A day after making quarterback Jayden Daniels the face of their franchise, the Commanders added a cadre of additional rookies on the second day of the NFL draft on Friday, landing defensive help, another big target for Daniels in the passing game, and some protection up front.
Washington took former Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton at No. 36 overall, then cut a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles to move back in the second round. The Commanders sent Philadelphia the 40th, 78th, and 152nd picks in exchange for the 50th, 53rd, and 161st selections.
Washington took former Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil at No. 50, added former Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott at No. 53, then secured their long-needed tackle by selecting former TCU offensive lineman Brandon Coleman at No. 67.
The addition of Newton may seem baffling at first glance — Washington has a pair of high-priced interior defenders in Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, and two years ago drafted Phidarian Mathis in the second round — but dig a little deeper and the selection appears sound.
Washington’s pass rush fell flat when defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young were traded last year. Newton, who goes by “Johnny,” earned Big Ten defensive player of the year honors after recording a team-high 7.5 sacks and four blocked kicks in 2023.
A three-year starter at Illinois, Newton is a compact 6-foot-2, 304 pounds, but he uses his leverage and technique to push back blockers and rattle quarterbacks. In 2022 and 2023, Newton had 103 total pressures, the most by any FBS interior defensive lineman.
“My football IQ is really high compared to other defensive linemen,” Newton said Friday. “I have great presnap recognition. I know which play is coming at which down and distance, which formations bring which plays. I just feel like my knowledge of the game is very high compared to other people.”
Newton underwent surgery in January to repair a partial Jones fracture in his right foot, limiting his pre-draft work and possibly pushing him down draft boards. But he assured that he is fully healthy. He met with the Commanders at his pro day and at the combine (where he didn’t work out), giving him an inkling that Washington could be in play as a destination.
The Commanders continued their theme of finding players who perform beyond their size with Sainristil, a 5-9, 182-pound former wide receiver who became an all-American after only two seasons at cornerback.
Sainristil arrived at Michigan classified as an “athlete” and played on offense for three seasons before switching to defense in 2022. In his final two seasons, he started in the slot but also took snaps outside at cornerback, earning MVP honors on the Wolverines’ top-ranked defense in 2023. Sainristil produced 102 total tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles, 13 passes defended, and seven interceptions in his two years on defense.
“This guy is going to turn into one of those players that every quarterback is going to have nightmares about because of his instincts and his ability to make plays on the football,” analyst Joel Klatt said on NFL Network’s draft broadcast.
After Sainristil, Washington shifted back to offense to fill two glaring holes. The Commanders, who have lacked production at tight end for years, released veteran Logan Thomas in February and signed veteran Zach Ertz in free agency. But they needed additional help — and youth.
Enter Sinnott, a 6-4, 250-pound target, who took snaps in-line, detached, and in the backfield at Kansas State. Like Newton and Sainristil, Sinnott talked to the Commanders throughout the pre-draft process and even trained a bit with Daniels in California.
“I think coach [Kliff] Kingsbury is going to have a lot of fun with what he can do and where he can put me,” Sinnott said. “I’m beyond pumped to be in a system like this.”
Although there was speculation the Commanders might try to move up and land an offensive tackle in the first round after selecting Daniels, Washington waited until the third round to find help on the offensive line.
Coleman (6-5, 313 pounds) started 22 games at left tackle and 12 at left guard at TCU, following two years at a community college in Texas.
Coleman showed his toughness by playing through nagging knee and ankle injuries in 2023, and his size, length (with an 84-inch wingspan), and versatility offer Washington some flexibility up front.
