After last season’s miraculous results and bringing in some veteran help during free agency, the Washington Commanders had just five picks in the 2025 NFL draft. They used them wisely, though, adding players in positions of need. Now that the draft has concluded and NFL teams get to work, the rest of us can sit back and analyze the outcome of the draft and make predictions about how the 2025 season will go.

To that end, Bleacher Report released post-draft power rankings. The Commanders ranked seventh on the list:

After a stunning run to the NFC Championship Game last year, the enthusiasm and pressure in the nation’s capital have both ratcheted up exponentially. In 2025, Washington has something it hasn’t had in some time.

Expectations.

The Commanders have been aggressive this offseason, making a pair of trades for accomplished veterans in wide receiver Deebo Samuel and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. The team added another potential starter on the offensive line in Round 1 of the 2025 draft in Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr.

Running back Jeremy McNichols told reporters that the Commanders plan to show that last year’s postseason success was in no way a one-off.

“I think it brings a lot of confidence, we have something to build upon,” McNichols said. “We started to build a solid foundation last year, and I think with the guys coming in, the expectation you have when you come to the Commanders and the expectations we have when we go play on Sunday, but nobody holds higher expectations than we do in this building.”

Analyst’s Take

A slight regression may be inevitable for the Commanders, who largely overachieved with a patchwork roster comprised of older veterans and short-term deals. The process of getting younger and finding stability began this offseason, and there could be growing pains. That said, Washington should remain a contender for as long as Jayden Daniels remains healthy, and throwing a couple of big darts at the offensive line (Tunsil, Conerly) was a smart approach. — [Kristopher] Knox

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There may be expectations around this team for the first time in a long time, but don’t underestimate how that motivates the players, especially Jayden Daniels. Daniels’ leadership, combined with Dan Quinn’s culture change, is what truly brought this team together last year. There’s no reason to think that this year will be any different.

Sure, there could be a bit of a backslide, and there probably will be. But didn’t everyone say that Daniels wouldn’t be as good as Caleb Williams last year? And didn’t Daniels then go on to break records and become the Offensive Rookie of the Year? Let’s approach doubting this team with caution; they still carry a chip on their shoulders and want nothing more than to prove everyone wrong.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders rank 7th in new post-draft power rankings