The Washington Commanders will be on the clock with the 29th pick of the 2025 NFL draft, and will have a decision to make depending on how the board falls to them on night one. There's one player that no one is talking about that would fit Adam Peters' drafting strategy, especially after a move he made in the draft last year.
If the Commanders stay at pick 29 and select the best player on the board, they could very well draft defensive tackle Derrick Harmon from the University of Oregon. Harmon is a popular pick to go to the Bills at 30, and Chiefs at 31, but who says general manager Adam Peters doesn't continue to build the trenches on the interior? Of course, an edge rusher is the bigger need for Washington, but there's no doubt that Derrick Harmon could very likely be the best player on the board when the Commanders are on the clock, and this wouldn't stop them from taking a defensive end later in the draft.
Derrick Harmon among draft-eligible DTs in 2024, via PFF:
— Akash Anavarathan (@akashanav) April 2, 2025
Pressures: #1
Pass-Rush Productivity: #1
Pass-Rush Win Rate: #2
Pass-Rush Grade: #2
The high-end prospect is currently projected to go in the second half of the first round, and could be an insane value if Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and Walter Nolen are drafted before him in a loaded defensive tackle class. Fans might be confused as to why Peters would select a defensive tackle after signing Javon Kinlaw to a three-year $45 million contract in free agency, but he did something very similar last year with the 36th overall pick.
Washington fans were expecting an offensive tackle, corner, and many other positions at pick 36, but Peters took Johnny Newton, who was the best player on the board, even with Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen on the roster. Adam Peters wants players who will contribute right away, but will also be a significant part of the young core of the team for years to come.
The Commanders released Jonathan Allen this offseason, making the Newton pick a smarter long-term decision for Adam Peters, and the second-year defensive tackle is poised for a bigger season this year. This could also very well be the final season for Daron Payne as a Commander, depending on his performance, and he does have a possible out in his contract in 2026, allowing Washington to move on. This would once again create another hole on the defensive line for Washington. Head coach Dan Quinn also played Daron Payne on many outside snaps last season, giving them more rotation possibilities for Payne, Newton, Kinlaw, and Harmon.
#Oregon DL Derrick Harmon. 6’4 310.
— Kyron Samuels (@kyronsamuels) February 26, 2025
Explosive first step. Plays w/ great feel (knows when to anchor/shed/get skinny). Nasty club-rip & arm over. Great motor for an interior player.
First-round pick. pic.twitter.com/BZjYeFNyU2
You would have a real argument that Derrick Harmon would be the best run-stopping defensive tackle for Washington, with a run stop percentage of 7.1% and 10.5 tackles for a loss in 2024 at Oregon. Harmon also matched ...
