Hogs Haven
A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, and a sprinkling of other stuff
Washington has options, thanks to a deep group of pass rushers and cornerbacks in this year’s draft.
[Cornerbacks] to watch:
Trey Amos, Mississippi. Let’s assume Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Michigan’s Will Johnson and Texas’s Jahdae Barron are all off the board by the 29th pick. Amos is viewed by multiple analysts as next in line, with the desired height (6-1), weight (195) and speed (4.43 in the 40 at the combine) for the position. He spent his first three years at Louisiana Lafayette before transferring to Alabama in 2023 and then to Mississippi after Nick Saban retired. In his one season as a starter, he tied for the SEC lead with 16 passes defended, had a team-high three picks and was voted first-team all-SEC by the conference’s coaches.
Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky. A multisport athlete growing up, Hairston was a two-year starter as field corner at Kentucky. In 2023, he led the SEC with five interceptions, two of which he ran back for touchdowns, and recorded a team-high 11 passes defended. His track background showed on the field and at the combine, where he ran the fastest 40 (4.28 seconds) of any participant this year. Hairston was limited to only seven games last season because of a shoulder injury, but he was a part of the Commanders’ group top-30 visit last week.
Azareye’h Thomas, Florida State. Thomas was a one-year starter as an outside corner at Florida State. He doesn’t have the 40 speed of some other corners, but he has good size and length, standing 6-1 and 197 pounds with arms that measure 32⅜ inches. He decided to go pro after three years with the Seminoles, but he has only 13 starts under his belt and doesn’t turn 21 until July. His footwork might need some improvement, but he has the tools and competitiveness to be a solid player.
Trading for Samuel, a 2026 free agent, was an acknowledgment that the offense needed more playmakers around Daniels. The help wanted sign remains entering the value portion of this draft. Consider Williams a bigger (6-foot-4), faster (4.48) and younger version of Samuel, who can also be deployed outside or from the backfield. There is some redundancy for now with Samuel, but offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury would have oodles of fun setting Williams loose on defenses.
Considered: West Virginia OL Wyatt Milum, Michigan DE...
