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This week (Monday-Friday) Commanders Wire will reveal in ascending order the top-five draft choices Ron Rivera has made in his three earlier drafts. Consequently, none of the 2023 NFL draft will be eligible for this list, seeing they have yet to play in the NFL.
Further, initially keep in mind that it is still much too early to know what Jahan Dotson, Phidarian Mathis, Percy Butler and Sam Howell are going to provide from the 2022 class.
Honorable Mention:
Chase Young also does not make our top five list because of virtually no productivity from the 2021 and 2022 seasons. But because of his high productivity in 2020, he nearly made the list and deserves an honorable mention.
Other honorable mention draftees during the Rivera era: Darrick Forrest and John Bates.
So here goes the list of the top five draft choices by Ron Rivera during his three seasons here in Washington (2020-22).
No. 5: Brian Robinson Jr., RB Alabama, 2022
No. 4: Benjamin St-Juste, CB, Minnesota, 2021
St-Juste was selected by Washington in the 3rd round (74th overall) in the 2021 draft.
Starting and playing in 12 games in 2022, St-Juste began to display a physical ability to track with wide receivers on the outside in an effective manner. In his 2021 rookie season, he was most often covering in the slot, but in 2022, the former Minnesota Gopher proved to himself and coaches he can defend the top opposition on the outside (421 outside snaps in 2022 and 168 in the slot).
Great job by Benjamin St. Juste on the final play to get his hands in there.pic.twitter.com/nSTaJUXmyp
— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) October 14, 2022
At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, St-Juste is long and physical on the outside for the Commanders. St-Juste exhibited great progress last season, and now in his third season, Washington defensive coaches may look to match up St-Juste against the opponents’ number one wide receiver. This will challenge the more experienced St-Juste and also permit 2023 rookie Emmanuel Forbes to not be matched against the No. 1 receivers.
Benjamin St Juste and Kendall Fuller did their thing last night!#HTTC #WashingtonCommanders #WashingtonFootball
link: https://t.co/Um8Hdhwiqy pic.twitter.com/ntSNI8TU5w— Ace³⁰ (@Ace30_YT) November 15, 2022
It has been 32 years since Washington had a first-team All-Pro corner in Darrell Green (1991). Though St-Juste may not make All-Pro, his progress at times displayed in 2022 had to be encouraging for Commanders coaches looking toward the 2023 regular season.