Examining the later round Peters' Picks

When the Washington Commanders appointed Adam Peters as General Manager in January 2024, it was widely viewed as one of the most significant front-office hires of the offseason.

Having spent seven years helping construct the San Francisco 49ers into perennial Super Bowl contenders, Peters arrived with a reputation as one of the NFL's most respected talent evaluators. His role in San Francisco's roster-building had made him one of the most sought-after executives in football, so expectations in Washington were understandably high.

Fans hoped he would find a franchise quarterback, but perhaps more importantly, they hoped he would establish the type of sustainable draft-and-develop philosophy that has underpinned the success of organisations such as the 49ers, Eagles and Chiefs.

Looking Beyond Jayden Daniels

Two years into his tenure, most discussions about Peters understandably begin with Jayden Daniels. If Daniels develops into the franchise quarterback many believe he can become, that selection will define the opening chapter of Peters' time in Washington. However, judging a General Manager solely on a first-round quarterback can be misleading.

The true test of a front office is often found later in the draft, where successful organisations consistently identify starters, role players and developmental prospects who outperform their draft position. That is the area in which Peters built his reputation in San Francisco, and it is also where his early work in Washington deserves closer examination.

Opportunity or Good Drafting?

Any assessment should acknowledge an important caveat. Peters inherited a roster that had just finished 4-13 and contained holes across almost every position group.

A rebuilding team naturally provides more opportunities for rookies than an established contender.

A second-round cornerback drafted by Philadelphia or Kansas City might spend a year learning behind veteran starters, whereas Washington's rookies had a much clearer path to meaningful snaps.

Games played and starts should therefore never be viewed in isolation. The more important question is whether those players justified those opportunities and retained prominent roles through their performances rather than simply because the roster lacked alternatives.

The Early Evidence

Viewed through that lens, Peters' first two draft classes compare favourably with expectations. Across the 2024 and 2025 drafts he has made 13 selections outside the first round. Mike Sainristil quickly established himself as one of Washington's most dependable defensive backs, while the twitchiness of Johnny Newton should become an increasingly important part of the defensive front if evidenced by his end-2025 performances.

OL Brandon Coleman has already demonstrated he can handle starting duties along the offensive line and CB Trey Amos earned a starting role almost immediately. Even later selections have provided encouraging returns, with Javontae Jean-Baptiste contributing as a rotational edge defender and RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt showing the type of value teams dream of finding in the seventh round.

Not every selection has been an immediate success, and nor should anyone expect perfection. Dominique Hampton currently appears the one obvious miss, while Ben Sinnott, Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane remain works in progress. That is entirely normal.

Even the league's best drafting organisations miss on players every year. What separates good front offices from average ones is not perfection but consistently finding more contributors than misses, particularly outside Round One.

Why It Matters

Finding productive players beyond the first round is one of the few sustainable competitive advantages available in the NFL. First-round selections receive the headlines, but championship-calibre rosters are built on the depth created by successful Day Two and Day Three picks.

Washington's early returns suggest Peters is beginning to establish that foundation. Although it would be premature to compare him directly with executives such as Brett Veach, Howie Roseman or Eric DeCosta after only two drafts, the indicators are encouraging.

If this trend continues over the next several seasons, the Commanders' rebuild may ultimately be remembered not only for identifying a franchise quarterback, but for consistently uncovering quality throughout the draft.