Adam Peters didn't have much to work with during the 2025 NFL Draft. The Washington Commanders opted to make some bold trades in their quest to cement a place among the contenders, leaving the general manager with just five selections. Almost all of them have seen the field in some capacity, but one controversial choice is already panning out just as fans feared.
Considering how the Commanders' defense has been decimated by injuries this season, the fact that Washington's coaching staff hasn't gotten Kain Medrano on the field for anything more than 20 special teams snaps is a damning indictment of his development. The sixth-round rookie was extremely athletic and incredibly raw coming into the league. It seems as if the necessary progress hasn't arrived to inspire confidence as yet.
Medrano was always a long-term investment. Even though the Commanders are going nowhere fast this season, there remains a reluctance to give him reps on the defensive rotation. That might change with Dan Quinn taking over play-calling duties from Joe Whitt Jr., but there is just no telling for sure.
Commanders' decision to draft Kain Medrano comes under deserved scrutiny
Josh Edwards from CBS Sports shone a light on Medrano's struggles, naming the former UCLA standout as Washington's most disappointing rookie. He's been a non-factor. The analyst wasn't convinced he could even offer anything in the long term, given how he's been an innocent bystander throughout the campaign.
"[Kain] Medrano is essentially the only member of Washington's draft class to have not made an impact on this year's team. There is a long-term need at the position when Bobby Wagner inevitably moves on, but time will tell if Medrano is the solution."
Josh Edwards
The Commanders are getting a good look at second-year linebacker Jordan Magee to see how he fares with increased responsibilities on his shoulders. However, they included undrafted free agent Ale Kaho a lot more than Medrano before his unfortunate concussion. That is deeply concerning, and it's also a similar trend to what happened with Dominique Hampton last year.
Like Medrano, he was a Day 3 pick who basically redshirted his first campaign. The Commanders cut him before his second, and he's failed to get another opportunity elsewhere. That shouldn't go unnoticed by the 2025 draft pick in pursuit of avoiding a similar fate.
Fans were clamoring for Peters to take a developmental edge rusher with his final pick of the draft this year. Medrano's pro career is still in its relative infancy, but that would have been the smarter ploy on early evidence.
And with only six selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, the stakes couldn't be higher for Peters to hit on every one.