NFL
By: Ryan Cooley
*All stats/grades are via PFF
I planned on grading the Washington Commander’s 2023 draft, as I do every year. However, I wanted to change it up a bit. No one has a clue how the players will perform in the NFL (as this article will show). 3-4 years is an adequate amount of time to see how well a draft went.
So, without further ado, here are Washignton’s revised 2020 draft grades.
Round 1, pick 2: Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
Round 3, pick 66: Antonio Gibson, WR, Memphis
Round 4, pick 108: Saahdiq Charles, OT, LSU
Round 4, pick 142: Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty
Round 5, pick 156: Keith Ismael, C, San Diego State
Round 5, pick 162: Khaleke Hudson, LB, Michigan
Round 7, pick 216: Kamren Curl, S, Arkansas
Round 7, pick 229: James Smith-Williams, EDGE, NC State
Chase Young: C (Initial grade: A+)
I’m sure many people would give Young a harsher grade than a C. His 87.1 overall grade ranked 5th highest among all edge defenders in 2020. During his rookie season, he also managed 6 sacks on 42 pressures (1st among rookies). Young’s 82.8 run defense grade ranked 6th highest in the league as well. And, of course, he won Defensive Rookie of the Year, receiving 85% of the votes.
However, his play regressed in 2021 before tearing his ACL in week 10. His recovery time ended up being over 13 months. I think it’s unfair to give Young anything lower than a C since his injury prevented him from improving. I also think his play in 2021 is overly criticized. While he wasn’t as dominant, he certainly wasn’t “bad” as some say.
I still believe he can turn things around and become a dominant edge rusher.
Antonio Gibson: C+ (Initial grade: B)
Gibson was a tough grade. His lackluster play over the past two seasons should result in a lower grade. However, I believe the bigger issue lies in his role. It was clear after his 2nd season that being a traditional running back wasn’t going to work. After managing an 83.4 rushing grade in 2020, he has only managed a 65.6 and 70.9 grade in the past two seasons. Here is his dropoff in rate of missed tackles forced:
2020: 21.2%
2021: 15.1%
2022: 8.7%
If Bieniemy uses him in a role that gets him the ball in open space, I believe he will be much more effective. I recently wrote about a potential new role HERE.
Saahdiq Charles: D (Initial grade: C-)
Charles was drafted to be a developmental lineman. Unfortunately, between numerous injuries and poor play, it simply hasn’t worked out. While he will get one last chance to prove himself in 2023, the odds are stacked against him.
In 2022, his 29.7 pass-blocking grade ranked 82nd out of 86 qualifying guards.
Antonio Gandy-Golden: F (Initial grade: B+)
I was a huge Gandy-Golden fan. I had high hopes he could become a great receiver for Washington. Obviously, that didn’t happen. He only managed 1 reception for 3 yards on 7 targets in two seasons. He then attempted to transition to tight end before deciding to retire soon after.
Keith Ismael: D- (Initial grade: B-)
Much like Charles, Ismael was seen as a developmental lineman. I liked his potential and versatility. He ended up only lasting two seasons in Washington before they cut ties with him through an injury settlement. While he received substantial playing time in 2021 (due to injuries), he didn’t take advantage of the opportunity.
His 46.9 pass-blocking grade in 2021 ranked 35th out of 40 qualifying centers.
Khaleke Hudson: B- (Initial grade: C-)
Some may be surprised about Hudson’s grade here. He has only played 148 snaps on defense through three seasons and hasn’t done much to impress. The B- grade is largely due to his play on special teams. Hudson’s 84.5 special teams grade in 2021 ranked 30th out of 199 players.
Expecting a 5th-rounder to have a big impact on the field isn’t realistic. Having them become a solid special teams player and depth piece should warrant a decent grade.
Kamren Curl: A+ (Initial grade: C+)
Not much explanation is needed here. A 7th-rounder turning into a top-10 safety will always result in an A+. While Curl might not have a ton of highlights, he limits the negative plays arguably better than any safety. Here are some stats from Curl’s 2022 season.
Overall grade: 82.9 (2nd highest)
Missed tackle rate: 4.7% (T-5th lowest)
Run defense grade: 80.5 (10th highest)
James Smith-Williams: C+ (Initial grade: C-)
Some may wonder why Hudson was a B- while Smith-Williams is only a C+. The main difference is Hudson has excelled on special teams. Smith-Williams has not played at a high level on either defense or special teams. His run defense and pass rush grades were both in the high 50s in 2022. He also had a very high missed tackle rate (22.7%). However, he has proven to be a decent depth piece, which is why his grade jumped from a C- to C+.
Overall: C (Initial grade: B)
This draft was a tough one to re-grade. The biggest reason is Chase Young. I still believe he can be a great player. If he gets back to his 2020 form or better, then I would consider this draft a success. If he can’t, then Curl is the only true “hit” from the eight players drafted. I am also curious to see if Bieniemy will use Gibson in a different role that will maximize his skillset.
