Josh Conerly may have been the Washington Commanders' worst value selection and he just happens to be their first round pick.
The Washington Commanders had a very successful draft for a team that had just five picks in totality across the 2025 selection process last week.
That doesn't mean they avoided any major criticism on reaches across the five selections, though.
Washington drafted Oregon tackle Josh Conerly with the 29th overall pick to try to bolster their offensive line depth. While Conerly was not given a first-round grade, the rest of the draft saw the organization pick up some solid steals.
NFL.com's Chad Reuter broke down the conundrum that came from the Commanders reaching on a first round pick, but nailing all the other four selections this offseason.
"Conerly was always in play as a late first-round pick, though the team passed on some defensive talent with tackles Laremy Tunsil and Brandon Coleman already on the roster. Amos was a great selection late in Round 2 as an aggressive cover corner to pair with Marshon Lattimore, for whom the team gave up its third-round pick," Reuter wrote.
Washington bolstered the offensive line in major ways this offseason including the acquisition of Laremy Tunsil from the Houston Texans. Tunsil gives the Commanders a top tackle to trust to protect Jayden Daniels; blindside.
Conerly on the other hand, may not even play this season. Coleman is a solid right tackle moving forward.
The Commanders are planning ahead, though. They know how flimsy their offensive line depth has been in the past and are willing to do what they need to fix it.
Only time will tell if Conerly's "reach" will be a well invested gamble later on, though.
