Can the Washington Commanders ride the momentum of a trip to the NFC Champtionship Game into the 2025 NFL season?
The real question is whether the team can continue their winning formula with the target now on their back. After a successful 2024 NFL Draft led by NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, the Commanders are hoping they found more impactful players in key positions via the 2025 NFL Draft.
Although the future is up in the air when it comes to one of their star players, Terry McLaurin, hopes are still high in Washington, especially if their rookie class continues to show promise and can make impactful contributions in Year 1. So far, so good for the Commanders who scored the fourth best draft class within the NFC East, but it looks like they found ground value beyond first-round pick Josh Conerly Jr.
Here are 3 rookies to watch for the Washington Commanders:
Trey Amos
The Commanders added secondary help with the selection to Trey Amos with the No. 61 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. As a press coverage cornerback, Amos should be a solid addition due to his quickness, footwork in coverage and size for a cornerback.
Amos won’t have much pressure on him with Marshon Lattimore leading the group but should eventually slide up to the No. 2 outside corner role with Mike Sainristil and Jonathan Jones slipping to the inside. If things play out and Amos can play a bigger role in Year 1, it could be a very interesting year for the Commanders’ defense. So far in training camp, Amos has been solid in his performance on the practice field.
“Trey’s had a good day every day,” Commanders’ defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., said of the second-round pick. “He’s a young kid, that, he’s a rookie. [Defensive Pass Game Coordinator] Jason Simmons has done a really nice job with not putting too much on him, putting him in the right situations. He’s a patient kid.”
With Lattimore healthy, Amos will be in a good position to learn from one of the best and help form what is looking like a solid secondary unit in Washington.
Jaylin Lane
Known for his route running and quickness coming out of Virginia Tech, fourth-round pick Jaylin Lane is already making a name for himself in training camp and will be a player to watch once the preseason gets underway.
With the status of McLaurin up in the air, Lane could have a bigger role in 2025 other than a punt returner. With his shiftiness and speed, Lane is a playmaker who could earn a role as a slot receiver. While his immediate impact will be initially as a returner, his playmaking ability will show as the year moves forward, especially if he continues to build chemistry with Daniels.
Kain Medrano
An NFL Mocks favorite prior to the 2025 NFL Draft, sixth round pick Kain Medrano is another mid-to-late round pick making some noise in training camp. A late bloomer at UCLA, Medrano brings more speed and versatility to the linebacker group. He also brings an ability to play in coverage and play in the box as a hybrid linebacker/safety. A player Whitt Jr. will enjoy utilizing.
“Kain is one of those multi-positional players that we're carving out a role for him,” Whitt Jr. said during his press conference on Monday. “He's defining it himself. He's doing a better job of covering than he did in the spring on tight ends. He showed a level of physicality. Now can he consistently do it?”
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A better question is can Medrano make an impact other than on special teams in Year 1? With his maturity as a football player along with his ability to play multi coverages, he will find a way to shine at some point in the season.