It was clear soon after the 2025 NFL Draft concluded that the Washington Commanders were locked in on Josh Conerly Jr. at No. 29 overall. However, one prospect who went a few picks later is already filling people around the league with immense regret.
Adam Peters faced a nervous wait for Conerly. The general manager thought his primary offensive tackle target might go a lot higher, and he didn't hesitate to pull the trigger when given the chance. It's been a rocky transition for the Oregon product so far, but nothing to overly concern.
Conerly's starting to put it together en route to potentially securing the starting right tackle job. Even if he achieves this objective, there will be some growing pains based on what fans have seen from the first-year pro so far.
Josh Simmons is already making Commanders (and everyone else) pay for overlooking him
Things are going a lot better for Josh Simmons, who was taken No. 32 overall by the Kansas City Chiefs. He was widely considered among the most prolific tackles in this class, but a serious knee injury suffered during his final season at Ohio State saw his stock take a major hit.
Simmons immediately silenced his doubters. He's shown no ill effects from the complication this summer. He's instantly locked down the starting blindside role in Kansas City, and his performance in their preseason opener only raises optimism further about what he could be capable of long-term.
This didn't go unnoticed by Andy Reid. The Chiefs' head coach was suitably impressed by Simmons' contribution, crediting his exceptional work ethic and ability to take on coaching without fuss as reasons behind his early surge.
"I wasn't screaming at him, so I figured he did okay. He looked like he had a solid day, especially for his first game; he's been working his tail off. That kid never complains about anything; he just goes."
Andy Reid via USA Today
If Simmons continues with the rapid ascent, he could become Patrick Mahomes' blindside protector for the rest of his career. There were legitimate reasons for other teams, including the Commanders, to look at alternatives. However, they were not based on his athletic ability and consistency on the biggest stages.
The Commanders had conviction in Conerly. Hopefully, he'll end up having a profitable career in Washington. But if he and other draft picks don't meet expectations, Peters won't be the only one kicking himself about passing up the chance to take Simmons.
Time will tell. But make no mistake, there's a long way to go and a lot of football to play before those judgments can be made.
More Commanders news and analysis