The stories of the intrusions of Washington owner Daniel Snyder into the draft process for the NFL team are legendary…. and painful.
Last week, Commanders Wire reminded readers of the 2008 NFL draft via Vinny Cerrato’s appearance on the Grant & Danny Show. Snyder insisted Malcolm Kelly be a second-round choice instead of Cerrato’s spoken preference for Texas running back Jamaal Charles. Charles had a great career, Kelly caught zero touchdown passes, never recovering from a college injury to his knee.
The 2019 NFL draft is another painful memory for Washington fans of Mr. Snyder’s insistence on getting his way in the draft, though hired professionals that knew much better. Snyder declared to the personnel department the first-round choice (15th overall) would be Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins.
There have been reports that Kyle Smith who invested the most time of the department in scouting college prospects for the draft waited and waited and when no one else who outranked him would stand up to Snyder, Smith made his frustration known…and with much volume.
To make matters worse, Snyder or Bruce Allen worked a trade where Washington traded back up into the first round to draft Montez Sweat at No. 26. Sweat has produced, Haskins did not, and the trade for Sweat cost Washington dearly as the leadership agreed to give the Colts two second-round choices in return for that No. 26 selection in 2019.
Washington sent to Indianapolis the No. 46 selection in that 2019 draft. Compounding matters, Haskins was not ready to be an NFL quarterback, Washington only went 3-13 in 2019, and thus the Colts ended up getting Washington’s 2020 second-round pick which was the second pick in the round!
Washington could have simply selected Sweat at No. 15 or someone else they wanted, and they would have retained these two second-round choices. However, fans are only left to wonder how much of an impact those two second-round choices might have made in the last couple of seasons.
Commanders GM Martin Mayhew: QB Sam Howell “will have every opportunity” to win starting jobhttps://t.co/rT6QVaVBPW pic.twitter.com/36WtMVBeyK
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) March 1, 2023
Mr. Snyder did not intrude into the draft last year (2022), and Martin Mayhew engineered trades back in the draft which brought Jahan Dotson, Brian Robinson Jr. and Sam Howell.
Mayhew has already mentioned he likes the possibility of trading back in NFL drafts. If only Washington had done this more often during Mr. Snyder’s years.