Hogs Haven
More insights into how the Commanders’ new front office thinks about the draft
Last year, new Commanders’ GM Adam Peters abrought in sweeping changes to the way that the team approaches the NFL draft. I previewed Peters’ approach before the draft and then followed up in a series of articles after player selections concluded (What we learned 1, 2, 3).
In sharp contrast to the previous regime, Adam Peters’ approach is collaborative, drawing on input from everyone in the building, including a new R&D department which generates custom-made metrics to identify players who fit the team’s schemes and uses cutting edge neurobehavioral methods to optimize player performance.
The collaborative process starts when the scouting department identifies players of interest during the college football season and continues right through the draft, including a whole-franchise meeting before Day 3 providing a venue for area scouts to highlight favorite prospects to management, and the head coach being consulted on draft picks as they occur.
Peters’ draft process emphasizes character and culture fit in player evaluations, in addition to measurables and on-field performance. We also learned that he has a preference for prospects with elite athletic profiles.
Fans were surprised by some of the choices. After the fact, we learned that the Commanders had stuck religiously to their board, prioritizing best available talent over immediate roster needs throughout Days 1 and 2 when likely early contributors come off the board.
This year’s draft season reinforced many of those lessons and provided a few new insights into how Peters’ front office thinks about team building. Here are some key takeaways from Adam Peters’ choices with Commanders’ draft picks before and during the 2025 draft.
This one got a little long, so I will give it to you in two parts.
In his first draft with the Commanders, Peters surprised the media and fans alike, by selecting defensive tackle Johnny Newton early in the second round, despite already having two defensive tackles on premium starting contracts.
This year, he disappointed fans who were expecting him to trade back from 29 to get more picks, and left fans and media analysts alike wondering why he didn’t draft an edge-rusher, despite a glaring need for an upgrade at the position.
While these decisions may seem counterintuitive to fans, they have a common explanation which is deeply rooted in Peters’ draft philosophy.
The Commanders’ trades for veterans Marshon Lattimore, Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil left them with just five selections in the draft and only two in the top 100. In his pre-draft press conference with Assistant GM Lance Newmark, Peters indicated that the team was open to trading back to add more picks. However, when the opportunity arose, the Commanders turned down trade offers and stuck at 29 to draft Oregon OT Josh Conerly Jr. Peters explained their thinking:
“We got a ton of calls when we were on the clock. We got calls throughout the week,...
