFL Draft has concluded. Despite the Washington Commanders having only five picks– a consequence of last season’s and this offseason’s trades for Marshon Lattimore, Deebo Samuel, and Laremy Tunsil– ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. was full of praise for the team (see video below).

After the draft, Kiper remarked, “When you talk about a team to watch, when you have Jayden Daniels at quarterback, the Washington Commanders are gonna be a fear-factor team.” The Commanders made the following selections:

• Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr., chosen with the No. 29 overall pick. A former five-star recruit from Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, Conerly, at 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, possesses the physical stature and skills to develop into a prototypical starting tackle. In his debut season as a starter, he recorded a run-block grade of 66 over 317 plays.

• Trey Amos, taken at No. 61 overall, is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound First Team All-SEC cornerback who led his college team with 13 pass breakups. A five-year player, Amos appeared for three squads and accumulated 122 tackles along with three interceptions.

• Jaylin Lane went at No. 128 overall. The 5-foot-10, 196-pound player, who spent five collegiate years at MTSU and Virginia Tech, finished his career with 2,532 yards and 18 touchdowns.

• UCLA linebacker Kain Medrano was picked with the No. 205 overall selection. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 222 pounds, Medrano earned Third Team All-Big Ten honors by leading his team with three forced fumbles. In 2024, he recorded 72 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two interceptions—one of which he returned for a touchdown.

• Arizona running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt was chosen with the No. 245 overall pick. At 5-foot-10 and 206 pounds, Croskey-Merritt spent four years at Alabama State before transferring to New Mexico and Arizona. He made an impression at the East-West Shrine Bowl despite limited recent game experience due to eligibility issues. In 2023, he rushed for 1,190 yards and 17 touchdowns on 189 carries.